Tim Rutten: CNN is "corrupt"; wrong about immigration (GOP debate)

Tim Rutten of the Los Angeles Times offers "CNN: Corrupt News Network". He calls CNN "corrupt" for spending so much time on immigration matters, explicitly saying it was an attempt to boost Lou Dobbs' ratings. More on that mostly unbelievable charge below.

...this most recent debacle masquerading as a presidential debate raises serious questions about whether CNN is ethically or professionally suitable to play the political role the Democratic and Republican parties recently have conceded it... ...In any event, CNN has failed in its responsibilities to the political process and it's time for the leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties to take the network out of our electoral affairs.

While he's right about that, he falsely believes that immigration isn't an important issue, either per se or to the GOP base. In fact, it's one of the most vital issues the U.S. faces, and if Rutten can't see that it's because he's stuck in his MSM cocoon. And, even if he could see it, his paper's history of covering up for far-left illegal immigration supporters throws into doubt whether the L.A. Times would cover it. And, needless to say, the MSM frequently lies or misleads about the issue, so taking their accounts at face value might explain some of his confusion.

If this was a promo for Dobbs, I'd tend to think that he or his producers would have been involved in selecting the questions in some way. Would the other parts of CNN decide to do a good turn for Dobbs and then not consult him or someone from his staff? While that's certainly possible, I'd doubt it.

And, I tend to doubt that, if he were asked, Dobbs would have selected the questions that were asked. While I understand that Dobbs can't go for the jugular with each guest, since he wants to still get people to come on his show. But, I have trouble believing that he would have selected the question about amnesty, which was directed at just two candidates, including John McCain. Everybody who follows this issue knows that amnesty supporters - like McCain and others - have a habit of lying and not calling what they support "amnesty", prefering to use euphemisms. And, McCain and other candidates have denied that he supports amnesty countless times. So, why ask him to deny it again?

And, the in-state tuition question was almost as weak. I'd be very surprised to learn that Dobbs wouldn't immediately jump on the same points I did; in fact, his January 22, 2007 show featured a segment he introduced talking about the very same federal law as discussed at the previous link (transcript; do a find for "1623").

And, the previous CNN Democratic debate included a CNN-approved lie that slammed Lou Dobbs; I assume that was office politics. Dobbs apparently has his own production staff separate from the rest of their "news" staff; at least one profile of Dobbs indicated that there was tension between the two.

Let me suggest that Rutten learns much more about immigration matters, and then starts looking a bit deeper.

Politics · Sat, 12/01/2007 - 14:46 · · Importance: 1