Return to Transcripts main page
Lou Dobbs Tonight
Al Gore Wins Nobel Peace Prize; Arizona Police Speak Out Over Immigration Enforcement
Aired October 12, 2007 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, outrage over President Bush's complete failure to support what is left of our middle class in this country, new evidence tonight that our middle class is being crushed and in danger of disappearing. We will have the special report.
Also, police officers in one of this nation's largest cities seething with anger because their commanders refuse to allow them to protect their community and their citizens.
And the Department of Homeland Security says this identity card will secure our ports. We will tell you why and where homeland security is simply a joke. We start at the ports.
And three of the country's best political analysts and strategists join us to give us some perspective on, among other things, Al Gore's Nobel Peace Prize. All that, all the day's news, much more straight ahead here tonight.
ANNOUNCER: This is LOU DOBBS TONIGHT: news, debate, and opinion for Friday, October 12.
Live from New York, Lou Dobbs.
DOBBS: Good evening, everybody.
We begin tonight with new threats and insults from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin kept Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates cooling their heals for 40 minutes before meeting with them outside Moscow. The Russian president then lectured Secretary Rice and Secretary Gates on why Russia opposes U.S. missile defense systems in Europe.
Putin warned that Russia may withdraw from a 20-year-old treaty that limits nuclear missiles. Secretary of State Rice insisted the meeting was not adversarial and that the talks were, as they say at the State Department, constructive.
Jamie McIntyre has our report from Washington -- Jamie.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, one thing is clear, Lou. Russia is not budging a bit in its opposition to U.S. missile defenses in Europe. And President Putin seemed to be giving those U.S. officials a figurative poke in the chest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Interceptor away.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Last month's successful test of America's fledgling missile defense shield in which a ground-based interceptor smashed a dummy warhead in space over the Pacific Ocean has only solidified Russian opposition to installing the system in Europe.
Hosting America's top diplomatic and defense chief at his country home, Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed to take a combative tone, threatening to pull out of Cold War treaty limiting intermediate-range missiles and appearing to mock the U.S. effort as pie in the sky, as remote a possibility as lunar bases.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We may decide some day it put missile defense systems on the moon, but before we get to that, we may lose the agreement between us because of you implementing your own plans.
MCINTYRE: The United States has repeatedly argued its plans are limited, that putting 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a tracking radar in the Czech Republic would be of no use in countering Russia's huge missile arsenal.
ROBERT GATES, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I would just like to emphasize that the missile defense system being proposed in Central Europe is not directed at Russia.
MCINTYRE: What it is directed at is Iran, which the U.S. fears in the future may be able to threaten Europe with a possibility of arming its medium-range Shahab-3 missile with a nuclear warhead.
But Russia seems to be even more alarmed about the prospect of the U.S. gaining a military advantage in its backyard.
SERGEI LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): There is a potential threat for us here and we will have to take some measures to neutralize this threat.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCINTYRE: Still, Russia says it's willing to talk to the U.S. about working together on missile defenses and the U.S. says it's willing to share information and technology, but the main sticking point remains. Russia wants a freeze on any deployment of systems in Europe and the U.S. plans to forge ahead. Both sides plan to meet again in about six months -- Lou.
DOBBS: Jamie, thank you very much -- Jamie McIntyre.
The tense meeting in Russia indicates relations between this country and Russia could be worsening. It's a sharp deterioration from 2001, back when President Bush met with President Putin for the first time. In that meeting you may recall President Bush praised Putin, saying the Russian president is -- quote -- "a remarkable leader."
Suzanne Malveaux reports now from the White House -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lou, what you're seeing here is really kind of a charm offensive by the Bush administration. It's certainly not surprising that they would kind of reject this description of combative or tense relations between the two countries.
Senior administration officials are saying, look, what they consider progress is the fact that they're still talking, that they will talk in six months or so and that they consider it still to be a cooperative type of relationship. The other thing that senior administration officials were pointing out today is they don't believe that Vladimir Putin's threat to pull out of that intermediate range missile treaty was a threat at all.
We heard from the spokesman from the State Department Tom Casey who said earlier today that they have got to be consistent and clear that they have said these statements from time and time again, and they have never taken any action on it. So, what they think this is, is typical diplomatic brinkmanship that is taking place. They're not taking it all that seriously.
Why is this happening? Well, we have seen it on two fronts. First, President Bush back hosting Vladimir Putin at the Kennebunkport compound essentially trying to make him feel special, make him feel respected. We even heard yesterday when he was asked in an interview on CNBC why this relationship between the two of you looking into his eyes, seeing his soul, what has happened since then?
He says, well, you know what? You're friendly with people who you don't agree with.
It is very clear, Lou, that the United States needs Russia in many significant ways. And that's why you this charm offensive taking place.
DOBBS: Yes. I'm not sure how charming the charm offensive is, but I'm sure we will learn more as the months go on.
Thank you very much, Suzanne Malveaux, from the White House.
