♪ ♪
>> John: HI THERE!
WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
STILL, UNFORTUNATELY,
TAKING PLACE IN THIS BLANK VOID.
TOMORROW IS ACTUALLY
THE VOID'S BIRTHDAY.
SO, HAPPY ONE YEAR, VOID!
I'VE NEVER SAID THIS TO
A ONE-YEAR-OLD BEFORE,
BUT I SINCERELY HOPE
YOU STOP EXISTING SOON!
IT'S BEEN A VERY BUSY WEEK.
WE MARKED THE ANNIVERSARY OF
CHET HANKS TELLING US HIS
PARENTS WERE "NOT TRIPPIN" OVER
THEIR CORONAVIRUS DIAGNOSES, A
BIDDER SPENT NEARLY $70 MILLION
ON A JPEG CREATED BY AN ARTIST
CALLED BEEPLE -- A STRING OF
WORDS THAT APPARENTLY MAKE SENSE
-- AND LAST SUNDAY,
MEGHAN MARKLE AND HER UNEMPLOYED
HUSBAND OPENED UP ABOUT
RACISM IN THE ROYAL FAMILY.
IT WAS AN INTERVIEW SO SHOCKING,
IT MERITED NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT
THREE DRAMATIC OPRAH "WHAT?"S,
AND OF ALL THE IDIOTIC RESPONSES
-- FROM MEGYN KELLY CALLING
MARKLE DEFENDERS
"PATERNALISTIC WOKESTERS" TO
PIERS MORGAN WALKING OFF SET --
THIS WAS PERHAPS THE BOLDEST.
>> I WOULD PUT IT TO YOU:
NOBODY IN THE WORLD, IN HISTORY,
HAS DONE MORE FOR PEOPLE OF
COLOR THAN THE BRITISH
ROYAL FAMILY.
>> John: WOW.
THE WORD "FOR" THERE IS THE
ABSOLUTE WORST PREPOSITION.
ALMOST ANY OTHER WOULD BE
BETTER.
"NOBODY IN THE WORLD HAS DONE
MORE TO PEOPLE OF COLOR THAN
THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY?"
SURE.
"NOBODY IN THE WORLD HAS DONE
MORE THROUGH PEOPLE OF COLOR
THAN THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY?"
ABSOLUTELY.
EVEN "NOBODY IN THE WORLD HAS
DONE MORE ABOVE PEOPLE OF COLOR
THAN THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY"
WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE, AND TO
ILLUSTRATE THAT, I'M SIMPLY
GOING TO PRESENT THIS PICTURE
WITH NO FURTHER COMMENTARY AND
YOU CAN TELL ME WHETHER THAT
SENTENCE STANDS UP OR NOT.
I WOULD SAY THAT WAS THE MOST
RIDICULOUS CLAIM MADE THIS WEEK,
BUT HERE IN NEW YORK,
GOVERNOR CUOMO RESPONDED TO
THE GROWING NUMBER OF WOMEN
ACCUSING HIM OF HARASSMENT --
INCLUDING A NEW INCIDENT THAT'S
BEEN REFERRED TO POLICE -- BY
CALLING A PRESS CONFERENCE
TO DENY THOSE CLAIMS, AND
SPECULATING ABOUT WHY MANY
IN HIS PARTY HAVE CALLED
FOR HIS RESIGNATION.
>> PART OF THIS IS THAT I AM NOT
PART OF THE POLITICAL CLUB.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'M PROUD OF IT.
>> John: YEAH.
THAT'S THE FORMER HUD SECRETARY,
FORMER NEW YORK ATTORNEY
GENERAL, CURRENT CHAIR OF THE
NATIONAL GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATION,
AND SON OF A THREE-TERM
GOVERNOR, CLAIMING HE'S NOT PART
OF "THE POLITICAL CLUB."
IT'S LIKE HEARING
DAVID MISCAVIGE SAY HE'S
NOT A PART OF THE SCIENTOLOGY
CLUB.
YES, YOU ARE.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY FALSE,
WE KNOW WHERE HIS HEART IS,
WHICH IS A LOT MORE THAN WE CAN
SAY ABOUT HIS WIFE.
WHERE'S SHELLY, DAVID?
WHERE'S SHELLY?
I'M SURE SHE'S FINE.
BUT THE BIGGEST NEWS THIS WEEK
WAS THE PASSAGE OF THE
$1.9 TRILLION AMERICAN RESCUE
PLAN.
THE PASSING OF IT IS A VERY BIG
DEAL, AS IT INVOLVES -- AMONG
OTHER THINGS -- DIRECT PAYMENTS
OF $1400 TO MANY AMERICANS.
WHICH IS WHY IT IS SO STRANGE
THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR OF
THE DNC DECIDED TO CELEBRATE IT
BY TWEETING THIS.
>> OH, HI.
["SILENT NIGHT" PLAYS]
♪ ♪
>> John: NO.
THERE IS SIMPLY NO THEMATIC OR
CONCEPTUAL REASON TO USE THAT
SCENE.
START WITH THE FACT THAT THE
VIDEO WAS POSTED ON MARCH 10TH,
AND DEPENDING ON WHICH DIRECTION
YOU'RE GOING, THAT'S EITHER
290 DAYS BEFORE, OR 75 DAYS
AFTER CHRISTMAS.
ALSO, WHY WOULD EITHER OF THESE
PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THE STIMULUS
BILL?
THEY LIVE IN LONDON!
AND WHO ARE THEY EVEN MEANT
TO REPRESENT IN REGARDS TO IT?
ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE
KIERA KNIGHTLY?
IS THIS GUY NANCY PELOSI?
AND IF SO, WHO IS THE HUSBAND IN
THE OTHER ROOM WE'RE SUPPOSED TO
BE HIDING THIS INTERACTION FROM?
I MEAN, YEAH, I'M PRETTY
CONFIDENT THE ELECTED OFFICIAL
HOUNDING A STAFFER IS
ANDREW CUOMO,
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, NOTHING
MAKES SENSE HERE.
AND THE THING IS, THE CONTENT
OF THIS BILL IS REALLY WORTH
KNOWING ABOUT.
BECAUSE WHILE IT DOESN'T CONTAIN
A $15 MINIMUM WAGE AND THE
STIMULUS PAYMENTS ARE ONLY
$1400 INSTEAD OF $2,000,
THERE IS STILL SOME GOOD STUFF
IN HERE.
THERE'S MONEY FOR SCHOOLS AND
CITIES TO HANDLE THE PANDEMIC,
EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS,
AND FOR MOST PARENTS, THERE'S
THIS.
>> MAYBE MOST CRITICAL IN HERE
IS THE CHILD TAX CREDIT.
IT'S A GUARANTEED INCOME
FOR THE YEAR FOR
LOW-INCOME FAMILIES.
REGULAR DIRECT DEPOSITS
FROM THE GOVERNMENT INSTEAD OF
A LUMP SUM AT TAX TIME.
>> John: YEAH, IT'S UP TO
$3600 PER CHILD, WHICH IS HUGE.
IT'S CURRENTLY JUST FOR THE
YEAR, BUT IT REALLY SHOULD BE
PERMANENT -- EXPERTS SAY IF THAT
HAPPENS, IT COULD ACTUALLY CUT
CHILD POVERTY BY MORE THAN HALF.
