Media Matters Action Network published a report last week aimed at CNN’s Lou Dobbs and others, regarding their “vitriolic rhetoric,” on the topic of immigration. “On their eponymous programs, Dobbs, O’Reilly, and Beck serve up a steady diet of fear, anger, and resentment on the topic of illegal immigration,” says the site.
Dobbs invited a member of Media Matters for America to debate the points made in the report, and on Thursday’s program, he and Paul Waldman had it out.
“Until you went after me and Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck, you hadn’t done anything, had you? We’ve been reporting on this subject here for seven years,” he says during the interview. “And you have no standing whatsoever to make such outrageous, arrogant comments.”
One of Dobbs’ main arguments is that he is a strong proponent of legal immigration, an issue ignored in the Media Matters report.
Later in the interview, there’s this exchange:
Dobbs: Because you are an ideologue and a left-wing hack, you will ignore the reality.
Waldman: Calling me names is a way to avoid talking about this.
Dobbs: No, I’m talking to you partner.
• Related: Time‘s Joe Klein takes on Dobbs regarding this portion of the interview.
Click continued to see a clip of some of the heated debate…