The Bush administration tonight scrambling to prevent a breakdown in diplomatic relations with the nation of Turkey. Turkish troops are now deployed all along the border with Iraq, apparently ready to attack Kurdish rebels located in Kurdish northern Iraq, and the Turkish government remains furious with some in Congress who accused Turkey of genocide during World War I. The State Department today trying to soothe Turkey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM CASEY, SPOKESMAN, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT: We, the administration, have opposed this resolution. We have done so publicly and actively. We regret that the resolution, in fact, was passed by the committee. And you have heard from us and from the White House that we are committing ourselves to working with Congress on this again to try and ensure that that resolution, in fact, is defeated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: Turkey, of course, occupies a strategic position next to Iraq, Syria and Iran. Turkey also is the host of a large U.S. Air Force base at Incirlik. And nearly three-quarters of all U.S. air cargo for Iraq goes through that base.
In Iraq, the military today said 19 al Qaeda terrorists were killed in military raids northwest of Baghdad; 15 civilians were killed in that operation. Officials say the terrorists were hiding among civilians. In Baghdad, a car bomb exploded killing four people in the city center. Two Iraqi policemen were among those killed, 15 others wounded.
New measures tonight to prevent a terrorist attack on the United States. The Department of Homeland Security introducing a new identity card program to help secure our ports, but critic say the program is riddled with flaws and is otherwise to be considered simply a joke, like much of the Homeland Security Department itself.
Jeanne Meserve has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There is security at the nation's ports, but virtually no one thinks there's enough. So, starting next Tuesday, in Wilmington, Delaware, truckers, longshoreman, all port workers will begin enrolling for transportation worker identity cards, known as TWIC.
CHRISTOPHER WHITE, TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: TWIC will make ports safer and more secure. It's a simple fact of knowing who is in the port, knowing that only credentialed people have access to these secure areas.
MESERVE: Cardholders' fingerprints will be embedded in a chip, but as of now, there are no machines to read the cards at the nation's ports, leading some to call TWIC nothing more than a glorified flash pass.
REP. BENNIE THOMPSON (D-MS), HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: If we can't read the security card in real time, there's really no reason to have it.
MESERVE: But the ports have been assured the readers are coming, eventually.
GENE BAILEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PORT OF WILMINGTON: I think we will have them within months. I'm not saying three months, four months or five months, but what I'm saying is within months.
MESERVE: Just getting the card should weed out some security risks. CNN was given a demonstration. Workers fill out paperwork including questions about their criminal history. They're fingerprinted, undergo criminal background checks and are vetted against terrorist watch lists.
But that could cause another problem. Some fear the process will unjustly disqualify some port workers.
EDWARD WYTKIND, AFL-CIO: Someone who engaged in a crime many, many years ago who doesn't pose a security risk now or frankly didn't pose a security risk then should not be forced to pay twice for a crime that they may have committed in the past.
MESERVE: There will be an appeal process, but concerns don't stop there. Truckers squeezed by high gas prices are wincing at the price tag, $132.50.
BRIAN KARGMAN, BK LEASING: It doesn't matter if I like it or not. I have to roll with the punches and I have to pay the bill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE: TWIC is well behind schedule. TSA wanted says it wanted to get the program just right, but some question if it has -- Lou.
DOBBS: Well, I have to say, Jeanne, it seems idiotic to have people running a port saying it will be a matter of months, but not five months or four months.
Homeland Security for its part has no idea when readers will be available. I mean, is there any sense in the Homeland Security Department and the officials you talk with on this story, on others, as you cover homeland security, do they understand what a pathetic joke that department has become?
MESERVE: Well, I'm sure they would not agree with that characterization...
DOBBS: Right. I'm sure they wouldn't.
MESERVE: ... of their efforts.
DOBBS: Not the leadership, anyway.
(CROSSTALK)
MESERVE: They would also argue in this case that the Coast Guard is going to have some capability to go out with portable readers. They will be able to do random checks of people at the port. But that, of course, is not the same thing as being able to check every single worker who comes in.
DOBBS: Yes. And, Jeanne, as always, we appreciate your reporting.
And let me be really very clear. When I say the Department of Homeland Security is run by idiots and is absolutely an incompetent entity, those are my words and my opinion only.
Thank you very much, Jeanne Meserve, from Washington.
Coming up here next: a revolt by police officers in Phoenix, Arizona, on the issue of illegal immigration. There seems to be some political incorrectness in pursuit of the truth in Phoenix, Arizona.
Casey Wian will have the report for us -- Casey.
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, the Phoenix police union says most of its officers want permission to report more illegal aliens to federal immigration authorities. But the Phoenix police brass doesn't want that to happen -- Lou.
DOBBS: Bless their darling hearts. We will have more. We appreciate it, Casey.
Also President Bush says the economy is doing just wonderful -- unless you happen to be in the middle class or a typical working man and woman in this country trying to support a family and get ahead. If you happen to be one of the president's rich buddies or if you happen to be one of the big donors of either the Republican or Democratic Party, it's just a boffo life for you. to hell with the middle class, to hell with what this country stands for. We will have the special report.
And new recalls of dangerous Chinese imports, new evidence of the rising risk to our nation's food supply from foreign imports. We will have that story, a great deal more, all the day's news.
Stay with us. We're coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Tonight, there is a widening rift in Arizona between rank-and-file police officers and their bosses.