IT'S POTENTIALLY ONE OF THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN THE BILL
AND IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE
BOOST FOR PARENTS, WHO FRANKLY
DESERVE IT AFTER
SPENDING THE PAST YEAR STUCK
IN THE SAME PLACE WITH THEIR
KIDS 24 HOURS A DAY.
I'M JUST SAYING, YOU TRY BEING
BODY SHAMED BY A FIVE-YEAR-OLD
WHO KEEPS ASKING YOU WHY YOUR
ARM HAIR GROWS ALL FUNKY.
IT JUST DOES!
I DON'T KNOW!
IT GROWS THAT WAY!
YOU'RE MAKING ME
SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT IT!
AND WHILE THE PASSING OF THIS
BILL MIGHT NOW SEEM INEVITABLE,
BECAUSE IT PASSED, AND HAD
70% SUPPORT FROM THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, IT ONLY HAPPENED BECAUSE
THE DEMOCRATS WON GEORGIA AND
NOW CONTROL THE SENATE.
AND EVEN THEN, THEY HAD TO GET
PARTS OF IT PAST
DIET REPUBLICANS JOE MANCHIN AND
KYRSTEN SINEMA.
BECAUSE REPUBLICANS THEMSELVES
WERE HEAVILY AGAINST THIS.
>> THIS ISN'T A RESCUE BILL.
IT ISN'T A RELIEF BILL.
IT'S A LAUNDRY LIST OF LEFT-WING
PRIORITIES.
>> IT IS A TROJAN HORSE FOR
SOCIALISM.
IT IS EVERYTHING DEMOCRATS HAVE
WANTED, WRAPPED AND BRANDED IN
CORONAVIRUS SO THAT PEOPLE ARE
SCARED INTO VOTING FOR IT.
>> THIS IS A WASTE OF MONEY AND
A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME.
>> I THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY
ONE OF THE WORST PIECES OF
LEGISLATION I'VE SEEN PASS HERE
IN THE TIME I'VE BEEN IN THE
SENATE.
>> John: WHAT?
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN IN THE SENATE
FOR 600 YEARS, BUT GIVING
STRUGGLING AMERICANS BARELY
ENOUGH RENT MONEY AFTER A YEAR
OF A FUCKING PANDEMIC IS ONE OF
THE WORST PIECES OF LEGISLATION
THAT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN?
ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT, MITCH?
NOT THE KNEE-JERK
POST-9/11 PANIC PASSING OF
THE PATRIOT ACT,
OR THE 1986 DRUG BILL
THAT MADE A 100 TO ONE
SENTENCING DISPARITY BETWEEN
CRACK AND POWDER COCAINE?
OR EVEN THE JOINT RESOLUTION
IN 1987 DESIGNATING A
"NATIONAL CATFISH DAY."
THAT WAS A TOTAL DISGRACE!
FUCK YOU, CATFISH!
WHICH ARE YOU -- CAT?
OR FISH?
PICK A LANE, YOU WHISKERY
ASSHOLES!
AND LOOK, IT IS NOT NEWS THAT
REPUBLICANS WOULD OPPOSE THIS
BILL.
WHAT'S SLIGHTLY MORE SURPRISING
IS THAT SOME HAVE HAD THE GALL
TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS.
>> SHORTLY AFTER THE BILL'S
PASSAGE, REPUBLICAN
SENATOR ROGER WICKER OF
MISSISSIPPI TWEETED,
"INDEPENDENT RESTAURANT
OPERATORS HAVE WON $28.6 BILLION
WORTH OF TARGETED RELIEF."
YET WICKER WAS ONE OF
49 REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO
VOTED NO ON SATURDAY.
>> John: YEAH, HE DID THAT.
AND YOU DON'T GET CREDIT FOR
SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE KNOWS
YOU DIDN'T WANT TO HAPPEN.
THIS EXACT SAME REASON THAT
PRINCE CHARLES DOESN'T GET TO
TWEET "GREAT INTERVIEW, OPRAH,
YOU TELL THEM, MEGHAN,
#MarkleHive."
THE FACT IS, THIS BILL IS GOING
TO HELP MILLIONS OF AMERICANS,
AND IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING
THAT EVERY SINGLE REPUBLICAN
OPPOSED IT.
AND IF ANY OF THEM EVER COME
BACK AROUND TRYING TO TAKE
CREDIT -- TO PUT THIS IN THE
FORM THAT I GUESS POLITICAL
MESSAGES ARE DELIVERED NOW --
THE RESPONSE HAS TO BE SIMPLY
THIS --
CHRISTMAS MUSIC, PLEASE!
♪ ♪
["SILENT NIGHT" PLAYS]
>> Announcer: AND NOW...
LOCAL NEWS BOTHERS 100-YEAR-OLD
WOMEN ON THEIR BIRTHDAYS.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE?
>> ADVICE?
DON'T TAKE ANY BALONEY.
>> YOU ARE 100 TODAY.
>> DON'T EAT VEGETABLES?
>> I DON'T EAT MUCH CANDY.
WELL, I USED TO EAT A LOT OF
CANDY.
NO MORE NOW.
>> EATING CORRECTLY AND BEHAVING
OURSELVES.
>> AND A LITTLE BETTER BOURBON
ON THE SIDE, RIGHT?
>> OH, YES.
>> JUST BE YOURSELF.
IF THEY WANT TO LAUGH AT YOU,
LAUGH BACK AT THEM.
>> IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU
ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THIS
NEXT CENTURY OF LIFE?
>> BREATHING.
>> YOU SAY YOU ARE A LITTLE
TIRED THIS MORNING.
IS THAT RIGHT?
>> I AM TIRED.
>> ARE YOU EXCITED FOR YOUR
PARTY?
>> NOT ONE BIT.
>> John: MOVING ON.
OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS
-- I'M SORRY TO SAY --
TUCKER CARLSON.
A MAN WHO GIVES "TUCKERS"
AN EVEN WORSE NAME THAN THEY
ALREADY HAVE.
THIS WEEK, AS HE SEEMS TO EVERY
WEEK, TUCKER SET OFF A BIT OF
A FIRESTORM.
>> SO WE'VE GOT NEW HAIRSTYLES
AND MATERNITY FLIGHT SUITS,
PREGNANT WOMEN ARE GONNA FIGHT
OUR WARS.
IT'S A MOCKERY OF
THE U.S. MILITARY.
WHILE CHINA'S MILITARY BECOMES
MORE MASCULINE, AS IT'S
ASSEMBLED THE WORLD'S LARGEST
NAVY, OUR MILITARY NEEDS TO
BECOME, AS JOE BIDEN SAYS, MORE
FEMININE -- WHATEVER FEMININE
MEANS ANYMORE, SINCE MEN AND
WOMEN NO LONGER EXIST.
>> John: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING
ABOUT, YOU PERFORMATIVELY
OUTRAGED WEDGE SALAD?
HE'S PACKED A LOT IN THERE --
FROM TRANSPHOBIA, TO WEIRDLY
EXTOLLING THE MASCULINITY OF
CHINA'S NAVY, TO HIS COMPLETELY
MISPLACED OUTRAGE AT JOE BIDEN
OVER THOSE FLIGHT SUITS, WHICH
WERE PART OF AN INITIATIVE
THAT STARTED WHEN TRUMP WAS
PRESIDENT, AND ALSO INCLUDED
ENSURING THAT BODY ARMOR
ACTUALLY FITS WOMEN SERVICE
MEMBERS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY
A GOOD IDEA.
