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Dobbs' show scans issues

By BRADY DENNIS
Published December 15, 2006

U.S. Rep. Jim Davis, listens to a question from CNN anchor and author Lou Dobbs during a live "town hall" broadcast in Ybor City on Thursday night.
	[Times photos: Brian Cassella]

ADVERTISEMENT CNN anchor Lou Dobbs jokes with the crowd at the Italian Club in Ybor City. The Feed: Beefin' with Dobbs

TAMPA - CNN anchor Lou Dobbs brought his populist parade to town Thursday evening in the form of a "town hall meeting" in Ybor City.

About 150 hand-picked local residents representing different slices of the community made up the audience inside the historic Italian Club for the hourlong live show.

The visit marked one in an ongoing series of stops across the country for Dobbs, the former Moneyline host who recently published a book on the same topic as Thursday's show: War on the Middle Class.

The 7 p.m. broadcast covered a lot of ground - sky-rocketing property taxes and homeowners insurance, affordable housing and health care, investment in public education, student aid - but it offered little depth or substance on any issue.

Between the frequent commercial breaks, pretaped segments about Tampa and many panelists - including U.S. Rep. Jim Davis, Hillsborough schools superintendent MaryEllen Elia and several state senators - there was little time left for real discussion or talk of details.

It went mostly like this:

A prearranged question from an audience member. A quick, general answer from a panelist. A platitude or two from Dobbs - "This is a can-do country" or "If you're not participating, it's not democracy." Some directed applause. Commercial break.

Much has been written in recent years about Dobbs' transformation from business anchor and proponent of the wealthy and powerful to the Average Joe's crusader, ready to battle "corporate imperialists" at every turn.

These days, instead of flying on private jets and mingling with CEOs, he lobbies for a higher minimum wage, national health insurance and abortion rights. He rails against illegal immigration and what he calls the "outsourcing of America."

This fire-breathing, unapologetic version of Dobbs has resulted in boosted ratings for his show, Lou Dobbs Tonight.

His startling transformation has been documented in the pages of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and most recently, a profile in the New Yorker. There's even a Web site called www.loudobbs4president.com.

During commercial breaks Thursday, Dobbs rested his unyielding, crusading demeanor and took time to joke with those who attended the show.

"You probably notice all these people working on the broadcast," he said at one point, smiling. "It takes every single one of them to get me to do what I'm supposed to do."

After one last commercial break, Dobbs was fired up again.

"Let's win this war that somebody else started on the middle class," he said, signing off.

The show was over. He stayed to shake some hands. Outside on Seventh Avenue, the sounds of a blues band drifted from a bar. The tattoo shop was busy. A store owner was rolling cigars. A limousine driver stood beside a black Lincoln Town Car, waiting to whisk the crusader away.

[Last modified December 15, 2006, 00:42:33]