Police officers in Phoenix, Arizona, are fed up because they're not being allowed to report illegal aliens to immigration enforcement authorities. The revolt is occurring during an illegal alien crime wave, as Casey Wian now reports on law and disorder in Phoenix, Arizona.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN (voice-over): The union representing 2,200 Phoenix police officers overwhelmingly supports changing department policy to permit officers to report more illegal aliens to federal immigration authorities; 77 percent of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association's members disagreed with their department's current policy.
It prevents officers from contacting Immigration and Customs Enforcement about suspected illegal aliens involved in misdemeanors or traffic violations. The union cites examples such as one officer's recent encounter with four males in a vehicle. According to the officer, there was a gun in the car. Only the driver produced I.D., a paycheck with a phony Social Security number. MARK SPENCER, PRESIDENT, PHOENIX LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATION: It all indicated they're in the country illegally. The department's response, do not contact ICE. Let them go.
So, I have got four male occupants who can't speak English, who can't provide I.D. in a vehicle with a weapon, and my officer is not able to contact ICE. That doesn't make sense.
WIAN: Arizona police chiefs say legal barriers and scarce resources prevent expanded cooperation with ICE.
RALPH TRANTER, ARIZONA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE: Immigration enforcement is an unfunded responsibility that will compete with other law enforcement priorities at a critical juncture in Arizona's attempt to fight serious and violent crime.
WIAN: Other Arizona law enforcement officials disagree, pointing out local police help the feds investigate bank robberies, narcotics trafficking, and counterfeiting, all federal crimes.
JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA, SHERIFF: I don't go around complaining that we don't have the resources. We manage our resources properly and we enforce all the laws. And this is just a cop-out, a cop-out. They're illegal. They came across that border. They broke the law. They're breaking the law every minute they're here.
WIAN: The police union also cites last month's killing of fellow officer Nick Erfle, gunned down by an illegal alien gang member who had been deported to Mexico, reentered the United States and was in Scottsdale police custody earlier this year.
ICE says Erfle's killer probably would not have been released on bail if ICE had been notified he was in police custody.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN: The Phoenix police union says it does not want officers to become federal immigration agents. It's only asking for what it calls reasonable access to federal tools that are already available -- Lou.
DOBBS: And as the police union in Phoenix is making very clear, Casey, I mean, there is nothing reasonable happening right now on the issue of illegal immigration in this country in the national dialogue or debate.
In fact, there appears to be a radicalized agenda amongst the socio-ethnic activist groups, the AFL-CIO, the ACLU, that's reaching all the way to the most liberal district courts in the country trying to stop countries from enforcing immigration law.
This administration, big business, those socio-ethnocentric groups, some of these radicalized activist groups, the last thing they want is for the American people to ask, what in the world is going on here?
WIAN: Yes, one of the things that is amazing to me is, it seems that they have got many of the police chiefs in the state of Arizona worried about lawsuits, if they actually turn over people who admit they're illegal aliens to ICE.
They say it's a resource issue, but I think they're afraid of a backlash from those very groups that you mentioned -- Lou.
DOBBS: Yes. And those police chiefs are politicized in many cases because they're serving at the whim of elected officials in the community, mayors and city controllers and so forth.
It's a remarkable situation. And I think that there is a little discomfort right now, certainly on the national political level, that the American people are awakening to these rather -- now rather transparent agendas.
Casey, thanks very much, as we will continue to follow that story in Phoenix, Arizona, a community that is struggling and struggling mightily to deal with what should be a straightforward proposition of preserving law and order and public safety in a community.
Republican presidential candidate Congressman Duncan Hunter is now calling upon Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to override a judge's order that stopped construction of part of the new border fence. That federal judge stopped the project after the Sierra Club and other environmentalists sued. They claim the federal government is pushing the project and not studying the impact on the environment along the Arizona-Mexico border.
Secretary Chertoff for his part says the fence is better for the environment because it stops illegal aliens and all the trash they're dumping as they cross the border. The Bureau of Land Management reports that illegal aliens dumped -- Are you ready? -- 25 million tons of trash in the Arizona desert since 2000.
As for the Sierra Club's claim the project is being rushed, so far, about 150 miles of the border fence has been completed. Last year, President Bush signed that Secure Fence Act ordering 700 miles of fence to be built along our southern border.
Time now for some of your thoughts.
Gail in Illinois: "Lou, I sure do hope that the immunization shots that the congressional staffers will get prior to going to NASCAR races come directly from China, you know, the country with wholesome projects, fine standards, and quality inspections."
And Grant in Arizona: "Homeland Security can't secure the borders, ports or anything else, but they recommend shots before attending a NASCAR race? They must be afraid government workers might catch common sense if exposed to working people in this country."
And in response to our poll question last night, in which we asked whether Governor Eliot Spitzer should be recalled for proposing to give driver's licenses to illegal aliens, Maryanne in California wrote to say: "Spitzer -- the only answer is 'duh.'" Send us your thoughts at loudobbs.com. Each of you whose e-mail is read here will receive a copy of Jack Cafferty's new book, the "New York Times" bestselling book, "It's Getting Ugly Out There."