THOSE COMMENTS SPARKED AN
ALL-TOO-FAMILIAR CYCLE OF
CONDEMNATION, DEFENSIVENESS, AND
HYPE.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY WEEK,
TUCKER HAS ANOTHER ONE OF THESE
MINI-CONTROVERSIES.
LAST WEEK IT WAS THE DR. SEUSS
BULLSHIT.
AND LOOK, I'D LOVE NOTHING MORE
THAN NOT TO PLAY INTO HIS WILDLY
OFFENSIVE SHTICK.
YOU MIGHT EVEN BE THINKING,
"WHY GIVE HIM THE ATTENTION THAT
HE'S SO CLEARLY TROLLING FOR?"
BUT THE FACT IS, WE'RE NOT
GIVING TUCKER ANY ATTENTION HE'S
NOT ALREADY GETTING A LOT OF.
THE NIGHT HE MADE THOSE FLIGHT
SUIT REMARKS, HE WAS THE MOST
WATCHED SHOW ON CABLE.
HE AVERAGES OVER THREE MILLION
VIEWERS A NIGHT, AND DOES WELL
IN THE KEY 25 TO 54 DEMO --
MEANING YOUNG PEOPLE ARE
WATCHING HIM, AS WELL AS THE
NORMAL FOX AUDIENCE OF RETIREES
AND THEIR SAD, IMPRISONED PETS.
HE'S SO IMPORTANT TO THE
NETWORK, THEY'RE EXPANDING HIS
PRESENCE -- LAUNCHING A NEW
VIDEO PODCAST AND LONG-FORM
DOCUMENTARY SERIES.
AND IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH,
TUCKER'S ALSO BEEN FLOATED AS A
POTENTIAL FUTURE PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE, WHICH SHOULD BE
SERIOUSLY ALARMING, BECAUSE OF
ALL THE THINGS TUCKER IS --
A CONSPIRACY THEORIST, A
MISOGYNIST, ISLAMOPHOBIC,
A TROLL -- ONE OF
THE MOST DANGEROUS IS THAT HE IS
THE MOST PROMINENT VESSEL IN
AMERICA FOR WHITE SUPREMACIST
TALKING POINTS.
AND I ALREADY KNOW WHAT TUCKER
WILL SAY ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE
WHENEVER THE TOPIC COMES UP,
HE HAS THE SAME REACTION:
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?
>> WHITE NATIONALISM.
LET'S BE LITERAL FOR A MINUTE.
WHAT IS THAT EXACTLY?
>> I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT
WHITE NATIONALIST MEANS AND
I'M NOT GONNA GO DOWN THAT
RABBIT HOLE WITH YOU NOW.
>> WHY DOESN'T ANYONE EVER
DEFINE WHITE SUPREMACY?
WHAT IS WHITE SUPREMACY?
>> CAN SOMEBODY TELL US
IN VERY CLEAR LANGUAGE WHAT
A WHITE SUPREMACIST IS?
>> John: OKAY, FIRST: "VERY
CLEAR LANGUAGE" SEEMS LIKE A
HIGH BAR TO CLEAR FOR A MAN WHO
SPENDS 85% OF HIS TIME MAKING
THE BEFUDDLED FACE OF A
13TH-CENTURY FARMER LEARNING
ABOUT BITCOIN.
AND I PROMISE, WE'RE ACTUALLY
GOING TO GIVE TUCKER A PRETTY
CLEAR DEFINITION OF WHITE
SUPREMACY LATER IN THIS PIECE.
AND HE SEEMS TO NEED ONE,
BECAUSE WHENEVER HE TRIES TO
DEFINE IT HIMSELF, IT TENDS TO
BE SELF-SERVINGLY NARROW.
>> THIS SHOW WAS NOT ON THE AIR
FOR SIX MONTHS BEFORE THERE WAS
AN ORGANIZED AND HIGHLY
AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGN BY PROMINENT
DEMOCRATS TO DENOUNCE US AS
WHITE SUPREMACIST.
THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED,
THE PEOPLE WHO WORK ON THIS
SHOW, MANY OF THEM KIDS, WERE
SHOCKED AND HORRIFIED BY THAT.
WHITE SUPREMACISTS?
WHAT'S WORSE THAN THAT?
THE PHRASE EVOKES IMAGES OF
BURNING CROSSES AND LYNCHINGS.
IT'S AWFUL.
>> John: OKAY, FIRST, I'M SO
SORRY, TUCKER.
I DIDN'T REALIZE YOUR SHOW WAS
STAFFED ENTIRELY BY CHILDREN.
I NEVER INTENDED FOR THEM TO GET
CAUGHT UP IN THIS.
SO MY SINCERE APOLOGIES,
YOU TINY LITTLE RASCALS.
BUT "I DON'T BURN CROSSES OR
LYNCH PEOPLE, SO I CAN'T BE A
WHITE SUPREMACIST" IS A PRETTY
WEAK ARGUMENT.
IT'S LIKE SAYING "I CAN'T BE
AN ANTI-SEMITE BECAUSE I DIDN'T
DO THE HOLOCAUST" OR I CAN'T
BE A SEXUAL PREDATOR
BECAUSE I DIDN'T PRODUCE
"GOOD WILL HUNTING."
THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY
TO BE A TERRIBLE PERSON.
AND TUCKER -- CONVENIENTLY FOR
HIM -- DOESN'T FIT NEATLY INTO
A LOT OF PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION OF
"WHITE SUPREMACIST."
ESPECIALLY IF THEY SHARE HIS
DEFINITION, THAT IT MUST
REQUIRE BURNING CROSSES,
KLAN HOODS, AND A NAME TAG
THAT SAYS "HELLO, MY NAME IS
A RACIST."
YOU MIGHT EVEN HAVE FRIENDS WHO
THINK, "TUCKER CAN'T BE RACIST.
I'VE NEVER HEARD HIM SAY THE
"N-WORD," AS IF THAT IS THE
FUCKING BAR.
BUT FOR THE RECORD: WHITE
SUPREMACISTS THEMSELVES
SEEM TO BE BIG FANS OF WHAT
TUCKER'S BEEN DOING.
JUST LISTEN TO DEREK BLACK, A
FORMER WHITE SUPREMACIST WHOSE
FATHER STARTED STORMFRONT
-- THE OLDEST, LARGEST WHITE
SUPREMACIST SITE ON THE INTERNET
-- TALK ABOUT JUST HOW MUCH HIS
FAMILY LIKES TUCKER'S SHOW.
>> MY FAMILY WATCHES
TUCKER CARLSON'S SHOW ONCE AND
THEN WATCHES IT ON THE REPLAY
BECAUSE THEY FEEL THAT HE IS
MAKING THE WHITE NATIONALIST
TALKING POINTS BETTER THAN THEY
HAVE.
AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET SOME
TIPS ON HOW TO -- HOW TO ADVANCE
IT.
>> John: YEAH.
THEY WATCH IT
ONCE TO ENJOY IT, AND A SECOND
TIME TO LEARN FROM IT.
THEY WATCH TUCKER THE SAME WAY I
WATCH "THE DREW BARRYMORE SHOW."
