Tag Archives: Tucker Carlson

Republicans, Tribalism

Horrors! Brit Hume is embarrassed by presidential campaign coverage

The occasion? Senator Kamala Harris, while campaigning in South Carolina, purchased a colorful sequined jacket.

Robin Abcarian notes that “manly” endeavors, such as Brit Hume’s skydiving with Bush 41, a publicity stunt for the campaign of the former president’s son, apparently do not count as embarrassing. Nor did Hume display any discomfiture about pitching softball questions after the jump to the candidate’s father about W’s campaign.

Abacarian chalks this up as sexism and a double standard. Maybe so, but I’ll offer another theory: it is shameless partisanship by a TV personality working for a cable channel, Fox News, that is bound at the hip to the Republican Party.

Sean Hannity serves as a co-host with Trump at his campaign rallies and acts as a presidential advisor by phone, while offering fawning coverage on the air. Nothing new here.

Tucker Carlson erupts, when confronted with a point of view (millionaires and billionaires should pay higher taxes) that’s the polar opposite of the Republican Party’s prime directive and then told that, in his role at Fox, he is “not meant to say these things.” Of course he’s not, nor does he need to be told.

Bret Hume, never doubt for a moment, is as much in the corner of the Republican Party as anyone at the conservative network. It’s not vintage ’80s clothing, or journalistic standards, or the peculiar way campaigns are run that’s agitating Hume. It’s simpler than that. This woman is running to replace Donald Trump in the White House. Oh, my.

March 2, 2019 update: Let’s add another Fox News on-air personality to the Republican hack list: Jeanine Pirro, whose starring role at Trumpetts USA events – yes, this is a thing and it enriches the President of the United States – was featured in a recent Erik Wemple column, which concluded that “the race to the bottom at Fox News has hit the homestretch. So long as Hannity has set the standard for ethical corruption with direct support to Trump World, how can the network even consider stopping someone like Pirro from speaking at an event from which the president profits?”


Income Inequality, Republicans, Tribalism

News Flash: Fox News doesn’t force Tucker Carlson to oppose higher taxes on the rich

Dutch historian Rutger Bregman recently offered his view to the attendees at Davos, “It feels like I’m at a firefighters’ conference and no one’s allowed to speak about water, right? … Just stop talking about philanthropy and start talking about taxes … We can invite Bono once more, but we’ve got to be talking about taxes. That’s it. Taxes, taxes, taxes. All the rest is bullshit in my opinion.”

When he was booked on Fox News, he told Tucker Carlson:

“The vast majority of Americans, for years and years now, according to the polls – including Fox News viewers and including Republicans – are in favor of higher taxes on the rich. Higher inheritance taxes, higher top marginal tax rates, higher wealth taxes. It’s all really mainstream.

But no one’s saying it at Davos, just as no one’s saying it on Fox News, right?

And I think the explanation for that is quite simple, is that most of the people in Davos, but also here on this channel, have been bought by the billionaire class. You know? You’re not meant to say these things.

So I just went there, and I thought, you know what, I’m just going to say it, just as I’m saying it right here on this channel.”

But Bregman didn’t get to say it on that channel. Carlson took exception with what he had to say and replied with insults. (“Why don’t you go fuck yourself, you tiny brain. And I hope this gets picked up, because you’re a moron. I tried to give you a hearing, but you were too fucking annoying.”)

After the video emerged, Carlson clarified the indulgence of his employer: “Whatever my faults or those of this channel, nobody in management has ever told us what positions to take on the air. Never. Not one time. We have total freedom here and we’re grateful for that.” 

Good to know that Fox News Channel’s rich on-air personalities are permitted to oppose higher marginal tax rates of their own volition.