Coming up next, the war on the middle class, how President Bush can say everything is just hunky-dory with our economy, it's just super, when this economy is tearing up our middle class, is beyond the reason of most people. We will have that report.
And your food safety, don't count on it being safe. Regulators don't know where that food comes from, how much it's been traveled, what it's been contaminated, nor what is happening before it reaches your kitchen. Other than that, don't worry -- your federal government at work.
Stay with us. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Well, more and more food is being imported into this country. In fact, food imports have soared over the past five years.
Now food safety advocates say they're afraid that those imports have risen too quickly for inspections to even begin to keep up.
Christine Romans, reports on just how globalized our grocery cart has become.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There's nothing more American than a fall apple harvest, but you won't find these New York apples in your apple juice. Most apple juice contains concentrate from China, and to a lesser degree from Brazil, Argentina and Chile.
And that hamburger, American beef mixed with trim from at least 16 different countries. Bread, wheat gluten from China and Europe. Kellogg's' population Nutri-Grain cereal bar contains ingredients from the U.S. and at least seven other countries.
CAROLINE DEWAAL, CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST: We're trying to manage this tremendous growth in imports without modernizing our food safety laws. And, so, in fact, we are really not checking the foods adequately.
ROMANS: The Food and Drug Administration inspects just 1 percent of our imported food. There are fewer inspectors today than five years ago, yet imports are exploding. According to the Agriculture Department, almost 15 percent of America's food is imported, $63 billion worth last year from more than 175 countries. Many snacks and prepared meals contain ingredients from dozens of countries.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The more processed, the more opportunities they are for those cost-conscious processors to save a few bucks by sourcing an ingredient from one country as opposed to another country. ROMANS: This country imports some $14 billion in fruits, vegetables and nuts, up 53 percent in just the past few years. Snack food imports grew even more. Red meat imports jumped 19 percent.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're always going to have a more globalized food source. We are going to be importing more products from across the world because that's what consumers are demanding.
ROMANS: He represents the big food companies and says Americans want fruit year-round. It's that consumer demand that will continue to drive food imports.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: But want to know where your food is from? You have to guess. Country of origin labeling is the law, but it's been postponed under pressure from industry for at least, Lou, another year.
DOBBS: This is very straightforward. If people want to import food, do so. Why not put forward, as required by law -- and, of course, I know the food industry has lobbied hard for now almost five years to stop it. But the fact is, why not put country of origin labels that means something, not the food here may come from 85 countries, as they try to do on some of them now, and inspect the food for the benefit and the safety and the protection of American consumers?
ROMANS: Some of these processed food, Lou, would have a list of potential sources for some of these four to five ingredients and all kinds of different things that they're, you know, sourcing, like commodities at the lowest price around the world.
DOBBS: And you know what I love? I love to watch these idiot politicians in both political parties talk about our dependence on foreign oil, which is horrible, which we should have fixed 20 year ago.
But they don't even pay attention to the dependency of this country on foreign manufacturers of everything from computers to our food supply. We can't even clothe ourselves in this country. And not a single one of these idiots who wants to be president and not one of them in Congress seems to want to say, enough is enough.
ROMANS: That foreign dependence on food is growing so quickly, those food imports up 70 percent just since 2003.
DOBBS: Right.
ROMANS: That is incredible growth.
DOBBS: This is a nation run by a gaggle of fools. And unless we wake up in this country, we, the people, and say, we have had enough of the partisan nonsense, and you better start taking care of business and be accountable to the American people, well, hell, we -- first, we have to get representation in Washington. And that's another chore and task all of its own. Christine, thanks very much -- Christine Romans.
Well, about 70,000 more Chinese-made projects recalled today because they contain excessive amounts of lead paint. Are you listening, Washington, D.C.? Retailers are voluntarily pulling those products from their shelves.
J.C. Penney recalling about 49,000 Disney Deluxe Winnie-the-Pooh play sets, for crying out loud. The Indiana-based Kipp Brothers recalling 10,0000 so-called bendable dinosaurs, those toys given away in schools and libraries and churches. And Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores pulling about 7,800 Princess Magnetic Travel Art Set Lap sets from their shelves.
A complete list of those recalls can be found on our Web site. Go to loudobbs.com.
These recalls come after a new consumer study finding some of the most popular brands of lipsticks in this country contain high levels of lead. The products include some types of L'Oreal, CoverGirl, and Christian Dior lipsticks, among others.
Up next here, some businesses are showing the federal government and the Congress how to enforce our immigration laws. Now, mind you, these are businesses who don't think it's a burden to follow the law, not like the Chamber of Commerce and these other bastions of fools, who think that their commercial interests override that of the national interest or the public safety. These are American companies concerned about the nation and our people. We will have that special report.
And Al Gore wins the Nobel Peace Prize. Three of the best political minds in the country join me. We will talk about what that means for those who want to be president of the United States.
And President Bush says our economy is just -- well, it's strong, it's vibrant, it's just wonderful.
