Hispanic congressmembers attack CNN over Lou Dobbs

John Byrne Published: Monday April 28, 2008

China isn't the only one mad at CNN.

Leaders of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, a coalition of 21 Latino congressmembers, dispatched a letter Friday to Time Warner CEO Jeffrey Bewkes complaining that the network's news coverage is slanted against immigration and has adopted the rhetoric of outspoken CNN host Lou Dobbs.

CHC Chairman Joe Baca (D-CA) and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) expressed outrage that their appeals to meet privately with CNN have gone ignored, and that their letter to Time Warner's CEO have instead ended up on the desk of CNN's president.

“We are deeply offended that you did not take the time or effort to respond to a request from twenty Members of the United States House of Representatives and a United States Senator, but instead simply passed the letter along to Mr. Walton,” the lawmakers wrote, according to an article Monday in Roll Call. “It is additionally offensive that you did so on a topic as important and sensitive as your company’s treatment and portrayal of Latinos in this country.”

Time Warner did not return inquiries from the paper Friday; CNN did not speak for attribution. CNN was attacked recently for a comment made by host Jack Cafferty, who compared China's leadership with "thugs and goons."

CNN president Jim Walton wrote the caucus back Apr. 23, saying Time Warner's CEO would not be able to answer their appeals.

“As a matter of long-standing policy, Time Warner’s corporate management never interferes with the editorial decision-making of its news operations,” Walton penned.

Walton offered to meet with the lawmakers as well as any Congressional Hispanic congressmember -- but the caucus isn't happy Time Warner's CEO won't reply.

“It really is a slap in the face, that as many members as there are in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in the House and the Senate, that we don’t get a direct response,” Menendez said.

Adds Roll Call:

According to Menendez, many of CNN’s news programs have adopted “the language Lou Dobbs uses,” referring to the host of “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” who uses the platform to complain about illegal immigration.

“The news program has become the equivalent of opinion and not information,” Menendez said, asserting that news anchors opt for language describing “hordes” of immigrants crossing borders, and use phrases such as “illegal” rather than “undocumented” when describing such immigrants.

Baca told the paper a meeting with Walton several weeks ago went well. He suggested the network provide another show to counterbalance Dobbs.

“It was a very positive meeting," Baca said. "I said look, there’s a lot of good programs that CNN puts on, and we watch a lot of it. We’re only talking about a specific individual. The other programs are pretty good in terms of the news that they bring out."

Now they want their way with CNN.  Can't stand to hear the truth about what illegal immigration really is and what is has done to this country.  Now they feel they are entitled to run and slant this news organization to their advantage.  Lou needs to have the whole caucus on and give them a run for their money.  Notice you don't see them saying anything about all the victims of their illegal love affair--American citizens either murdered, run down or permanently damaged by illegals.

Keep going Lou.  Email him and let him know you support him in his efforts. 

Can someone ask NumbersUSA or Grassfire??? They are the ones who have set up the faxes in the past. Among many issues on my part, I think it should be against House rules to have a caucus based on race, religiobn or nationality. Is there a Mormon caucus??? Italian??? Irish???

How can you be a member of an ethnic caucus, as an elected official, and claim to put your country before your ethnicity????

I have been an unprejudiced person, proud to be an American, accepting all other, so long as they are here legally and hoping they accept me. It seemed , most of my life. it worked,  it was like that, then the illegals invaded by the millions and the elected officials no longer represent America, they represent special interest groups.  I am sad to say, for the first time in my life, I am starting to feel anger against people of different ethnic backgorunds because they are being unfair and trying to turn America into a country of favoritism.

misterbill said:

Can someone ask NumbersUSA or Grassfire??? They are the ones who have set up the faxes in the past. Among many issues on my part, I think it should be against House rules to have a caucus based on race, religiobn or nationality. Is there a Mormon caucus??? Italian??? Irish???

How can you be a member of an ethnic caucus, as an elected official, and claim to put your country before your ethnicity????

I have been an unprejudiced person, proud to be an American, accepting all other, so long as they are here legally and hoping they accept me. It seemed , most of my life. it worked,  it was like that, then the illegals invaded by the millions and the elected officials no longer represent America, they represent special interest groups.  I am sad to say, for the first time in my life, I am starting to feel anger against people of different ethnic backgorunds because they are being unfair and trying to turn America into a country of favoritism.

