Who didn’t see this coming?
Today’s update to Lou Dobbs’ exit (or, as The Onion put it, "deportation") from CNN: Guess who Dobbs is giving his first post-CNN interview to?
Fox News.
Bill O’Reilly will conduct the interview on Monday’s "Factor," a spokesperson for Fox said late Thursday.
This follows heavy speculation that Dobbs will eventually land at Fox — either at FNC or the Fox Business Channel, although the spokesperson said that neither channel has had discussions with the self-proclaimed "Mr. Independent."
I’m not so sure I believe the hype of Dobbs to Fox. On his last CNN show, he sounded more politician than pundit, and callers to his radio show on Thursday were urging him to run for public office.
And as Jeff Bercovici points out, there’s still a question of whether or not Dobbs would be allowed to go to Fox News:
"CNN president Jon Klein has said he let Dobbs out of his contract early — it was supposed to run through 2011 — but declined to say whether he did so on the condition that the anchor not go to work for a competitor. It’s possible that Dobbs could join Fox Business Network, which doesn’t compete with CNN or other Turner Broadcasting properties, and then expand into a role with Fox News once any exclusivity period that may exist runs out."
But given the thunderous cyber-applause that followed Dobbs’ announcement (Vanity Fair: "In a blow to viewers who like their news served up with a bracing dose of xenophobia, Lou Dobbs has stepped down at CNN") it’s a wonder why CNN would even care where Dobbs goes.