What in the world is the president thinking? Our middle class has perhaps a different view. We will be examining that here tonight.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Well, President Bush and the Republican presidential candidates say our economy is strong. Tell that, if you will, to America's working middle class, which is being squeezed more and more. And Democrats, by the way -- they're not exactly putting their standards in the air and rushing to the rescue either.
As Kitty Pilgrim now reports, our elected officials from both parties apparently don't realize how much our middle class is suffering -- or they have other interests to serve.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE) KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): That grocery bill, mortgage bill, school bill and heating bill is gnawing away at the family budget and income is shrinking.
Does anybody care?
President Bush today pushing hard for trade deals with Peru, Panama, Colombia and South Korea had a sunnier outlook.
GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Meanwhile, the U.S. economy has continued to grow and job expansion has been strong and hourly wages are on the rise and the job market for college graduates is bright.
PILGRIM: But new IRS numbers point out what many American families have known for years -- the rich are getting richer, the middle class is being crushed by debt. Brand new IRS data shows the country's upper income group -- the top 1 percent -- grabbing enormous percentage of the country's earning power -- 21 percent -- while the middle class is seeing income shrink.
CHRISTIAN WELLER, CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS: The recent numbers that we have looked at show that debt growth has been particularly strong among middle income families, who have seen very slow wage growth but also face rising costs.
PILGRIM: New data by the IRS says the median taxpayer saw their income shrink 2 percent between 2000 and 2005. For the last year-and- a-half, Federal Reserve data have shown Americans are spending all of their income and are using savings or credit to stay afloat. The Federal Reserve points out family financial burdens -- basically mortgage and consumer debt -- are at historic highs. And the average mortgage alone has doubled since 2000.
Democrats are making much of their commitment to the middle class. But Democratic candidates are not campaigning in Michigan, which has been hit hard with manufacturing job losses. Democratic candidates are giving it the cold shoulder after Michigan jumped ahead in the primary calendar.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
PILGRIM: While the candidates debate their policies over the upcoming winter months, home heating costs are projected to be 10 percent higher than last year and words really won't help pay the bills -- Lou.
DOBBS: Well, the fact is that this system is not working. This a free enterprise democracy that -- the foundation of American dream has been the ability of a man and woman in this country to create a family and to provide for them and to create a better life. That isn't happening for literally tens of millions of Americans. And it's time for people like President Bush -- I don't care what he calls himself -- a compassionate conservative, a Republican or an abject fool. He's got to start thinking about the people in this country. And the Democrats, the idea they wouldn't go to Michigan to campaign!!! If I lived in the State of Michigan, I'd tell the Democratic Party to go to hell and don't ever come near me...
PILGRIM: It certainly is a...
DOBBS: ...because that state is in great pain and those people are struggling to survive because of the stupid trade policies pursued by these idiots in both political parties for 30 years, by the fact -- I mean this is ridiculous, what's going on in this country.
PILGRIM: Yes. They are ignoring the pain of the middle class of this country.
DOBBS: Oh, I -- there's -- in my opinion, there's only one solution to get their attention. And I've said it 100 times and I'll keep saying it -- register Independent no matter who you're going to vote for and serve notice on both of these branding mechanisms -- these so-called political parties -- that you're not taking for granted. It's absurd. The arrogance not to campaign in Michigan, a state that needs answers. Jennifer Granholm, the governor there, working like the dickens. The mayor of Detroit fighting as hard. I mean these people -- if I lived in Detroit, I'd want to slap the hell out of everybody involved in the Democratic national party.
All right, Kitty.
Thanks a lot.
I appreciate it.
Here's a novel idea -- employers who follow the law and they don't hire illegal aliens and they do so because they want to be law- abiding. They don't have to wait for the federal government to enforce the law. Now, I know this kind of upsets the U.S. Chamber of Commerce -- the biggest, biggest lobbying organization for business in this country. It kind of upsets the ACLU. It upsets the AFL-CIO and all of those socio-ethnic centric interest groups who want to move ahead this amnesty agenda in utter disregard for the American people -- that is, American citizens. Or for Congress -- by the way, they don't even seem to be wanting them to wait for them to write something called comprehensive immigration reform up. You know, the one that's gone down in flames twice.
These businesses don't even want to wait for the courts to give them permission. All they want to do is be good corporate citizens.
And as Bill Tucker now reports, thousands of American companies are obeying the law and hiring only legal workers.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The stonemason's field, like many areas of construction, is rife with illegal alien workers. Not so with Masonry Art in Kansas City.
JOSH LINK, MASONRY ART: It's important that I hire legal workers, mainly because I'm an American and I believe in our immigration laws.
TUCKER: He admits that most of his customers don't ask, don't know, don't care whether his workers are legal or not. He calls his decision a personal one, one that quite literally has a higher price when it comes to bidding on work.
LINK: My number is generally higher than somebody who is probably using illegal workers. But the guys that are using illegal workers generally aren't supplying the quality that I am.
TUCKER: His business is successful. Josh Link checks on the work status of his new hires by using eVerify, an online electronic verification program provided to employers by the Department of Homeland Security. It's voluntary. It's free. It works by verifying a valid Social Security number and also tells a potential employer whether a worker is an illegal alien or has a newly issued green card or work authorization documents. The inquiry also produces a picture of newly documented workers. Link says the process is not burdensome.
