Either Tucker Carlson is working extra hard to piss people off, or it just comes naturally to him. We’re not sure which is worse.
The Fox News host alienated viewers across the aisle on Monday evening following a segment on the racist mass shooting in Buffalo, and another one on Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw.
The teenage gunman who carried out the attack in Buffalo is a believer in a Tucker Carlson conspiracy theory called “white replacement” or “great replacement” theory. Over the last year, Carlson has repeatedly suggested that Democrats are intentionally trying to bring immigrants into the country to sway elections in their favor.
Responding to criticism, Carlson claimed he was the real victim.
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“Because a mentally ill teenager murdered strangers, you cannot be allowed to express your political views out loud. That’s what they’re telling you,” he said, before falsely stating that “hate speech” is just speech that other people hate.
The clip didn’t go over too well on social media:
Actually, I think what they're telling you is that if your political views are virtually identical to the manifesto a mentally ill teenager who murdered strangers, then *maybe* you should think hard about your political views. https://t.co/xj6SHcsSgt
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) May 17, 2022
I’d love to see the internal memos at Fox News today to refer to a racist mass shooter only as a ‘mentally ill teenager’ because you know it exists and butthurt Tucker opened with it. @TuckerCarlson
— NoelCaslerComedy (@caslernoel) May 17, 2022
Is Tucker Carlson a white supremacist or just an enormous asshole?
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) May 16, 2022
Daily reminder that Tucker Carlson will not back down from spreading dangerous conspiracy theories that lead to mass shootings against non-whites because that violence isn't an accident, it's the *goal.*
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) May 17, 2022
Tucker Carlson needs to get out of Dodge.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) May 17, 2022
But that wasn’t the only reason Carlson’s name was trending this morning. In another Monday night segment, Carlson criticized the U.S.’s plan to send $40 billion in aid to Ukraine — a plan which Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw supports.
“Why is Congress so focused on Ukraine but you can’t find baby formula, you can’t even fill your truck because things in our economy are declining really rapidly,” Carlson said. “Don’t ask questions, according to Congressman Dan Crenshaw of Texas, asking questions like that, really any questions at all, thinking you’re a citizen, makes you pro-Russia.”
Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who lost his eye while serving in Afghanistan, had said earlier on Monday that “the arguments that our side is making is very depressing and they are almost pro-Russia. People are saying ‘we can’t put baby formula on our shelves but we are sending money to Ukrainians?’ My response to that is, do you know how much baby formula you can buy with $40 billion? None, because it is not a money issue, it is a manufacturing issue.”
“The more I think about it, it takes a lot of gall for eye patch McCain to attack moms who are worried about baby formula as pro-Russia,” Carlson continued.
Tucker Carlson derisively refers to @DanCrenshawTX, who lost his eye while serving our country as a Navy SEAL in Afghanistan, as “eye-patch McCain.” pic.twitter.com/ItsrNyPGQd
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) May 17, 2022
The name-calling drew swift criticism:
If a progressive TV host mocked Dan Crenshaw's military service and war wound like Tucker Carlson did, MAGA world would demand that person be fired. But deep down MAGA like their leader Trump has no respect for our military or our veterans. They simply use them as political props https://t.co/hMFVCSaiqH
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) May 17, 2022
You don't have to like or agree with Dan Crenshaw to respect his service to his country. To insult him during an interview with a Russian asset should be a bridge too far even for Republicans but it won't…and that's tragic. #TuckerTerrorist
— Shelby Kent-Stewart ™ (@ShelbyKStewart) May 17, 2022
Tucker Carlson plays it off like republicans are so accepting of people while dems have no tolerance of anyone else but quickly denounces republican Dan Crenshaw's support of Ukraine by calling him 'Eye Patch McCain.'
— Frank Giugliano (@nyccookies) May 17, 2022
Mr. Stadnick
Tucker Carlson is a racist and a hate monger.
whereshouldistart
That’s exactly why they love him so much.
He validates their hatred.
jt1990
Not everyone is a ‘racist’ for simply being white and unlikeable, silly Liberal. But fyi, most conservatives I know believe Tucker Carlson is a useless moron who poorly represents the GOP brand.
Boo Radley
@jt1990: That may be true, silly MAGAbot, but fyi, along with being white and unlikable, Tucker Carlson is demonstrably racist. If you somehow can’t come to terms with that, you have to admit, at the very least, Carlson is an egregious race-baiter.
ZzBomb
Just like to point out that Tucker Carlson is a Maine shut in who never graduated college so obviously has no idea how the world of macroeconomics or supply chains work. And as 1 tweet said, you might disagree w/ Dan Crenshaw but to disrespect his service to our country should be a road too far even for the GOP.
Jaquelope
I never graduated college, either, but I understand how supply chains work, and I’m basically a nobody, so it must take a load of stupidity to not even have the vaguest idea how these things work in the real world.
IS there really a road too far for the GQP? I don’t think so.
smittoons
For the record, he’s from CA and splits time between Maine and Florida. He isn’t a real Mainer and never will be.
Mister P
He should also understand that there are limits to free speech. He should not be able to hide behind I’m just expressing my opinion bullshit.
Assault weapons should be outlawed.
Jim
Alas, Musk doesn’t seem to understand this or he does and will use it to suppress free speech.
johncp56
Tucker the F!@#$%^&*(ER Scummy Sticky Creep!!!!!!! FaceBook turn GOP I got 28 day FB jail for saying kill Putin where it hurts $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ they just see bot words i,m not a killer or want to send bad message, so saying take his money or kill the money gets you wacked from FB help anyone??
Jim
Can’t Tucker be a white supremest and an enormous asshole?
Cam
Fox News and Republicans have been espousing these views for ages. The reason they’re so eager to deflect from the shooting and try to avoid blaming the shooter is because they agree with him.
MISTERJETT
he should maybe probably go to the devil.
radiooutmike
Yes, poor lowly Tucker. Just hard-working guy making crazy claims on his local cable access show.
Seriously, I have always tried to be a live and let live kind of guy in my life; but he is an evil entitled bastard.
Jaquelope
I don’t claim to be a prophet, but I can see where things are headed, and I’m not saying this needs to happen, or that I agree with it, but someday, someone will take Carson out when he least expects it. Count on it.
monty clift
This odious potato face man needs putting in the ground.
GrizzleyMichael
He should worry that someone doesn’t come after him and then BANG. Everyone will applaud that the wicked bitch is gone
Jimmynj
Tucker Carlson is an embarrassment to this country. He, like his boyfriend Trump, never served in the military and he mocks someone who actually served? He needs to be removed from the airwaves and NEVER given a platform again!!!
Mister P
Replacement theory is so ridiculous that I can’t believe anyone contemplates it for more than a minute, let alone devote a TV show to it or commit murder over it.
Al
One of our three baby formula factories closed due to contamination. This followed Trump’s firing the federal safety inspectors and allowing unqualified factory workers to take over the job.
Yet Carlson ONLY blames Biden….go figure