Score: Dobbs 1, CNN 0
CNN President Jon Klein, Network's Latest Birther?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, July 24, 2009

CONTACT Jessica Levin (202) 772-8162 jlevin@mediamatters.org

Washington, DC -- Less than 24 hours after declaring Lou Dobbs' pet birther story "dead" -- and saying anyone who "is not convinced doesn't really have a legitimate beef" -- CNN President Jon Klein caved to Dobbs this afternoon, reversing himself completely.

In response, Media Matters for America President Eric Burns released the following statement:

"This raises the troubling question of who is really calling the shots at CNN," said Burns. He added, "How can Klein expect Americans to believe that CNN is the 'most trusted name in news' when CNN's own president can't stand by his word? CNN's 'Lou Dobbs problem' just got a whole lot worse."

In a statement to Washington Post Co. blogger Greg Sargent, Klein defended Dobbs and stated "I think no good journalist would ever say that a particular story will never be covered again. Every day brings new facts, new pegs."

Additionally, according to Sargent, "Klein, in an interview with me just now, also took a shot at Dobbs' critics, saying they're politically motivated: 'I understand that people with a partisan point of view from one extreme or another might get annoyed that certain subjects are aired.' "

BACKGROUND

CNN President Brushes Off Criticism Of Lou Dobbs' Continued Floating Of "Birther" Theories

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/political-media/cnn-president-brushes-off-criticism-of-lou-dobbs-continued-floating-of-birther-theories/

CNN president emails Dobbs pronouncing birther story "dead," but Lou won't let it go

http://mediamatters.org/research/200907240030

SUMMARY: After CNN President Jon Klein reportedly emailed information to the staff of Lou Dobbs Tonight that Klein said shows the "story" about President Obama's birth certificate "is dead," Lou Dobbs noted that evidence on air, but then asked Roland Martin: "When this could be dispelled so quickly, and -- and simply by producing [the birth certificate], why not do it?"

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