LINK: I don't want to get into any trouble personally. I want my company to do the things that we're supposed to do and I want the government to do the things they're supposed to do.
TUCKER: Josh is a member of a new association of employees who have pledged to hire legal workers, ProAmerica Companies. The philosophy of the four-month-old organization, currently in 44 states is, simple.
DAVID MARLETT, PROAMERICA COMPANIES: We can wait all day long for our government to somehow do the right sort of enforcement, until we get the right sort of political mix on the Hill. It's not going to make any difference if we, as the American people, don't sit up straight, be adults and understand that this our responsibility.
TUCKER: According to the government, there are some 26,499 companies currently using eVerify.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
TUCKER: And the government also reports that during fiscal 2007, 3.2 million inquiries were put into the system, which is almost double the rate of 2006. Ninety-two percent of the time employers got an answer of yes or no within three to five seconds. Those that took longer had to be manually checked. And, Lou, only 1 percent of the non-matches were ever contested.
DOBBS: Yes. So, I mean, basically what we want to say here is Josh Link and the other businesspeople in this country who actually care about the country, our national values, want to be responsible citizens, want their businesses to be responsible corporate and business citizens don't need any of these idiots in this administration. They don't need the scurrilous Chamber of Commerce or the National Association of Mfrs or any of these fools running these bureaucracies to do the right thing. Imagine that.
TUCKER: Imagine. DOBBS: I just want to say, I mean the idea that we've got -- we've got men and women in this country trying to do the right thing, trying to be responsible citizens.
TUCKER: Exactly.
DOBBS: And not getting the support of their president or the leadership of their political parties or their representatives in Washington. Every one of these elected officials and every one in the leadership in this federal government ought to be embarrassed into a sack cloth and ashes. And I just find -- I cannot believe we tolerate this in this country.
Good for these people and God bless you for doing the right thing.
Thank you, Bill Tucker.
TUCKER: You're welcome.
DOBBS: Well, that brings us to the subject of our poll tonight -- are you astounded by the way that the federal court, no matter its political bias, could determine that it's unfair -- an unfair burden to require businesses to follow U.S. immigration laws, you know, like the idiot judge out in San Francisco?
Yes or no?
Cast your vote at loudobbs.com.
We'll have the results here later in the broadcast.
Coming up next, the Democratic presidential candidates are ganging up off of a (INAUDIBLE) frontrunner. I'll be discussing that with some of the best political minds in the country. We want to be fair to Hillary Clinton no matter what here.
And the Nobel committee -- well the peace committee selects Al Gore for the Peace Prize.
Will that prompt him to run for the White House or will it just -- just be really a moment of contentment that will last for years and years without a further indication of ambition politically?
We'll find out. Our panel of political analysts and strategists will tell us.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Joining me now for more on all of the week's political developments and news, three of the best political minds. Syndicated columnist Miguel Perez, Michael Goodwin, the "New York Daily News," Democratic strategist, Democratic National Committeeman, Robert Zimmerman, supporting none other than Senator Hillary Clinton. How is she doing?
ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: She's doing pretty fine, thank you.
She's doing pretty well.
DOBBS: We'll examine that closer (INAUDIBLE)...
ZIMMERMAN: I know we will.
DOBBS: ...in several -- in several moments.
Let's turn to, first, the idea that the Democratic Party is not going into Michigan -- the state with the highest unemployment rate, absolutely devastating debt, been crushed by these idiotic free trade policies pursued by this administration and the previous Clinton administration, in particular. I mean what the heck is -- what is that party thinking about, Miguel?
MIGUEL PEREZ, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: I don't know. It's inexplicable to me. But it all goes back to Florida, to, you know, the parties are declaring war on certain states because of the primary shuffle.
DOBBS: Ah...
PEREZ: And, you know, everybody wants to be first...
DOBBS: And the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, in fairness, well, they want to run things because this a national political system and to hell with the grassroots and the little people who just sit down there in the precincts and the districts and make up the party itself.
PEREZ: But the problem, Lou, is that I think we have a very disorganized primary system that needs to be changed. I mean...
DOBBS: Oh, I'm with you.
PEREZ: I mean New Hampshire and Iowa -- every time, I mean we have to have a much more organized system. And it's been proposed that -- some changes have already been proposed.
DOBBS: I would love to...
PEREZ: We need to do something about that.
DOBBS: I don't know about you, Michael Goodwin, but I would love to see a brokered convention again. I'd like to see the national committees and national media buys for all of these candidates, just all of them just pushed into the gutter and take this back to a grassroots nation in which we take our politics seriously at the local level and no one -- no one fails to take into account local political instincts and leaders.
MICHAEL GOODWIN, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Well, I think the way it's shaping up it's probably going to be the opposite of that.
DOBBS: Oh, of course.
GOODWIN: I mean particularly among the Democrats, I think you've going to have a very early window...
DOBBS: We're starting a revolution here Michael, come on.
(LAUGHTER)
GOODWIN: I'm just here to give you analysis, all right, Lou?