FIRST TIME FOR FUN, SECOND TO
FIGURE OUT HOW SHE CAN
SUCCESSFULLY PULL OFF A SEGMENT
IN WHICH A CHILD MAKES A
SHIRLEY TEMPLE WHILE
STANLEY TUCCI QUIETLY DRINKS AN
ENTIRE GLASS OF WINE ON A SCREEN
IN THE BACKGROUND.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WORK YOUR
MAGIC, DREW, BUT I WANT TO
LEARN.
YOU'RE ADVANCING THIS FORM!
SO GIVEN THAT TUCKER
HAS THE ADMIRATION OF
WHITE SUPREMACISTS, AND THE EAR
OF MILLIONS OF YOUR RELATIVES,
COWORKERS, AND ELECTED
OFFICIALS, WE THOUGHT, TONIGHT,
IT'D BE WORTH TALKING ABOUT HIM
-- WHERE HE CAME FROM, WHAT HIS
TACTICS ARE, AND WHY WHAT HE
REPRESENTS IS SO DANGEROUS.
AND LET'S START WITH SOME
BACK STORY.
TUCKER GREW UP IN LA JOLLA,
CALIFORNIA, WHERE HIS DAD
MARRIED AN HEIRESS TO THE
SWANSON TV DINNER FORTUNE.
WHICH IS ALREADY INTERESTING.
BECAUSE IF TUCKER'S GOT SAD
'70s SINGLE MAN FROZEN FOOD
MONEY, THAT MEANS HE'S BEEN
DOING GROUNDBREAKING SHOWS LIKE
"CUCKOLDING IS WHEN A HUMILIATED
MAN WATCHES HIS WIFE HAVE AN
AFFAIR" FOR THE LOVE OF THE
GAME.
TO HEAR TUCKER TELL IT, HE GREW
UP IN A SIMPLER, BETTER TIME.
HE ONCE WISTFULLY CLAIMED,
"RACIAL SOLIDARITY WASN'T
A WORKING CONCEPT IN MY
SOUTHERN-CALIFORNIA HOMETOWN.
MOST PEOPLE BARELY HAD LAST
NAMES, MUCH LESS ETHNIC
IDENTITIES."
WHICH IS A PRETTY WEIRD THING TO
SAY IF YOUR FULL NAME IS
TUCKER SWANSON McNEAR CARLSON,
AND YOUR ETHNIC IDENTITY CAN
BEST BE DESCRIBED AS
"MY BROTHER'S NAME IS
BUCKLEY SWANSON PECK CARLSON."
THE ONLY WAY HE COULD GET ANY
MORE ETHNICALLY WHITE IS IF HE
JIZZED MAYONNAISE.
AS A CHILD, TUCKER WAS SENT TO
BOARDING SCHOOL, WHERE HE
PROMPTLY DID TWO THINGS:
FAIL TO IMPRESS ANY NUMBER OF
PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITIES AND
START DATING THE HEADMASTER'S
DAUGHTER, A HEADMASTER WHO IN
RETURN, ARRANGED TO GET HIM
INTO TRINITY COLLEGE.
HE THEN BECAME A PRINT
JOURNALIST, REPORTEDLY AFTER HIS
FATHER TOLD HIM THAT JOURNALISM
WILL "TAKE ANYBODY."
WHICH, TO HIS DAD'S CREDIT,
DID KIND OF TURN OUT TO BE TRUE.
TUCKER'S LEAP TO TV, THOUGH,
CAME AS AN ACCIDENT --
SUPPOSEDLY, BACK IN THE '90s,
DAN RATHER'S SHOW CALLED
THE MAGAZINE WHERE TUCKER WAS
WORKING, LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY
TO TALK ABOUT THE O.J. TRIAL.
AND THE RECEPTIONIST THERE TOLD
HIM, "EVERYONE ELSE IS STILL AT
LUNCH.
CAN YOU DO IT?"
WHICH MIGHT BE THE SINGLE
WHITEST ORIGIN STORY I HAVE EVER
HEARD.
"HEY, YOU!
YEAH, YOU WITH THE SKIN AND
FACE!
WE'VE GOT AN EXTRA CAREER LYING
AROUND.
ARE YOU INTERESTED?"
BUT DESPITE HIS TOTAL LACK OF
PREPARATION, TUCKER WAS ALMOST
IMMEDIATELY HITTING ON THEMES
THAT HE'D BE ECHOING FOR THE
NEXT 25 YEARS.
BECAUSE HERE'S ONE OF HIS VERY
FIRST TV APPEARANCES, IN THE
AFTERMATH OF THE O.J. VERDICT.
>> LET ME ASK YOU, MR. CARLSON,
DO YOU THINK WE'RE HONEST WITH
EACH OTHER?
>> OH, NO, OF COURSE NOT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY IS
TERRIFIED OF -- OF ONE THING.
YOU KNOW, WHITES ARE, OF COURSE,
TERRIFIED OF BEING CALLED A
RACIST.
BLACKS ARE TERRIFIED OF BEING
BELITTLED.
OF COURSE.
I -- I -- I THINK WE NEED --
ACTUALLY PROBABLY LESS
CONVERSATION ABOUT RACE.
I THINK IT MIGHT DO US GOOD
WERE WE TO IGNORE THE SUBJECT
A LITTLE BIT AND TREAT EACH
OTHER AS IF THERE WERE NO COLOR
BOUNDARY SEPARATING US.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
I THINK WE TALK ABOUT IT IN SOME
WAYS TOO MUCH.
>> John: OKAY, FIRST, I'M PRETTY
SURE BLACK PEOPLE ARE LESS
TERRIFIED OF BEING "BELITTLED"
THAN OF BEING KILLED, JAILED,
ECONOMICALLY EXPLOITED, OR
INDEED, DENIED ACCESS TO
HEALTHCARE AFTER THEIR HEADS
LITERALLY EXPLODE FROM HEARING
SOMEONE IN A BOW TIE AND PLAID
BLAZER SUGGEST BEING CALLED
RACIST IS AS BAD AS ACTUALLY
EXPERIENCING RACISM.
ALTHOUGH, I DO WANT TO QUICKLY
COME BACK TO THAT SPECIFIC
BOW TIE.
BECAUSE, LOOK, I'M NOT KNOCKING
BOW TIES IN GENERAL.
THEY'RE PERFECTLY FINE FOR
A CHILD ATTENDING HIS FIRST
COMMUNION, OR A HANNA-BARBERA
ANIMATOR WHO CAN'T DRAW NECKS --
BUT THAT BOW TIE IS TOO SMALL.
EITHER COMMIT TO IT OR
DON'T, TUCKER.
DON'T JUST PUT ON A TINY ONE AND
HOPE NO ONE NOTICES.
NOW, FROM THERE, TUCKER BOUNCED
AROUND A BIT, WITH CANCELED
SHOWS ON BOTH CNN AND MSNBC.
ALTHOUGH IN HIS TIME AT CNN, HE
DID MANAGE TO PRODUCE -- AND I
DON'T SAY THIS LIGHTLY -- THE
MOST 2003 CLIP OF ALL TIME.
>> YOU WORKED WITH PEPSI
FOR A LONG TIME.
CANDIDLY, JUST BETWEEN YOU AND
ME, HOW MUCH PEPSI DO YOU THINK
YOU DRINK ON AN AVERAGE DAY?
>> I REALLY DO LIKE PEPSI.
>> REALLY?
>> I REALLY DO.
>> WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE KIND?
