On April 20 , 1999 , CNN was covering Clinton 's speech in Littleton , Colorado , following the Columbine High School massacre . Dobbs ordered the producer to cut away from the speech and return to broadcast '' Moneyline '' . Dobbs was countermanded by Kaplan , who ordered CNN to return to the speech . Kaplan later said , " Tell me what journalistic reason there was not to cover the president at Columbine soon after the shootings ? Everyone else was doing it " . Dobbs announced on the air that " CNN President Rick Kaplan wants us to return to Littleton " . A few days later , Dobbs announced that he was leaving the network to start Space.com , a website devoted to astronautical news . Dobbs was subsequently replaced as host of '' Moneyline '' by Willow Bay and Stuart Varney
Columbine High School massacre
Columbine High School massacre
Lou Dobbs