 

 

 

I contacted numbersusa, and am waiting for a response.  I let you know as soon as I know.

I will also write to Cnn, and Lou as well. 

misterbill said:

Can someone ask NumbersUSA or Grassfire??? They are the ones who have set up the faxes in the past. Among many issues on my part, I think it should be against House rules to have a caucus based on race, religiobn or nationality. Is there a Mormon caucus??? Italian??? Irish???

How can you be a member of an ethnic caucus, as an elected official, and claim to put your country before your ethnicity????

I have been an unprejudiced person, proud to be an American, accepting all other, so long as they are here legally and hoping they accept me. It seemed , most of my life. it worked,  it was like that, then the illegals invaded by the millions and the elected officials no longer represent America, they represent special interest groups.  I am sad to say, for the first time in my life, I am starting to feel anger against people of different ethnic backgorunds because they are being unfair and trying to turn America into a country of favoritism.

 

 

Representative Joe Baca (D)   Phone 202-225-6161  - Fax 202-25-8671  - Website -  http://www.house.gov/baca

Sen. Bob Menendez (D)    Phone 202-224-4744 - Fax 202-228-2197 - Website - http://www.menendez.senate.gov

			President and Chief Executive Officer Esther Aguilera, one of Washington’s top strategic thinkers, is President and CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), a position she has held since November 2004. She has been recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in America, presented with Hispanic Magazine’s 2006 Latina Excellence Award in Education, and was featured in Latino Leaders Magazine’s 2007 women’s issue for her positive impact in the Hispanic community.

NHI Congressional Endorsements -  http://www.chci.org/nhi/nhi_endorsements.html

Get a load of the Bio on Menendez!  Youngest of 15 children in a household that spoke very little English?  Hummm, you suppose he is an anchor baby?Close enough to Mexico!  Joe was born in Belen, New Mexico, in 1947,  Interstate 10 to 25 from Mexico about 200 + miles.  Is everyone in his family American citizens?  This seems to happen a lot now a days... From El Paso, Tx to Albuquerque, New Mexico - 268 miles - Belen is between El Paso and
Albquerque.    Maybe that's why he is so touchy about Lou being against illegal immigration?  Just a thought?

 http://www.chci.org/about/chairman.html

First of all, I am deeply offended that Congress has not responded to the wishes of the American people that they are supposed to represent.  So I don't care if they are offended.  And I see it as a slap in the face, since we are their constituients, that we don't get a direct response from them.  And then pi__ on Menendez for being offended that Lou calls these invaders illegal instead of undocumented.  The dumb ass (excuse my French).  He's a U.S. Senator and he knows the law.  Yet he refuses to call them what they are and that is illegal.  They broke the law and that makes them illegal.  Let's all go to Congress.org and go to Letters to Leaders and blast Menendez and the others. 

Misterbill,  I, too, have asked why there is allowed to be an Hispanic Caucus.  That is racist.  How in the world did we get to this point in the government of the United States of America?  Anyway we all need to let CNN know that we support Lou and that CNN is the only media who tells the truth about what is being done to this country.

I agree Mammaw, do we have a white caucus?  Do we have a woman's caucus in congress, or a white male caucus?  It is blatantly racist to have a black or hispanic caucus!!

We also need to quicky write/call/email CNN in support of Lou Dobbs and remind CNN that illegal is illegal and also against the laws of this nation!!

Lady Jane said: I think everyone should contact CNN on Lou's behalf.  The sooner the better!  Don't let them get away with this!

I did, and so did most of my friends.

RockyMtn1776, amen. 

p. hunt said: Hey I have tried to find the 21 Latino congressmen. We need to fill their email, fax and phones full, telling them just what we think of them. Anyone able to get a list???/

I would like that list as well.....sounds like a few latino congressmen need to have a lesson in LAW.....we ENFORCE laws against illegals! Either these people comply or they can get the heck out of MY COUNTRY! 

PLEASE SOMEONE FIND THE LIST OF THESE PUTTOS!

latinosvote.com

go to latinos in congress 

NHI Congressional Endorsements -  http://www.chci.org/nhi/nhi_endorsements.html

Here is a list of Congressional endorsers!  I'd start here!  In my comment above I have listed to two top culprits!