Whitewashing Tucker Carlson
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When The New York Times published an article about Tucker Carlson's recent statements supporting Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, and criticizing former Rep. Mike Rogers, the GOP contender in that race, they described the Fox host as an "influential far-right podcaster known for his nativist rhetoric who once said immigrants were making the United States 'poorer and dirtier.'"
(Carlson had criticized Rogers as a "toady to Israel" and the "embodiment of the cruelty and stupidity of the national security state.") Days later, NPR named Carlson a "Newsmaker" and conducted a lengthy interview with him. During the interview, Carlson argued that President Donald Trump should be removed from office for launching the Iran war and threatening to use nuclear weapons, and he denounced Israel and its influence on US policy.
In both articles and the NPR interview, Carlson's bigotry and conspiracy theories were downplayed, and he was presented as a respected political commentator. The Times acknowledged Carlson's embrace of conspiracy theories and accusations of antisemitism, but his extremism was not fully captured. Two years ago, Carlson called Nazi apologist Darryl Cooper "the most important popular historian working in the United States today," while in recent years, he has advocated for the "great replacement theory" and promoted the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump.
Carlson also hosted a discredited Nazi apologist on his podcast, claimed Russia over Ukraine in a hypothetical war, and amplified Kremlin disinformation. He has been sued for antisemitic remarks and promoted quackery on his Fox show. Carlson's extremism extends to his denial of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and alleged war crimes, and his willingness to risk global nuclear conflict to advance his views.
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