>> MY FAVORITE KIND OF PEPSI?
PEPSI'S PEPSI.
>> WELL, YOU DON'T DRINK
DIET PEPSI OR --
>> NO, JUST -- JUST REG -- JUST
REG -- REGULAR PEPSI.
>> John: LOOK, I CANNOT STRESS
THIS ENOUGH:
LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!
DON'T DO GOTCHA JOURNALISM ABOUT
HER PEPSI CONSUMPTION -- NOT
ONLY HAS SHE BEEN THROUGH A LOT,
SHE'S A STONE COLD LEGEND.
SHE'S THE DEFINITIONAL DIVA OF
THE 2000s, AND I GUARANTEE YOU:
THERE ISN'T A HUMAN BEING ON
EARTH WHO DOESN'T PERK UP WHEN
THAT VIOLIN HOOK FROM "TOXIC"
COMES ON.
♪ ♪
EXACTLY!
PUT SOME MOTHERFUCKING RESPECT
ON HER NAME, TUCKER, AND -- OF
COURSE -- #FreeBritney.
AND WHILE TUCKER EVENTUALLY
FAILED UPWARDS INTO
A PRIMETIME FOX SHOW IN 2016,
THE FASCINATING THING IS,
IF YOU GO BACK AND WATCH HIS
EARLIER CLIPS, YOU CAN SEE HIM
LEARNING THE TRICKS OF HIS
TRADE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
WATCH HIM TALK ABOUT
PAT BUCHANAN -- THE REPUBLICAN
FIRE-BRAND AND NOTED
ANTI-IMMIGRANT CRUSADER -- AND
BREAK DOWN ONE OF BUCHANAN'S
GO-TO MOVES, WITH THE PRECISION
OF A DEDICATED STUDENT.
>> I MEAN, PAT DOES RAISE ISSUES
THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT.
UNFORTUNATELY, PAT BUCHANAN
RAISES THEM IN A WAY THAT I
THINK IS DISCREDITED AND WHEN
ATTACKED, HE CAN ALWAYS FALL
BACK ON THE LINE, "WELL, THE --
YOU KNOW, THE TINY CABAL THAT
CONTROLS AMERICAN POLITICS
DOESN'T LIKE ME BECAUSE I SPEAK
TRUTH TO POWER."
THIS IS ACTUALLY INCIDENTALLY
ALMOST VERBATIM WHAT HE SAID THE
OTHER DAY, "THAT I OFFEND THE
PLUTOCRACY, THAT I'M A WANTED
MAN BY THE INSIDE THE BELTWAY
PEOPLE," AND IN EVERY SENSE,
CAST HIMSELF AS A -- AS A VICTIM
WHO WAS SORT OF A KAREN SILKWOOD
OF POLITICS, SOMEONE WHO'S SO
TRUTHFUL THAT HE'S BEING HUNTED
DOWN BY THE -- BY THE CONSPIRACY
THAT RUNS WASHINGTON.
I MEAN, IT'S ALL A BIT MUCH.
>> John: YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT,
TUCKER -- IT IS!
AND THAT IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY
SALIENT POINT, IT'S JUST
INCREDIBLY HARD TO TAKE,
GIVEN WHO'S MAKING IT.
IN THE SAME WAY IT WOULD BE HARD
TO LISTEN TO A LECTURE ON GUN
SAFETY AND OVERALL LIFE CHOICES
FROM TEKASHI69.
I DON'T CARE HOW GOOD YOUR
ADVICE IS.
I'M NOT TAKING IT FROM YOU.
BECAUSE "THE TINY CABAL THAT
CONTROLS AMERICAN POLITICS
DOESN'T LIKE ME BECAUSE I SPEAK
TRUTH TO POWER" IS NOW TUCKER'S
SIGNATURE MOVE.
HE DOES IT ALL THE TIME,
WHENEVER HE'S CRITICIZED.
A FEW YEARS AGO, HE LOST
ADVERTISERS AFTER SAYING, AND I
QUOTE, THAT IMMIGRANTS MAKE OUR
COUNTRY "POORER AND DIRTIER AND
MORE DIVIDED."
AND THIS IS HOW HE FIRED BACK.
>> THOSE WHO WON'T SHUT UP GET
SILENCED.
YOU'VE SEEN IT A MILLION TIMES.
IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
THE ENFORCERS SCREAM, "RACIST,"
ON TWITTER UNTIL EVERYBODY GETS
INTIMIDATED.
IT'S A TACTIC, A WELL-WORN ONE.
NOBODY THINKS IT'S REAL.
AND IT WON'T WORK WITH THIS
SHOW.
WE'RE NOT INTIMIDATED.
WE PLAN TO TRY TO SAY WHAT'S
TRUE UNTIL THE LAST DAY.
AND THE TRUTH IS UNREGULATED
MASS IMMIGRATION HAS BADLY HURT
THIS COUNTRY'S NATURAL
LANDSCAPE.
>> John: OH, FUCK OFF, TUCKER,
YOU RELENTLESSLY INDIGNANT
PICKET FENCE.
HOW DID YOU GO FROM CRITICIZING
PAT BUCHANAN FOR THAT PRECISE
TACTIC TO BASICALLY IMITATING
HIM?
IT'S ALL -- TO BORROW A PHRASE
-- "A BIT MUCH."
BUT THAT TECHNIQUE GETS TO THE
ABSOLUTE HEART OF TUCKER'S SHOW:
SO OFTEN, HE POSITIONS HIMSELF
AS SOMEONE JUST ASKING THE HARD
QUESTIONS -- THE ONES THAT
"THEY" DON'T WANT YOU ASKING.
QUESTIONS LIKE, "IS AFFIRMATIVE
ACTION RACIST?"
AND "SHOULD AMERICA BE SELECTIVE
WITH IMMIGRANTS?"
AND "HAS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
BECOME ANTI-WHITE AND
ANTI-MALE?"
JUST ASKING QUESTIONS, WHILE
HEAVILY IMPLYING THAT THE ANSWER
TO THOSE QUESTIONS IS YES.
BUT WHEN, IN TURN, ANYONE
QUESTIONS HIM, THEY'RE NOT JUST
CENSORING FREE SPEECH, THEY'RE
LAUNCHING AN ATTACK ON THE
FOUNDATIONS OF OUR DEMOCRACY,
AND THE VAST WORKING CLASS WHO
THIS HUMBLE TV DINNER
PRINCE SOMEHOW REPRESENTS.
AND THE MOST TELLING THING ABOUT
TUCKER'S FRAMING OF HIMSELF AS
THE SCOURGE OF THE ELITES AND
THE HERO OF THE COMMON MAN IS
THAT, FOR TUCKER, WHO
CONSTITUTES "THE COMMON MAN" IS
VERY SELECTIVE.
TAKE ILHAN OMAR.
JUST WATCH HIM LOSE HIS SHIT
OVER A CLIP HE'S ABOUT TO PLAY
OF SOMETHING SHE SAID.
>> IF ANYONE SHOULD LOVE
AMERICA, IT'S ILHAN OMAR.
THIS COUNTRY RESCUED HER FROM A
SQUALID KENYAN REFUGEE CAMP AND
MADE HER A NATIONAL FIGURE,
QUITE AN ASCENT.
BUT ILHAN OMAR IS NOT GRATEFUL.
SHE HATES US FOR IT.
