Jon Stewart had a Mexican mariachi band welcome anti-illegal immigration critic Lou Dobbs on “The Daily Show” Wednesday, but later avoided a discussion of immigration policy when challenging the ex-CNN pundit’s political positions.
In a nearly 21 minute interview posted in full on Comedy Central’s website, the pair clashed on whether America could afford to make health reform a priority with double digit unemployment. Stewart said both were linked; Dobbs said jobs were more important.
They found common ground on the idea that opinions should have a place in news coverage.
“I do respect that your views -- however abhorrent and wrong -- have always been consistent,” Stewart said.
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Dobbs --who recently left CNN citing a change in “tone” since Obama’s election -- revealed his most explicit description yet of the discussions with network execs that led to his exit.
“Jon Klein, president of CNN, told me point blank the network was going to move away from the advocacy journalism that I practice into something that he called middle-of-the-road-journalism,” he said.
Stewart shot back: “He really said 'we’re moving toward middle of the road journalism,' a flavorless gruel of journalism?”