DOBBS: I hear you.
GOODWIN: The revolution is going need a big lift because I think the way the Democrats are going, in particular, Hillary Clinton is going to wrap this up very early next year. And then you're going to have a whole year...
DOBBS: Robert Zimmerman is just over here glowing as you say that.
GOODWIN: Yes, right.
ZIMMERMAN: I mean I'm here to give opinion, not just analysis. Yes, he was very direct about that. First and foremost, of course the Democrats are going to campaign in Michigan.
DOBBS: Well, why is everybody refusing to go there now?
ZIMMERMAN: Because when the rules were established for the primary and caucus process, Michigan, along with Florida voted for the order that took place. Michigan now decides -- which is their right -- they want to break the rules. They want to jump the order.
DOBBS: And so the Democrats running for president say the hell with Michigan?
ZIMMERMAN: No one is saying that at all.
DOBBS: And the Democratic National Committee -- well, what are they saying then?
ZIMMERMAN: They're saying that...
DOBBS: Why aren't they in Michigan?
ZIMMERMAN: They're saying the rules that...
DOBBS: Why aren't they there?
Wait a minute.
Why aren't they in there taking care of the people they say they want to represent? How can your candidate, for example, Senator Hillary Clinton, supported by Indian-American businesses and supporting offshoring and outsourcing and backing these free trade agreements that are all at the root of the Michigan problems, how can she, in any conscience, say she wants to represent the American working man and women and not be in Michigan?
ZIMMERMAN: Let me answer that question.
DOBBS: I -- please.
ZIMMERMAN: First and foremost, I am not her spokesperson, but she did oppose the Central American...
DOBBS: I didn't suggest you were...
ZIMMERMAN: This Central America...
DOBBS: But you are...
ZIMMERMAN: ...free...
DOBBS: You are an enthusiastic supporter.
ZIMMERMAN: I'm a very enthusiastic supporter of hers. But she and many of the Democrats running with her oppose the Central American Freed Trade Agreement, oppose the Korean Free Trade Agreement. And the Democratic Congress let...
DOBBS: Well, why don't there get in there...
ZIMMERMAN: ...fast track...
DOBBS: ...and get nose to nose with the people who count in the State of Michigan who are living in pain...
ZIMMERMAN: And the Democratic...
DOBBS: ...and suffering right now?
ZIMMERMAN: And the Democratic Congress let the -- insisted upon the fast track process expire, as far as Michigan goes...
DOBBS: And, by the way, I want to say, God bless the Democratic Congress for doing that.
ZIMMERMAN: I'm one for 20, so I'm doing pretty good.
DOBBS: No, well...
(CROSSTALK)
DOBBS: The minimum wage. Don't forget that.
ZIMMERMAN: OK.
(CROSSTALK)
ZIMMERMAN: But the point here, though, Lou, is, obviously, they have to be in Michigan. They will be in Michigan. But when you establish rules for a primary and caucus procedure...
DOBBS: Oh for crying out loud, you sound like a lawyer...
ZIMMERMAN: ...do you just throw them out the window?
DOBBS: ...Robert Zimmerman. Jeez.
(LAUGHTER)
ZIMMERMAN: So I'm what...
DOBBS: Get into Michigan...
ZIMMERMAN: I had one point (INAUDIBLE)...
DOBBS: ...or it give it over to the Republicans.
(LAUGHTER)
DOBBS: You know, they've been just a boffo...
ZIMMERMAN: Michigan is too...
DOBBS: They've been a boffo representative for working men and women here of late. They've got -- good grief. Don't even -- we'll be back here in just a moment. We're going to figure out which political party has any sensibility about representing you, me, working men and women, families and a middle class in desperate need of representation.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Well, this is my first week back and my voice tonight cracking just a bit. My tonsils getting removed -- there's a little weakness. But my return and apparently that change in my voice didn't go unnoticed by one late night talk show host.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO," COURTESY NBC)
JAY LENO, HOST: The controversial CNN anchor, Lou Dobbs -- you know, Lou Dobbs is back at work after having a tonsillectomy. And, you know, I don't know where he had the operation done but he sounds different now, you know?
I mean do we have that clip?
Lou Dobbs recovering from a tonsillectomy. Last night, Wolf Blitzer welcomed Lou back on the air. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to say thank you to all of you who sent me best wishes for a speedy recovery from that little stay with my tonsillectomy.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I was -- as unaccustomed as I am to not being able to speak for a while, we thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: I'm going to work on that thank you very much. I kind of like that.
(LAUGHTER)
DOBBS: What (INAUDIBLE)...
GOODWIN: Those would be funny.
DOBBS: Well, I hope everybody enjoyed it -- and the idea that this week, also, Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico, challenging me to a debate on the Larry King show. We put it to a vote here on the show and I accepted.
Do you think that's a good idea?
We have a few things to talk about...
PEREZ: I'm with the majority. I've been sitting in the chat rooms and seeing everybody online saying yes, 90 percent say that you should go for it.
DOBBS: Well, we're going to go for it, even though we didn't...
PEREZ: I want to have a front row seat, though.
DOBBS: Well, we'll -- as a matter of fact, we'll organize it. I'll take you as one of my...