WATCH OMAR TELL US IT IS TIME TO
DISMANTLE OUR COUNTRY.
>> AS LONG AS OUR ECONOMY AND
POLITICAL SYSTEMS PRIORITIZE
PROFIT WITHOUT CONSIDERING WHO
IS PROFITING, WHO IS BEING SHUT
OUT, WE WILL PERPETUATE THIS
INEQUALITY.
SO WE CANNOT STOP AT CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM.
WE MUST BEGIN THE WORK OF
DISMANTLING THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF
OPPRESSION WHEREVER WE FIND IT.
>> DISMANTLE THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY AND THE AMERICAN SYSTEM
OF GOVERNMENT, INSTITUTIONS THAT
GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS BUILT
OVER HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
>> John: ALL RIGHT, THERE IS
ALREADY ENOUGH THERE IN THE
SNEERING CONDESCENSION THAT
ILHAN OMAR SHOULD BE QUIETLY
GRATEFUL HER ENTIRE LIFE BECAUSE
SHE WAS GRANTED ASYLUM WHEN SHE
WAS A CHILD.
BUT LET'S JUST CONSIDER THE VAST
DISTANCE BETWEEN WHAT YOU JUST
HEARD HER SAY AND WHAT HE SEEMED
TO HEAR.
BECAUSE ACCORDING TO TUCKER,
DISMANTLING THE SYSTEM OF
OPPRESSION MEANS DISMANTLING
THE ENTIRE AMERICAN ECONOMY AND
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.
NOW, DID HE INADVERTENTLY MAKE A
NUANCED POINT ABOUT HOW SYSTEMIC
OPPRESSION IS DEFINITIONALLY
BAKED INTO EVERY LEVEL AND FACET
OF THAT VERY SAME SYSTEM?
YES, YES HE DID.
AM I GOING TO GIVE HIM CREDIT
FOR DOING THAT?
FUCK NO!
ESPECIALLY NOT WHEN THIS IS WHAT
HE SAID NEXT:
>> THE PROBLEM IS, THERE ARE
MANY OF US HERE WHO DO LIKE THIS
COUNTRY.
WE LIVE HERE.
WE DON'T WANT TO DESTROY IT.
WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO FIGHT TO
PRESERVE OUR NATION AND OUR
HERITAGE AND OUR CULTURE.
>> John: WOW, "PRESERVE OUR
HERITAGE AND CULTURE."
THAT IS DIRECT.
IN FACT, HIS PRE-WRITTEN CAPTION
THERE -- "WE HAVE TO FIGHT TO
PRESERVE OUR NATION AND
HERITAGE" DREW A LOT OF
COMPARISONS TO THE
"FOURTEEN WORDS," THE FAMOUS
WHITE SUPREMACIST SLOGAN THAT
SAYS, "WE MUST SECURE THE
EXISTENCE OF OUR PEOPLE AND
A FUTURE FOR WHITE CHILDREN."
AND WHEN YOU PUT THE TWO
TOGETHER, THERE IS, Y'KNOW,
A SLIGHT SIMILARITY THERE.
I'M JUST SAYING -- IF YOU TYPED
TUCKER'S QUOTE INTO A BLANK WORD
DOCUMENT, NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN,
CLIPPY IS GOING TO ASK "ARE YOU
TRYING TO RECITE THE FOURTEEN
WORDS?"
OF COURSE, CLIPPY'S BEEN ASKING
THAT A LOT MORE EVER SINCE HE
STARTED SPENDING SO MUCH TIME ON
YOUTUBE.
CAREFUL HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND
ON THERE, CLIPPY, IT'S TURNING
YOU INTO AN ASSHOLE.
AND IF YOU'RE THINKING, "WELL,
COME ONE, THAT SEEMS LIKE A
STRETCH.
YOU CAN'T KNOW WHAT TUCKER MEANS
BY "OUR HERITAGE AND CULTURE,"
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE HASN'T
ALWAYS BEEN THAT DISCIPLINED
ABOUT MESSAGING.
IN THE LATE 2000s, HE USED TO
CALL INTO A RADIO SHOW HOSTED
BY SHOCK JOCK BUBBA THE LOVE
SPONGE.
AND IN THOSE CALLS, THE THIN
VEIL COVERING HIS RACISM WOULD
OCCASIONALLY THROWN OFF, IN
MOMENTS LIKE THIS.
>> IRAQ IS A CRAPPY PLACE FILLED
WITH A BUNCH OF, YOU KNOW --
>> YEAH.
>> SEMI-LITERATE PRIMITIVE
MONKEYS.
BUT I JUST HAVE ZERO SYMPATHY
FOR THEM OR THEIR CULTURE.
A CULTURE WHERE PEOPLE JUST
DON'T USE TOILET PAPER OR
FORKS.
>> John: OKAY.
THAT ISN'T JUST INCREDIBLY
OFFENSIVE.
IT'S ALSO THE KIND OF FACT-FREE
CULTURAL HOT TAKE THAT IS
THE ESSENTIAL TUCKER CARLSON
EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WHILE IT IS
CLEARLY BY NO MEANS THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING THERE, FOR THE
RECORD: TABLE FORKS WERE
APPARENTLY FIRST USED IN THE
MIDDLE EAST AND BYZANTINE
EMPIRE, AND WERE STILL
"CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT" IN EUROPE
UNTIL CENTURIES LATER.
IN FACT, WHEN THE NIECE OF A
BYZANTINE EMPEROR BROUGHT A CASE
OF FORKS TO VENICE FOR HER
WEDDING FEAST IN THE ELEVENTH
CENTURY, SHE WAS "ROUNDLY
CONDEMNED BY THE LOCAL CLERGY
FOR HER DECADENCE," WITH ONE
SAYING, "GOD IN HIS WISDOM HAS
PROVIDED MAN WITH NATURAL FORKS:
HIS FINGERS.
THEREFORE, IT IS AN INSULT TO
HIM TO SUBSTITUTE ARTIFICIAL
METAL FORKS FOR THEM WHEN
EATING."
WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST A FULL
REFUTATION OF TUCKER'S LAZY
RACISM, IT'S ALSO A VERY FUN
FORK FACT.
>> FORK FACT!
>> John: FORK FACTS ARE FUN!
THE POINT IS, WHEN YOU KNOW HOW
TUCKER SPEAKS WHEN HE SPEAKS
FREELY, THE FILTER THROUGH WHICH
HE PROCESSES THE WORLD FOR HIS
AUDIENCE BECOMES PAINFULLY
APPARENT.
BECAUSE HE'S SMART ENOUGH NOT TO
OPENLY SAY INTO A CAMERA THAT
CERTAIN RACES ARE MORE DESERVING
OF SCORN, OR LESS WORTHY OF
RESPECT.
HE WILL JUST HEAVILY IMPLY THAT,
DEPENDING ON WHO HE'S TALKING
ABOUT.
TAKE THE CAPITOL RIOTS.
TUCKER SAID THAT HE DEPLORED
THE VIOLENCE, BUT REPEATEDLY
COMPELLED HIS VIEWERS TO TRY AND
UNDERSTAND WHERE THE PEOPLE
DEMONSTRATORS WERE COMING FROM.
>> ON JANUARY 6TH, WE HAD A RIOT
AT THE U.S. CAPITOL.
WHY DID THAT HAPPEN?
