Judging from his Twitter feed, Lou Dobbs is angry over the cancellation of his Fox Business show and getting banned from appearing anywhere else on Fox.
We still don’t know exactly why Dobbs was fired, one day after being named as a co-defendant in a $2.7+ defamation case against Fox over the disinformation he and the network spread about Smartmatic voting technology “stealing” the presidential election.
Jeanine Pirro and Maria Bartiromo are also co-defendants and, as of now, have not been fired. Just last week, Fox auditioned Bartiromo to be host of its new Fox News Primetime show. Yet Fox has been on notice of a potential lawsuit, over segments that included Bartiromo, since at least December 10.
Fox claims Dobbs' cancellation was unrelated to the lawsuit. Whether that's true or not, there were likely other factors behind the decision. Dobbs had the top-rated show on Fox Business and out-rated its competition on CNBC, as per The New York Times.
As I write this, Pirro’s last tweet was late yesterday afternoon about the Trumper guests “joining me” on tonight’s show. But that was minutes before news broke that Dobbs had been fired. Will Pirro and her show be on the air tonight? Stay tuned.
Whatever happened between Fox and Dobbs, his departure was clearly not a mutual decision.
Dobbs’ Twitter feed is full of plaudits and retweets about what a mistake Fox made. Here are some of the tweets Dobbs retweeted:
Fox News is desperate to be accepted by people who will not accept them. Cancelling @LouDobbs is not going to satisfy the blood lust of the rage mob.
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) February 6, 2021
I'm with @LouDobbs, wherever he goes! 👇👇 https://t.co/IQyi7qykEg
— ⭐️🇺🇸Giomerica🇺🇸⭐️ (@ScottGiorgini) February 6, 2021
Very sad news: @foxnews has cancelled @LouDobbs Tonight. Lou is a friend and a great American. I hope he finds a home on another network ASAP. Good luck Lou! pic.twitter.com/LBYGoGJ0mv
— Fred Fleitz (@FredFleitz) February 6, 2021
Lou Dobbs. The very best. Smartest voice on television. Had the highest rated show, by far, on his network. Had the highest rated show on the network he was on before FOX too, and the network before that. FOX in a tailspin. @LouDobbs #loudobbs pic.twitter.com/1YA657OxY1
— MARK SIMONE (@MarkSimoneNY) February 6, 2021
Because @LouDobbs speaks truth and is a patriot. We will follow Lou, but @FoxNews is a hard pass. https://t.co/VfBHFyH4sy
— Resist Election Theft (@BewareFools) February 6, 2021
Because he is a truth teller...@LouDobbs is a threat to the giant cabal
— Amy Kremer (@AmyKremer) February 5, 2021
https://t.co/iWy30RLsLv
Fox News cancels longtime host Lou Dobbs' show
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) February 5, 2021
@LouDobbs is one of the best anchors in the business.
Fox is in a race with itself to the bottom. https://t.co/gvIPhp7ya4
Canceling @LouDobbs was a grave mistake. Thanks Lou for having me on early in my career for my book and for being a constant professional and patriot.
— Drew Berquist (@drewberquist) February 6, 2021
Sad!
(Dobbs image via screen grab)
2/7/21 Update: Pirro was on last night. Brian Stelter reports that Dobbs' firing is probably more of a one off than a change of culture: