Obama Slaps Lou Dobbs

CNN anchor Lou Dobbs is taking criticism from all sides for his hard-nosed stand on illegal immigration, with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton jabbing at him from the Democratic side and a top aide to Sen. John McCain joining in from the Republican side.

On "Lou Dobbs Tonight," CNN correspondent Bill Tucker noted that according to the Nevada chapter of the Service Employee International Union of Nevada (SEIU), "we think that immigration is a broken system and one of the reasons we are excited to endorse Senator Obama is that he understands Americans' are ready for a change. We are excited for him to be in the White House to start making those changes."

According to Tucker, the Service workers union warmed to Obama last December when he made a verbal slap at Dobbs. Obama responded to a question on immigration with this comment: ‘We're not going to be able to solve the problem if we're just shouting about it, you know, like Lou Dobbs and folks on television.’ ”

Tucker added that Clinton “even mocks the seriousness of the issue,” quoting her as taking a veiled slap at Dobbs as well when she said, “ There are even some commentators who are doing extremely well for themselves by making this a very hot issue; but ask yourself, does all that hot air solve anything?” in an obvious slap at Dobbs.

Said Tucker, “The dismissive and derisive nature of the comments is not limited to the Democrats. Senator McCain's chief political strategist seemed to mock the opposition in defeat of McCain's amnesty plan saying that quote, ‘even Lou Dobbs' throat got sore screaming for so long.’

“The candidates seem to have forgotten that the Senate's idea of comprehensive immigration reform and amnesty inspired bipartisan outrage from voters. Now, surely the candidates can't believe that the voters are full of just so much hot air, can they, Lou?”

Dobbs answered, “I have to tell you very disappointing to me was Senator McCain's adviser making that crack after Senator McCain — I have credited on this broadcast with listening to the American people and understanding that this is going to have to be border security first. It doesn't matter what Senator Barack Obama says. It doesn't matter what Senator Clinton says.

“The American people are not going to tolerate anything other than border security and port security before anyone even begins to touch immigration reform. That's been made extremely clear. And for Senator McCain's adviser to make that inside identification crack suggests either the senator has an idiot for an adviser, or this adviser is betraying a belief held by the senator that he's not expressing. It would be interesting to hear which.”