Report: Lou Dobbs Left CNN for $8 Million Good Reasons

By Dino Sossi Posted Nov 16th 2009 04:27PM

CNN wanted veteran newscaster out so badly, they gave him an $8 million settlement package, reports The New York Post.

"They wanted him out," revealed a source. Dobbs shocked fans by announcing he was quitting his show 'Lou Dobbs Tonight' last Wednesday. Another source claimed he had 18 months left on a $12 million contract.

Tension had been building between Dobbs and CNN executive producer Jonathan Klein over the subject matter reported during Dobbs's show - that President Barack Obama was not born in Hawaii and therefore not an American citizen as well as illegal immigration. "What they do is their business," Dobbs stated yesterday regarding CNN. "I tried to accommodate them as best I could, but I've said for many years now that neutrality is not part of my being."

Klein held a strong belief that Dobbs' increasingly opinionated reporting ran counter to CNN's stated goal of becoming a fact-based, opinion-free network nestled between the right-leaning FOX News and left-leaning MSNBC.

However, the extent to which CNN was willing to pay Dobbs such a significant severance had been hidden. This stands in significant contrast to the way Dobbs expressed the professional dissolution of his 27-year association with CNN which he characterized as "pleasant, friendly and professional" to the Atlanta Constitution-Journal.

The $8 million package has given Dobbs a sense of freedom. "I truly believe that it's also a liberating moment for me," claimed Dobbs, who is in no rush to work on another network. Dobbs said that it would be "weeks, probably months" before he decides what to do next.

Speculation that Dobbs may become a candidate for the Senate seat in New Jersey in 2012 rings false to insiders. "He couldn't stand the scrutiny," mentioned a colleague.

Tags: Barack Obama, BarackObama, Lou Dobbs, Lou Dobbs Tonight, LouDobbs, LouDobbsTonight

Comments

(172)

Tuesday 17 November

By mhammer491

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Lou was blasted as being against immigration, when in fact it was the ILLEGAL immigration that upset him, as it does many of us. There must be controls, and the controls must be followed, otherwise why have a border at all?

He also merely stated, concerning where Obama was born, "IF HE HAS A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, THAN SHOW IT!" I AGREE, WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? EITHER OBAMA WAS BORN IN HAWAII, OR HE WASN'T! What is there to hide? Only reason not to show it is because it has beeen tampered with, or it doesn't exist! They are all gone now, so there is no one to tell his story but the birth certificate. So, as the old saying goes "TELL IT ALL, BROTHER! TELL IT ALL!"=

By howardfrankfort

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Ever notice he was the only one to disagree with the cnn/democratic platform? Liberals WILL NOT withstand any dissent from their philosophy. I only hope, when less restrained at fox, he doesn't act as silly as Beck did.

By Jeff Thompson

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No loss! Dobbs couldn't string five words together coherently. He'll no doubt pop up on Fox soon where O'Reilly's already interviewed him.

By Sonny

Looks like censorship via the almighty dollar......CNN used 8 million dollars to censor Lou Dobbs. If he was wrong (his views), why did CNN have to pay him to leave? It wouldn't surprise me if the 8 million came from the Whitehouse. They couldn't stand the truth in their face every day........Go Lou, and wherever you decide to go, keep the truth flowing.

By Brandon

Now thats a joke! cnn a unbias network lol. Who does cnn think its kidding. Fox news only exist because of the "clinton news network". So all you fox haters can thank cnn for them being on the air and by the way the #1 cable news network

By MsMHS

I love and respect Lou Dobbs; his was the only show on CNN I Have watched for the past 7 years. CNN is a liberal bias station and one never gets the true facts on any subject unless one is listening/watching Lou Dobbs. I will be following him as I already have to Bill O'Reilly's show.
As he explained on that show, the network loved him when he was bashing Bush's amnesty proposals but CNN did not like him at all when he was bashing Obama's amnesty proposals. Ahh, you gotta wonder why CNN remains in business.

