Jon Friedman gives preening-emotional-adolescent CNN anchor Lou Dobbs the attention he so craves by suggesting he run for President, and imagining a prize-fight between Dobbs and Bill O'Reilly. (Shudder to think about THAT: Friedman says Dobbs would "sting like a bee," but it's hard to imagine how a pile of bone splinters could do that. Anybody who got in the ring with O'Reilly would have his stinger removed via their nostrils in a matter of seconds, I bet. But I digress..)
But then Friedman turns his attention to the biggest babies of all: Jon Klein and the CNN president's bawling, squalling "blame Fox News for our failures" tantrum contingent:
CNN insiders have long railed privately (especially when the news boss, Jon Klein, catches a wave) against Fox's approach. Fox shrewdly hit on a formula of bringing the chatty ambience of a talk-radio show to TV.
That Fox has trounced CNN for years in the ratings sweepstakes particularly infuriates veteran CNN officials. They believe their network has shown a stronger commitment to reporting on breaking news (though there is no shortage of happy talk on CNN's breakfast-hour shows).
Topping off CNN's resentment, a happy blowhard like O'Reilly has emerged as THE voice of cable news by preening, pointing and shouting.
Maybe this hasn't been lost on Dobbs. Not so long ago, he was best known as a fairly pompous business-news maven who got his kicks by interviewing adoring CEOs on the air.
Now look at what he has become. You know something? It's always interesting when you turn into what you loathe.
