Lou Dobbs calls Fox Business reporter 'self-important ass,' claims he wants more immigrants

The war on Fox doesn't stop at the fence of the White House anymore, nor does it stop at the gates of liberal-heavy television networks like MSNBC. Now it includes Lou Dobbs, the most conservative nighttime voice on CNN.

On his radio program Thursday, the 64-year-old libertarian pundit rebuked a Fox Business correspondent for what he considered as mischaracterizing his comments on immigration.

"Fox Business News — their new hire John Stossel — weighing in with his own brand of myopic idiocy and by the way no information whatsoever, he sat down with self-described rodeo clown Glenn Beck and listen to what he had to say," Dobbs begins.

"If it means the Lou Dobbs kind of rants about immigrants wrecking America, I don't subscribe to that. I think immigrants, by and large, do good things," Stossel says.

"What a self-important ass," Dobbs quipped. "He doesn’t understand basic economics. He doesn't understand my point of view, nor does he care to. He’s just a silly little trick waiting to do some sort of Libertarian flip. He's just unbelievable."

"Immigrants wrecking America -- I've never said anything close to that," Dobbs said. "I welcome them. I want more."

"As a matter of public policy, we need them," he continued. "In no way am I restrictionist, and to hear this ass continue his act over at Fox News. I just can’t wait until he starts blowing bubbles in the air — that’s about all he’s equipped to do."

Dobbs -- and his network, CNN -- have recently taken fire over their "Latinos in America" program, conducted by CNN's Soledad O'Brien. Critics say the program fails to take into account Dobbs' vehement anti-illegal immigrant jeremiads.

Dobbs' characterization of his record doesn't include the fact he once accused immigrants of carrying leprosy to the United States, or conspiracy theory about Mexicans trying to take over part of the country.

In fact, a New York Times columnist noted that Dobbs once said there were 7,000 cases of leprosy in the United States, a statistic that appears to have been purely fictional. Questioned about the claim by 60 Minutes, Dobbs said: “Well, I can tell you this. If we reported it, it’s a fact.”

(Hat tip: ThinkProgress)