That was quick: Less than 24 hours after Lou Dobbs abruptly left the air, CNN has announced he’ll be replaced by magic-wall-wrangler John King, hosting a daily political program. King’s show begins early next year. Thereby ensuring that the network’s 7 p.m. hour will not have to deal with future Dobbs-like controversies, or, most likely, anything else at all interesting.
The charitable view is that CNN, now in the basement in primetime news ratings, is not trying to copy the competition but sticking to its brand of straight news (though, face it—there’s plenty of filler on The Situation Room). And King does bring his sidekick, the magic wall with him. (As if that wall’s ego wasn’t big enough already. Mark my words—that flat-screen is going to be a terror when it comes time to renegotiate its contract.
Meanwhile, credit where it’s due. After being called out by Jon Stewart for splicing in two-months-old footage into coverage of last weekend’s health-reform protest, Fox News’ Sean Hannity took it on that proud American chin last night: “As much as it pains me to say it, Jon Stewart, Comedy Central—he was right.”
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