For the past four decades Lou Dobbs has been one of the most recognizable faces in the world of cable TV news. Dobbs has been a news anchorman since the 1970s, first at local stations in Phoenix and Seattle, before joining CNN at its inception in 1980, where he became one of the network’s stars, best known for hosting “Moneyline with Lou Dobbs.” By 2003 his show had been changed to "Lou Dobbs Tonight," and Dobbs started to pivot away from business matters and Wall Street, in order to focus on issues dealing more with politics and policy.
In 2009 Dobbs abruptly left CNN. From 2011, he hosted "Lou Dobbs Tonight" on the Fox Business Network until its cancellation in February 2021. In addition to his TV roles, Dobbs is also an editorial columnist, syndicated radio show host, lecturer, and author of numerous best-selling books. He has won numerous major awards for his journalism, including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award and a Cable Ace Award. He received the George Foster Peabody Award for his coverage of the 1987 stock market crash. He also received the Horatio Alger Association Award for Distinguished Americans in 1999 and the National Space Club Media Award in 2000. The Wall Street Journal has named Dobbs "TV's Premier Business News Anchorman". In 2008 Dobbs received the American Legion Public Relations Award from the National Commander of The American Legion.
Growing up in rural Idaho, Dobbs had never considered Harvard University to be a viable choice. But when several faculty members of his high school recommended he shoot for the Ivy League, even paying the $25 application fee for him, Dobbs decided to try it. At the time, he knew very little about Harvard, only that John F. Kennedy had previously attended the school. So it was quite a shock when Dobbs was not only admitted to Harvard, but also offered a full scholarship to attend.
Dobbs arrived on the Cambridge campus in 1963, wearing Acme boots and a Stetson hat like a cowboy. At Harvard, the young man played football until a knee injury during his sophomore year ended his career. However, around the same time, while watching a debate between economists Paul Samuelson and Milton Friedman, Dobbs discovered a new passion for economics and politics. In 1967 he graduated from Harvard with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics.
As a Harvard man, Dobbs has always enjoyed ongoing relations with his alma mater. On occasions the famous anchorman has even been spotted on campus, making casual visits. He’s had good reason, too. Both of his twin daughters, Hillary and Heather, followed in their father's footsteps by also attending Harvard for four years. In addition, Dobbs has frequently invited members of the Harvard faculty onto his show "Lou Dobbs Tonight" to discuss law, politics, and economics –spreading discussion from the hallowed halls of the Ivy League out into the public.