IT HAPPENED BECAUSE MILLIONS OF
AMERICAN VOTERS WERE CONVINCED
THAT THE LAST ELECTION WAS NOT
FAIR.
WHERE DID THEY GET THAT IDEA?
WELL, IT WASN'T SIMPLY BECAUSE
THE LAST PRESIDENT TOLD THEM SO,
YOU'RE HEARING THAT NOW AS IF
THEY ARE ANIMALS WHO TAKE
COMMANDS AND DO WHAT THEY'RE
TOLD, BUT THEY'RE NOT ANIMALS.
THEY ARE PEOPLE.
THEY ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO
CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING AND
COME TO THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS
ABOUT IT.
THEY SAW THE RADICAL INCREASE IN
MAIL-IN VOTING, MILLIONS DID,
AND IT CORRODED THEIR FAITH AND
THE PUBLIC'S FAITH IN OUR
SYSTEMS OF ELECTION.
>> John: OKAY, HOLD ON.
PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK THE ELECTION
WAS RIGGED BECAUSE THEY SAW AN
"INCREASE IN MAIL-IN VOTING."
THEY THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE
LIKE YOU REPEATEDLY TOLD THEM
THE ELECTION WAS RIGGED.
AND THAT PLEA FOR UNDERSTANDING
THERE IS ESPECIALLY HARD TO TAKE
WHEN YOU CONTRAST IT WITH HOW
HE REACTED TO LAST SUMMER'S
BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS.
>> PEOPLE LIKE THIS DON'T BOTHER
TO WORK.
THEY DON'T VOLUNTEER OR
PAY TAXES TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.
THEY LIVE FOR THEMSELVES.
THEY DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY
FEEL LIKE DOING.
THEY SAY EXACTLY WHAT THEY
FEEL LIKE SAYING.
THEY SPRAY PAINT THEIR OPINIONS
ON BUILDINGS.
ON TELEVISION, HOUR BY HOUR,
WE WATCH THESE PEOPLE,
CRIMINAL MOBS, DESTROY WHAT
THE REST OF US HAVE BUILT.
THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO THAT.
THEY DON'T CONTRIBUTE TO THE
COMMON GOOD.
THEY NEVER HAVE.
YET, SUDDENLY THEY SEEM TO HAVE
ALL THE POWER.
>> John: WELL, THAT'S QUITE
A DIFFERENT TONE.
AND IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE WHO
GETS TO BE "AMERICAN CITIZENS
WHO CAME TO THEIR OWN
CONCLUSIONS," AND WHO GETS TO BE
"CRIMINAL MOBS WHO DESTROY WHAT
THE REST OF US HAVE BUILT."
AND IT DOES SEEM LIKE THE
DIVIDING LINE FOR TUCKER ON THAT
QUESTION IS, "HOW EASILY CAN YOU
SUNBURN?"
AND LOOK, MY POINT HERE ISN'T
THAT TUCKER IS INCONSISTENT, IN
ADDRESSING TWO VIOLENT PROTESTS
IN VASTLY DIFFERENT WAYS.
IT'S THAT HE'S ACTUALLY
INCREDIBLY CONSISTENT, BECAUSE
IN BOTH INSTANCES, HIS CLEAR
TAKEAWAY IS THAT WHITE PEOPLE
SHOULD BE TERRIFIED AT THE IDEA
OF ANY SITUATION WHERE THEY
AREN'T IN POWER.
THE MAIN NARRATIVE OF TUCKER'S
SHOW IS THAT POWER IS BEING
TAKEN AWAY FROM "YOU," HIS
VIEWER -- AND THAT THIS NEEDS TO
BE RESISTED.
HE'S RUN SEGMENTS -- JUST ASKING
QUESTIONS, REMEMBER -- LIKE,
"HOW EXACTLY IS DIVERSITY OUR
STRENGTH?"
AND HAS ARGUED NOT JUST THAT IT
ISN'T, BUT THAT IT'S A "THREAT
TO OUR EXISTENCE AS A COHESIVE
COUNTRY."
IN FACT, HE'LL OFTEN CALL TO
RESIST THAT THREAT WITH AN
INTERESTING CHOICE OF PHRASE.
>> WESTERN CIVILIZATION
IS OUR BIRTHRIGHT.
IT MAKES ALL GOOD THINGS
POSSIBLE.
UNDEFENDED, IT COLLAPSES.
AND SO WE'VE GOT TO FIGHT
TO PRESERVE IT.
>> IT'S A WAR, WITH ONE SIDE
TRYING TO ERASE ALL REMNANTS OF
ITS OPPONENT.
IN THIS CASE,
WESTERN CIVILIZATION.
>> IS THE CULTURE INTO WHICH
THEY'RE COMING, THE WESTERN
CIVILIZATION WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT, SUPERIOR TO THE CULTURE
THAT THESE IMMIGRANTS ARE
BRINGING?
>> DO YOU THINK IT'S POSSIBLE TO
MOVE A LARGE MUSLIM POPULATION
INTO THE WEST AND SUCCESSFULLY
INTEGRATE THEM INTO WESTERN
CULTURE?
HAVE YOU SEEN THAT ANYWHERE?
>> John: YEAH, FOR TUCKER,
IT SEEMS WESTERN CIVILIZATION IS
SOMEHOW BOTH THE MIGHTY AND
ESSENTIAL BEDROCK ON WHICH ALL
MODERN HUMAN EXISTENCE IS BUILT,
AND ALSO, A DELICATE HOUSE OF
CARDS THAT WILL COLLAPSE IF YOU
SO MUCH AS LOOK AT IT WRONG.
AND AGAIN, HE'LL BE CAREFUL NOT
TO VERBALLY LINK RACE AND
CIVILIZATION, LIKE HE'S CALLING
IN TO A LOVE SPONGE'S RADIO SHOW
IN 2006.
BUT HE WILL OCCASIONALLY DANCE
INCREDIBLY CLOSE TO IT.
>> LET ME JUST STIPULATE.
I AM FOR GETTING ALONG.
I AM FOR COLORBLINDNESS,
I'M FOR TOLERANCE, 100%.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IF THINGS
RADICALLY CHANGE IN YOUR
COUNTRY, IT'S OKAY FOR YOU TO
SAY, WHAT IS THIS, AND MAYBE I
DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY
THAT LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THE
COUNTRY I GREW UP IN.
IS THAT BIGOTED?
>> John: UH, YEAH.
YEAH, IT IS.
THAT'S LIKE SAYING, "I'VE GOT
TEN FINGERS AND TOES, A POINTY
FACE WITH A LITTLE PINK ROSEBUD
MOUTH, A CAT-SIZED BODY, A LONG
WEIRD TAIL, AND I EAT GARBAGE.
DOES THAT MAKE ME A POSSUM?"
YES!
YES, IT DOES!
THAT'S THE LITERAL DEFINITION OF
THE THING YOU JUST DESCRIBED!
AND THAT IS THE WHOLE THING WITH
TUCKER.
HE MIGHT NOT SAY "BLACK" OR
"WHITE," HE'LL INSIST HE'S
"FOR COLORBLINDNESS," HE'LL
BUILD IN DENIABILITY BY PHRASING
THINGS AS A QUESTION -- LIKE,
WHAT DOES RACISM LOOK LIKE?
WHILE KIND OF EMBODYING THE
ANSWER.