(LAUGHTER)
DOBBS: ...as one of my friendlies into San Cristobel, Chiapas, Mexico...
PEREZ: Oh, boy.
DOBBS: ...where we'll be doing -- I gave him home court advantage. It's hard -- it's -- Doug McIntyre of KAVC Radio suggested home court advantage would have also been had we had chosen California.
(LAUGHTER)
DOBBS: The idea that New York's governor, Eliot Spitzer, wants to give illegal aliens now drivers' licenses, you know, it comes out of nowhere.
What is your reaction, Miguel?
PEREZ: I think he went about it the wrong way. I think he should have explained what he had mind a little further before he just dictated this -- this change.
But I agree with him.
DOBBS: You agree with him?
PEREZ: I agree with him because, look, it's not going to deter immigrants from coming in -- illegal immigrants from coming into the country. It's not going to make anybody go back home. What it does, Lou, is it has a lot of people that have not been tested, driving out there without insurance and putting us all in jeopardy.
GOODWIN: No, I think it's a mistake. And what's really remarkable is that the polls are showing enormous numbers of Democrats opposing all this. And the majority of Democrats oppose him -- and in liberal New York State. So this is very unpopular.
DOBBS: Al Gore -- Nobel Peace Prize for global warming?
Help me out here.
ZIMMERMAN: Because his leadership for over 20 years to save our planet from the destruction of its inhabitants...
DOBBS: Just a second. Cue the band.
ZIMMERMAN: No, you bet there should be a band. It is a tremendous tribute to his courage and his vision...
PEREZ: Well, but this is...
ZIMMERMAN: And I just think we should -- we can all take pride in what he's demonstrating -- what he's accomplished.
DOBBS: Me, too?
ZIMMERMAN: Absolutely, Lou.
DOBBS: Even though an Independent?
ZIMMERMAN: Especially Independents because it's about citizen activism. That's the award.
GOODWIN: It may be a great accomplishment for Al Gore, but it's clearly a political slap, as well, at the White House. When you have the U.N. and Al Gore...
DOBBS: Oh this...
GOODWIN: ...you couldn't find...
DOBBS: ...you know, that's what this White House really was missing...
GOODWIN: ...you...
DOBBS: ...another slap. That's what...
GOODWIN: Well, you couldn't find two more anti-Bush than the U.N. and Al Gore.
DOBBS: Right.
ZIMMERMAN: Let's not forget the $35 billion in tax breaks going to the oil companies that this administration has given us.
DOBBS: You get the last word, Miguel.
PEREZ: I'm an Independent, too, and I want Al Gore to jump in, in the race, because I don't want to vote for Hillary.
ZIMMERMAN: Well, we're going to change your mind on that.
(LAUGHTER)
DOBBS: You're you sure you're an Independent, here?
PEREZ: Yes, sir.
DOBBS: You narrowed the field already down to two folks.
PEREZ: No, no, no, no, no, no.
On the Democratic side.
DOBBS: Oh, OK.
GOODWIN: I take Al Gore at his word.
DOBBS: Well, it's going it be fun, I'm really hoping.
Thanks very much, Miguel.
Appreciate it, Michael. Thank you.
And, Robert, as always. And tell Senator Clinton hello for us all.
ZIMMERMAN: I will.
Thank you.
DOBBS: Coming up next, "THE SITUATION ROOM" and Wolf Blitzer -- Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Thanks very much, Lou.
A stunning assessment of the war in Iraq from the general formally in charge of it. He's calling it -- and I'm quoting now -- "a nightmare with no end in sight." Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez blasting U.S. government officials. Find out what else he has to say. That's coming up.
Also, the race for the White House is on track to shatter records for spending on television ads. The bottom line -- $3 billion for all these campaigns.
Plus, my interview with Al Gore and now the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. We'll talk about the environment and the presidential race.
All that, Lou, coming up, right here in "THE SITUATION ROOM".
DOBBS: Thanks, Wolf.
Coming up here next, more of your thoughts and the results of tonight's poll.
Stay with us.
We're coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: And our friend, Ed Rollins, tonight a little under the weather. And we wish you, Ed, if you're watching, that you get well soon and get back here. We've got a lot of politics to figure out.
And the results of our poll tonight -- 91 percent of you astounded that a federal court, no matter its political bias, could determine that it's an unfair burden to require businesses to follow U.S. immigration law.
Time now for some of your thoughts.
Nancy in Delaware: "Lou, please tell me what these idiots are thinking about. Do they really think when illegals get a driver's license in New York they'll run right out and buy insurance? Get real, people."
Edith in New York: "In view of the parade of substandard goods into the country, Congress should take decisive action. They could vote to change our national anthem to the old song, 'Anything Goes.'"
And Robert in California: "We can import drugs from China, but not Canada??? Brilliant."
We love hearing your thoughts.
Send them to us at loudobbs.com.
We thank you for being with us tonight.
Join us here tomorrow.
For all of us, thanks for watching. Have a pleasant weekend.
Good night from New York.
"THE SITUATION ROOM" begins now with Wolf Blitzer -- Wolf.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
