The AP's David Bauder gets the first post-CNN interview with Lou Dobbs.

Although the decision to leave was characterized as mutual, Dobbs said he approached [CNN president Jon] Klein to say it wasn't working for him. There was no "eureka" moment, Dobbs said.

"What they do is their business and I tried to accommodate them as best I could, but I've said for many years now that neutrality is not part of my being. I have strong views about a lot of issues that are important to the country and I think are important to my audience."

Those strong views include his stand on illegal immigration. And Bauder reports Dobbs is "eager to meet with some of the groups that have criticized him."

"This has been an orchestrated campaign of both distortion and outright propaganda for the purpose of the open border and unconditional amnesty agenda," Dobbs said. "That's politics. I understand that. But I'm going to reach out to everyone with whom I've had a disagreement and see if there's a way in which we can calmly and dispassionately discuss our differences and talk about solutions."

Broadcasting on radio will continue and since Dobbs doesn't have a burdensome non-compete as part of his CNN exit, another TV job could be in the near future. But "Mr. Independent" is also not ruling out politics.

"I've aligned myself with no group, no organization. I am truly an independent. I carry no one's water. I'm aligned with no interest group, no organized political party, nor do I intend to be. I relish being an independent and having my freedom."

• Dobbs will be Bill O'Reilly's guest tomorrow on The Factor.