Lou Dobbs Takes On the World - WSJ' Henninger

[question everything]

Not too long ago, the people who watch Lou Dobbs' evening business program on CNN tuned into see someone who looked just like Lou Dobbs ranting about free trade and corporations that outsource jobs -- "Exporting America," he calls it. This didn't compute. The Lou Dobbs everyone thought they knew was a font of economic reason.

Every night of the week now, no matter how big or small the rest of the day's news, the Lou nobody knew finds time to kvetch about outsourcing, "cheap overseas labor" and about a Nafta free-trade agreement that flung open the door to "illegal aliens" whom he's happy to routinely identify as "Mexicans." On a recent program, as if he were doing talk radio at 2 a.m. in Youngstown, he said, "Many critics of Mexico's economy refer to what's called the manana syndrome, putting off work until tomorrow," as his introduction to some unrelated remarks by Alan Greenspan.

(snip)

Old admirers are aghast. It's as if whatever made Linda Blair's head spin around in "The Exorcist" had invaded the body of Lou Dobbs and left him with the brain of Dennis Kucinich. No public figure has moved so far left so fast since the transfiguration of Arianna Huffington. So who is this wild and crazy guy in the dark suit, white shirt and dark tie and where did he come from? Since Lou Dobbs is on television, I can't answer who he is, but I think I know where he's coming from.

For starters, Lou Dobbs isn't an economist; he's a television performer. (snip)

Every program that appears on the broadcast networks and on 46 cable channels -- from Animal Planet to all-news cable -- is measured for audience size by A.C. Nielsen.

(snip)

Now, all that said, it is entirely possible that Lou Dobbs fell off his horse on the road back from Space.com, and now believes with the faith of Saul of Tarsus that outsourcing is the root of all evil. But as an economic rationalist, I have to believe that Lou Dobbs is ranting nightly about "cheap overseas labor" as a pure ratings play. It's about the money. And it makes perfect sense: Companies outsource to protect their market share, and Lou attacks outsourcing to protect his market share.

(snip)

URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB107845498776347419,00.html (paid subscription)

Mr. Henninger invites comments to [e-mail]

[cryofan]

1. HA HA! Go, LOU, GO! Stick it to the MAN!

Then run for President! Lou Dobbs is a lone voice of dissent on TV. The only one who will speak the truth of millions.... A complete anomaly...

////////////////////////////////////////////////////



Old admirers are aghast. It's as if whatever made Linda Blair's head spin around in "The Exorcist" had invaded the body of Lou Dobbs and left him with the brain of Dennis Kucinich. No public figure has moved so far left so fast since the transfiguration of Arianna Huffington. So who is this wild and crazy guy in the dark suit, white shirt and dark tie and where did he come from? Since Lou Dobbs is on television, I can't answer who he is, but I think I know where he's coming from.

For starters, Lou Dobbs isn't an economist; he's a television performer. (snip)

Every program that appears on the broadcast networks and on 46 cable channels -- from Animal Planet to all-news cable -- is measured for audience size by A.C. Nielsen.

(snip)

Now, all that said, it is entirely possible that Lou Dobbs fell off his horse on the road back from Space.com, and now believes with the faith of Saul of Tarsus that outsourcing is the root of all evil. But as an economic rationalist, I have to believe that Lou Dobbs is ranting nightly about "cheap overseas labor" as a pure ratings play. It's about the money. And it makes perfect sense: Companies outsource to protect their market share, and Lou attacks outsourcing to protect his market share.

[MasonJar]

5. I just sent the WSJ writer an e-mail in which I quoted Presidents

Teddy Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson on the dangers to democracy inherent in corporations and politicians being corrupt together.

[papau]

2. 500 writers in the WSJ ed area - and finally we get one with talent!

:-)

He is oh so wrong - and Dobbs oh so correct - but I did enjoy his way with words!

If white collar outsourcing makes sense, then why not the board room and senior staff?

