Arena roundup: Dobbs applauded

From Politico

“Lou Dobbs will be able to better capitalize elsewhere on the demagogic persona he has invented for himself — a serious news network was never a fitting venue for his nativist, anti-immigrant pep rallies,” wrote Andres Martinez of the New America Foundation. “As for Time Warner, kudos for cleansing itself. Offering Lou Dobbs a coveted perch every night proved corrosive to CNN's overall integrity, suggesting that the network was willing to succumb to the standards of Fox News.”

By DAVID MARK & ELIZABETH MENDES | 11/12/09 6:18 PM EST Critics of illegal immigration in Congress Thursday offered praise for departed CNN host Lou Dobbs, suggesting he would affect the debate no matter what he does next. “There is no question that Lou has had a significant impact on public policy debates over the years. He was instrumental in leading the insurgency that resulted in the defeat of the McCain-Kennedy immigration bill,” said Rep. Darrell Issa (Calif.), ranking Republican on the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, in POLITICO’s Arena. “There are a lot of voices in the immigration debate who are incredibly passionate about the issue and I have no doubt that Lou will continue to be among the most vocal participants leading the discussion moving ahead,” said Issa. Rep. Lamar Smith (Texas), the top GOP lawmaker on the House Judiciary Committee, said Dobbs reflected the views of a majority of Americans on immigration, even if he was often pilloried, even by colleagues on his own network. [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE]