There's an interesting thread at the TVSpy Watercooler this week about Lou Dobbs' role on CNN.

"He's confusing the public about the role of the media," one of the first replies says. "Dobbs and plenty of others mix what appears to be news with comment and opinion. It pollutes the water for people doing the work of impartial journalism." But a second person responds: "I like his show. He makes no bones about what he is about. That is different than Fox, which blurs the line between reporting and opining. Dobbs lets you know it is his opinion."

A third commenter compares Dobbs to Helen Thomas and calls him a "television columnist." This leads to the most important comment in the thread: "Helen walks and talks like a columnist; Lou sits in his anchorman chair on his anchorman set and tosses to news packages and debriefs reporters...all the stuff that anchors do." More...