If you know one thing about Fox News host Lou Dobbs, it's likely that his support for President Trump is unconditional and unwavering in the face of even the most shameful, shocking scandals (of which there have been many).
Even as President Trump's mismanagement of COVID-19 has sent the country into a state of panic and isolation, Dobbs can't help himself.
He posted a poll to Twitter asking how people felt about the President's performance.
The options he gave as potential responses seemed like the kind of thing you'd see in a dictatorship like North Korea.
#LDTPoll: How would you grade President Trumpโs leadership in the nation's fight against the Wuhan Virus... superb,โฆ https://t.co/QXQV5oag8uโ Lou Dobbs (@Lou Dobbs) 1584574438.0
Twitter was pretty disturbed by the levels of Dobbs' devotion.
we have reached North Korea levels of Lou Dobbs Tonight https://t.co/PbNvZzHNZzโ Brendan Karet ๐ฎ (@Brendan Karet ๐ฎ) 1584574587.0
@Selfabsorbed7 @JasonSCampbell https://t.co/n85jTj0zhNโ sharpemcelroy (@sharpemcelroy) 1584574844.0
The poll seemed more like a parody one might see on TV.
@JasonSCampbell @ParkerMolloy https://t.co/9FFCMN4ae5โ ๐ณ๏ธโ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ (@๐ณ๏ธโ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐) 1584575645.0
@JasonSCampbell https://t.co/ozR1yxIbcBโ Roulin (@Roulin) 1584578692.0
@JasonSCampbell This way more Democratic. https://t.co/Hhyg51hCCPโ Jimmy Crow (@Jimmy Crow) 1584578723.0
It's important to remember, however, how many real people actually watch Lou Dobbs and trust what he says.
Even if it's a tiny minority of the total population, that could amount to millions and millions of people influenced.
This snapshot of a @loudobbs poll from @brianstelterโs newsletter tonight would be funny if it werenโt so dangerous. https://t.co/OjAkJXknaIโ Matthew T. Hall ๐๐ (@Matthew T. Hall ๐๐) 1584594184.0
@brianstelter Lou Dobbs has done polls that are skewed to give him the answer he wants for many years, even while hโฆ https://t.co/RRMQt3dwmOโ Terresa (@Terresa) 1584613784.0
It's also worth noting how many scientists would never sign on to such a clearly biased source of information.
@LouDobbs Also, this is not how polls work.โ Mara Six Feet Away (@Mara Six Feet Away) 1584622530.0
@madonnalynnfit1 @SantaInc @LouDobbs pssst.. That Colbert character/bit was actually making fun of how Fox News hanโฆ https://t.co/yNdNZBIoLDโ mtnycz (@mtnycz) 1584584688.0
The internet agreed: it's time for Lou Dobbs to go.
How would you grade @LouDobbs ability to create polls... sycophantic, obsequious, or smarmy? https://t.co/os2NzU0suEโ Lvl42 Fighter/Mage/Dad (@Lvl42 Fighter/Mage/Dad) 1584584141.0
@LouDobbs Come on - your worst answer is *very good*. You don't really want an answer. Where are the rest of theโฆ https://t.co/bQSoq8VkLtโ Mickey W (@Mickey W) 1584581955.0
@LouDobbs You do a terrible job creating polls...โ Ramon Portilla ๐บ๐ธ (@Ramon Portilla ๐บ๐ธ) 1584578401.0
Other polls posted by Dobbs also seemed primed to misinform the American public.
@LouDobbs Lou Dobbs is irresponsible with these Middle School polls.โ Fishkabbible - #Voter (@Fishkabbible - #Voter) 1584144058.0
@LouDobbs this is not how polls/surveys are NOT conducted. @realDonaldTrump performance is a failure. If he was onโฆ https://t.co/HyNi21rJ41โ ResistTrump (@ResistTrump) 1584630506.0
It's OK if you love Dear Leader, Lou, but if you don't want to hear the truth, don't bother posting a poll.
The book The Fox Effect: How Roger Ailes Turned a Network into a Propaganda Machine is available here.