By paul

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Obama and the rest of washington d.c. thugs are criminals for aiding and abetting illegal aliens in the United States. There are laws on the books that are being trampled in the name of politics. The vigilantes will have to act......They are no more illegal than the would be reps. in d.c.

By jjgg5

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Lou Dobbs can take his racist rants and paranoid political theories to "Fox" where he'll feel perfectly at home.

By Joe

Levi is a jerk. He had the world at his hand. Now for a ittle recgnition he will end up in the crapper after the left Media is tired of him

By jim

My viewing days with CNN are over. Dobbs was the only bright spot on this lack luster left leaning rag of a station.

By cange

Why is this story on 'PopEater?' It should be News news. But if anyone deserves 8 million dollars it's 'Pop' Lou Dobbs for spreading the news that Obama wasn't really born in Hawaii. I mean, have you seen photographic evidence of Obama eating spam? Neither have I.

By Dennis

Doc, I'd like to answer some of your questions ! First Lou Dobbs is not God, but, Obama is a criminal. He has taken the Constitution and basically torn it up - to get all his agenda thru.
The you must know without a doubt that none of his policies have actually worked, except for the liberal media spin that his cronies put on everything. Do any of you that subscribe to the notion that Obama is really President, or do you realize that he is a puppet for Axelrod and Immanuel, the guys who pull his strings and tell him what to say. Back to your statement, the bailouts are not working, the people who got the money didin't need it, a few pet projects here and there to buy off a few democrats and their vots, nothing significant. GM, let them go under, the unions have done enough damage to our country in their high wages and other demands. What about all the other promises he has made and not kept, shutting down Gitmo, creating jobs, transparency, getting out of the two wars, I can keep going if you like. If we actually had a news media that would report on the Obama Administration fairly,(None Do)they either go to far or are about to get crap all over their noses. We would as Free Americans see that the Obama Group is not about Healthcare for anybody, helping GM, creating jobs - they are all about government power and an eventual government take over of the private sector. They believe that this country is one big Chicago, and he should be the nayor for Life. We need to vote him and all the other losers, both Dems and Repubs out - put in honest americans, with term limits....thanks for listening. dc

By Trudy

This all-white racist money grabbing smug arrogant overweight nuttbar Lou Dobbs just saw a way of making a fast buck without having to work for it and decided to run with the ill-free-gotten cash. He just saw a way to line his pockets and get out while the getting was good. That is how I see him. He thinks he outsmated something or someone, but all he did was make his sorry life more miseralbe for himself. I'm glad he is gone and I hope he does not ever speak out publicly ever again. Good riddence to bad rubbish.

By bodyceo

Even the article LIES about how centrist CNN is. You cant trust CNN of the writers of anything on AOL to give true journalism. CNN stand for the Clinton News Network. Hell the founder Ted Turner is a Marxist. Thinks everything is ok in North Korea. Just listen to the things these peopl say. Now CNN is not only in the toilet but flushed.

By linny

The few times i saw him, because i watch FOX for great reporting!, i wondered why he wasnt on FOX, like, what was he doing on CNN! join FOX, Lou! We will watch ya! Doesn't it feel great to be able to be yourself? You go, guy!

By janette

I hate CNN and MSNBC.They are so far up Obama's butt.May their ratings crash.Lou Dobbs was the only one that told the truth.

By naotachannel

CNN is the same station that's been trying to paint the Muslim terrorist at Ft Hood as a victim.

I don't know how Lou worked at such a slimy organization - he should have left when they first started spewing their pro-Islamic propaganda years ago.

By silenthillman

I knew it! He was hurting CNN's reputaion and they wanted him out. I doubt it was personal. This was the easiest way to get rid of him quickly and quietly. I bet if he wouldn't have accepted he would have been fired.

By Harley

The last reason to watch CNN just left the building.

By Will

CNN claiming to be centrist and opinion free is so big a lie, even liberals have to be laughing.

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