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Nov 12 2009, 2:49 pm by Matthew Cooper

President Lou Dobbs

Would it be insane for the insane Lou Dobbs to run for president? I've written about this before. I don't share his immigration obsession or his anger, but he does fill a void in American politics, an ugly one. With a more or less free trade consensus between the parties--has Obama lifted a finger to renegotiate NAFTA--his protectionism would have an audience as much as his anti-immigration stand. There was more of an opening for him in '08 when John McCain was the nominee. McCain had co-authored comprehensive immigration reform and was backing off of it, but he was associated with the policy. Next time, the GOP is almost sure to nominate someone with a harder line. If Dobbs wants to remain a force--or a joke, depending on how you look at it--hinting at and beginning a run for president isn't the craziest idea. Pat Buchanan beat a sitting president of the United States in the New Hampshire primary. The Depression gave us voices of protest like Huey Long and Father Coughlin and Upton Sincliar as well as the sobriety of FDR. It wouldn't be surprising if this economic hardship gives us a candidate named Lou Dobbs. It used to be that you wrote books and went on TV to run for president. Now you would run for president to sell books and promote your radio show.

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Comments (11)

qshio

Actually, Buchanan did *not* beat George H.W. Bush in New Hampshire, he simply fared surprisingly well with over 36%.

24AheadDotCom (Replying to: qshio)

Getting things like that wrong is the worst of Matthew Cooper's sins. He's basically supporting one-party rule, where a corrupt establishment dictates policies that most of those outside the Beltway oppose.

Cooper is also (not surprisingly) a liar: Dobbs isn't "anti-immigration".

And, of course, supporting U.S. workers working rather than seeing their jobs shipped overseas in order to benefit a small number of corrupt insiders isn't "ugly" by any means.

P.S. If anyone's in DC tomorrow, please ask Janet Napolitano this question (the one in the second update) at an appearance she'll be making. Asking her that would not only show just how little concern the Beltway establishment (including low-level hacks like Matthew Cooper) has for U.S. workers, it would also undercut the MSM by showing the types of things they should ask but are too corrupt to ask.

Tedski (Replying to: 24AheadDotCom)

There are plenty of commentators out there who are "anti-illegal immigration" rather than "anti-immigrant." Dobbs was definitely the latter. He tarred every Hispanic with the same brush, whether they were here legally, illegally or even born here. Anyone remember when he called out the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and all but accused them of smuggling drugs?

24AheadDotCom (Replying to: Tedski)

1. You're lying, "Ted".

2. He made a mistake with the Chamber, and he corrected it. Compare, for instance, the fact that CNN president Jon Klein has not corrected disinfo he gave Dobbs.

3. Our "Dobbs Opponent of the Day" is the League of United Latin American Citizens.

Kylopod

>Pat Buchanan beat a sitting president of the United States in the New Hampshire primary.

That is false. Buchanan beat Bob Dole in the '96 NH primary (when Clinton was president), but he never won a single primary in '92 (when Bush Senior was president).

Andy in Texas

But Buchanan's 1992 campaign did, somewhat indirectly, give us Rachel Maddow. That should count for something.

Buzz Feedback

Maybe Lou should join the Border Patrol if he's so worried about illegal immigration. They're hiring.

PorkBelly

An answer to your first sentence-

Yes.

Rev Paul T Hipple

Excuse me? Mr Lou Dobbs for President?

Have we somehow forgotten about Rep Tom Tancredo? No disrespect intended to Mr Lou Dobbs, who's anti-mexican credentials I admire Deeply, but Rep Tom Tancredo has been warning us about roaming packs of mexican rape squads since before Mr Lou Dobbs grew hair.

And why give up the Whitehouse? Rep Tom Tancredo can have xGov Mother Sarah Palin on his ticket, not only to secure the Religious Right, but also our Northern Brown Energy Resources. And She will also improve relations between the Whitehouse and the Media...my goodness! Did you see her on Oprah today? She was very, very, very, very impressive.

I think Mr Lou Dobbses actions, basically jetisoning the ballast of working for the communist news network all these years, indicates that he is doing nothing more or less than positioning himself to secure a cabinet position in the Tancredo administration.

-RPTH

Cadmus

Lou Dobbs doesn't want to be President. He doesn't want to govern. He doesn't want to solve problems, he just want to criticize others for not doing things right. He opposed the bank bailouts...but he wouldn't want to be accountable for letting the financial system collapse.

Dobbs doesn't want to be held accountable...which is why he left CNN, rather than accept criticism. Believe me, he doesn't want to be President. He may want to be like Glen Beck, however.

garwood

lou dobbs for prez? what's next, wolf blitzer for vice prez?

i don't think it's in the cards for lou just based on the way he left CNN. but that said, i'd like to see him try it! Joe