[patricia92243]

3. I wonder why CNN ALLOWS him to tell it like it is. If his ratings are up,

then why not let MORE of their announcers show the OTHER side of the news - not just neo-con garbage?

[orwell]

4. The Passion

WSJ pullin' a little smackdown for Unca Lou railing against the orthodoxy of the temple elders.

What's next, the Passion of the Lou Dobbs?

Mel...

O

[cryofan]

6. CorpGovMedia is beginning to amass its forces against Dobbs

They are starting to move against him:

http://www.techcentralstation.com/021104F.html


http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/8084032.htm

http://www1.economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/532856.cms

http://www.voanews.com/SpecialEnglish/article.cfm?objectID=652B1D59-66E9-44AD-BB5B121A657A615E


And here is that WSJ article in its entirety, for free:
http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/dhenninger/?id=110004778

Here is the final paragraph of that WSJ article:
"The ratings are up and we hope they stay up. On two hours earlier than "The Factor," Lou Dobbs doesn't get in the way of any basketball games. And unlike O'Reilly, "Exporting America" is a boatload of straight-faced fun. And I think Lou Dobbs knows it. "

[baby_bear]

7. Max Baucus is a "hyper-liberal"???

That's what the author (Henninger) of this piece calls him. Good grief. Baucus is a moderate. At best.

And get how Henninger slams the whole state of Montana in the process:

<snip>
Lou's guest was the hyper-liberal Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, once a stronghold of unionized mining.
</snip>

ohmygawd, unionized mining!!

One shakes one's head.

s_m

[troublemaker]

8. Bogus Analysis

Lou isn't just chasing ratings. His shtick is too crazed and consistent. He treats his guests worse than even Sean Hannity. Since his guests are mostly Republicans these days I enjoy the show, but he really has gone off the rails. Economics has a religious quality. People like Steve Forbes, Jack Kemp and Lou Dobbs are heretics and they seem to find perverse satisfaction from their state.

[troublemaker]

9. clarification

Not that economics is like religion because it's true but because it leads people to quasi-religious positions. (Favoring all tax cuts in any circumstances is one such theological position.)

[Skittles]

13. why would you enjoy republican guests?

they make me SICK.

[DemBones DemBones]

15. Silly Skittles! It's seeing Lou Dobbs attack Republican guests

that is enjoyable!

[Skittles]

17. huh

they still make me sick

[DemBones DemBones]

16. Yes, Lou has apostasized himself from most of

those we hear speak about economics on television. I keep wondering when he'll have Dennis Kucinich on the show, but maybe he thinks that would totally blow his cover. ;-)

Welcome to DU, troublemaker! (Oh, a troublemaker, eh?) :hi:

[Manix]

10. Typical right wing bullshit! When one of theirs strays off the

reservation, it is attributed to personal self-interest
rather then any sincere re-examination of policy.

[patricia92243]

11. Perfect answer!

[Alpharetta]

12. Lou Dobbs is a prostitute

I don't get the WSJ so I haven't read the whole article, but I do agree with the posted excerpts.

It was sickening the way Lou Dobbs backed the Iraq invasion with mumbo jumbo about the economy responding positively to each new sign of aggression from the White House.

I can't watch him. He provides me no insight to economic outlook or business trends. I suppose I could watch him in order to track media trends and bandwagons, but there are plenty of other media whores who provide the same service.

[teryang]

14. Dobbs is on to something

...he knows his position on outsourcing is extremely well received by the television audience. He is not the only econopundit questioning this aspect of so called "free trade."

Others, (particularly on CNBC) have been equally outspoken but more tactful. There the argument is "how can one expect continued improvement in the economy (from consumerism) when the job picture doesn't seem to be improving?" and "how much longer can the economy be sustained on debt and government spending when compensation is declining?" The inevitable response concerns the so called "lagging" indicator.

Absurdly, there was a CEO of an outsourcing firm in India who said, "But we buy office products and equipment from American corporations." He referred specifically to computer equipment. This was hilarious, as if this equipment was made in the states.