CNN News Anchor Lou Dobbs Quits His Nightly Show

An apparent disagreement between CNN President Jonathan Klein and CNN News Anchor Lou Dobbs about the format of Dobbs's nightly show has influenced the controversial television personality to resign. The Associated Press is reporting that Lou Dobbs caught many, including close staff members who worked for the show, by surprise by announcing his resignation on air to his show's viewers.

Klein informed Dobbs earlier this year that he was unhappy over the news anchor's controversial and opinionated style and he demanded that he make a change to his on-air personality. The CNN president had hoped for the show to transform from an opinionated program into an objective newscast. However, Dobbs was unwilling to conform to the network's demands and ultimately decided to resign in order to pursue new opportunities.

During his last on-air CNN appearance, Dobbs said to his viewers, "This will be my last broadcast. Unfortunately, [issues such as climate change, health care, immigration, jobs and wars] are now defined in the public arena by partisanship and ideology rather than rigorous empirical thought and forthright analysis and discussion. I will be working diligently to change that as best I can."

According to The Associated Press, Dobbs had been employed by CNN for approximately 27 years and his style of news anchoring changed after September 11, 2001 when his opinion towards illegal immigration was altered significantly. His strict and persistent viewpoint regarding immigration resulted in a substantial ratings boost as well as minority groups pleading for his removal from the network.