BUT WHEN YOU PUT ALL OF THIS
TOGETHER, THE PATTERN IS CLEAR:
HE'S SCARED OF A COUNTRY THAT
"LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THE ONE HE
GREW UP IN," BECAUSE DIVERSITY
ISN'T OUR STRENGTH, IMMIGRANTS
MAKE OUR COUNTRY POORER,
DIRTIER, AND MORE DIVIDED,
AND ANY ATTEMPT TO CHANGE THAT
CULTURE IS AN ATTACK ON
WESTERN CIVILIZATION.
ALL OF WHICH IS A LONG WAY OF
SAYING THAT WHEN TUCKER ASKS,
"WHAT IS WHITE SUPREMACY?"
THE ANSWER IS BASICALLY THAT.
IT'S A BELIEF THAT, IN A COUNTRY
WHERE WHITE PEOPLE ARE DOMINANT,
THAT'S ALL DOWN TO THEIR NATURAL
AND INNATE ABILITIES, AND ANY
EFFORT TO CHANGE THAT IS AN
AFFRONT TO THE NATURAL ORDER OF
THINGS.
SO IT'S FRANKLY NO WONDER THAT
GUY'S FAMILY WATCHES TUCKER
TWICE A NIGHT.
OF COURSE TUCKER'S BEEN ENDORSED
BY WHITE SUPREMACISTS.
JAMES ALLSUP -- A FAR-RIGHT
ACTIVIST WHO MARCHED IN
CHARLOTTESVILLE -- ONCE SAID
THIS TO A CONFERENCE ROOM FULL
OF FELLOW WHITE SUPREMACISTS.
>> AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE
ENGAGING IN VERY EFFECTIVE
RHETORIC IS, OF COURSE,
TUCKER CARLSON.
TUCKER IS HELPING MAINSTREAM
CONSERVATIVES CHANGE THE WAY
THEY THINK ABOUT POLITICS AND
CAUSING A MASSIVE SWATH OF
TRUMP VOTERS TO LOOK DEEPER
INTO MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT
WE ALREADY TALK ABOUT.
THE LEFT IS AWARE OF WHAT HE'S
DOING AND HE'S AWARE OF WHAT
HE'S DOING, SO IT WORKS
PHENOMENALLY.
[LAUGHTER]
>> John: OH, THAT MIGHT BE THE
SINGLE WORST LAUGH I'VE EVER
HEARD.
AND I SAY THAT AS SOMEONE WHO'S
ALMOST FORGOTTEN WHAT HUMAN
LAUGHTER SOUNDS LIKE.
I'VE BEEN STUCK INSIDE CASPER'S
ASSHOLE FOR 12 LONG MONTHS NOW,
AND I'M SO DESPERATE TO HEAR THE
RESPONSE OF A LIVE AUDIENCE,
BUT IF IT'S NEO-NAZI CHUCKLES,
PINGPONGING OFF THE WALLS OF A
HOTEL BALLROOM,
I THINK I MIGHT BE OUT.
AND LOOK, IF EVERYTHING I'VE
SHOWN YOU SOMEHOW STILL ISN'T
ENOUGH -- LET'S HEAR FROM A
LITERAL FORMER GRAND WIZARD OF
WHITE SUPREMACISTS, DAVID DUKE.
HE'S NOT ONLY TWEETED
APPROVINGLY ABOUT TUCKER IN THE
PAST, SAYING, "TUCKER IS RIGHT!"
AND "CAN'T CUCK THE TUCK!"
-- WHICH, AS ALL TUCKER VIEWERS
KNOW, REFERS TO WHEN A
HUMILIATED MAN WATCHES
HIS WIFE HAVE AN AFFAIR.
DUKE EVEN HAS A PODCAST,
WHERE HE SOMETIMES JUST RECAPS
TUCKER'S SEGMENTS FROM THE NIGHT
BEFORE.
LAST YEAR, WHEN ENDORSING TRUMP
FOR PRESIDENT, HE EVEN SUGGESTED
THAT TUCKER CARLSON SHOULD BE
HIS V.P., EXPLAINING TUCKER'S
VALUE TO THE WHITE SUPREMACIST
CAUSE LIKE THIS.
>> HE DOESN'T USE THE WORD
"WHITE" VERY OFTEN, BUT THAT'S
THE UNDERLYING MESSAGE THAT HE'S
SHOWING.
AND HE SHOWS THAT THERE IS
MASSIVE RACISM IN AMERICA
AGAINST WHITE PEOPLE, WHILE AT
THE SAME TIME SAYING THERE'S NO
SYSTEMATIC RACISM.
BUT PEOPLE GET THE MESSAGE.
>> John: YEAH, PEOPLE DO GET THE
MESSAGE.
ALTHOUGH, TO BE FAIR, IT'S NOT
LIKE IT'S WRITTEN IN A COMPLEX
CODE.
IT'S A WALKING YACHT CLUB
SCRUNCHING HIS FACE UP FOR AN
HOUR EVERY NIGHT AND SAYING TO
A CONSERVATIVE AUDIENCE "THEY"
ARE COMING FOR "YOU" IN
MODULATING TONES.
WE'RE NOT EXACTLY IN RIDDLE OF
THE SPHINX TERRITORY HERE.
AND ALL OF THIS IS WHY -- AS
TEMPTING AS IT IS TO DISMISS THE
CONTROVERSY THAT FOLLOWS TUCKER
EVERY WEEK AS ONE MORE ARTIFACT
OF OUR OUTRAGE CULTURE -- IT'S
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHAT
TUCKER IS SAYING IS FUCKING
OUTRAGEOUS.
BECAUSE NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT
MIND WOULD SIT DOWN, POP IN
THEIR HEADPHONES, FIRE UP
DAVID DUKE'S PODCAST AND THINK,
"HEY, I'M NOT
A WHITE SUPREMACIST."
BUT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WATCH
TUCKER ON TV EVERY NIGHT,
SPOUTING WELL-LAUNDERED VERSIONS
OF PRETTY MUCH THE SAME TALKING
POINTS, AND THERE IS REAL HARM
IN THAT.
BECAUSE WHILE WHITE SUPREMACY IS
CLEARLY DANGEROUS WHEN PROMOTED
BY SELF-AVOWED WHITE
SUPREMACISTS, IT CAN ACTUALLY
BE EVEN MORE DANGEROUS
WHEN IT ISN'T.
AND WHAT TUCKER CARLSON'S SHOW
SELLS -- IN ADDITION TO UTTERLY
TERRIBLE PILLOWS -- IS VERY
SEDUCTIVE.
IT'S THE IDEA THIS COUNTRY IS
FUNDAMENTALLY COLOR-BLIND, THAT
ANYONE WHO MENTIONS RACE IS JUST
TRYING TO START TROUBLE, THAT
HISTORIC OPPRESSION IS NO LONGER
RELEVANT, AND THAT IN FACT, YOU,
HIS VIEWERS, ARE THE ONES
CURRENTLY BEING OPPRESSED.
AND IF HE CAN SELL HIS AUDIENCE
ON HIS WHITE IDENTITY POLITICS,
IF HE CAN PERSUADE THEM THAT
THE BIG EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO
AMERICA RIGHT NOW IS DIVERSITY,
IT SORT OF DOESN'T MATTER IF HE
SAYS ALOUD WHAT HIS PREFERRED
SOLUTIONS TO THAT MIGHT BE.
AND WHILE IT'S BAD ENOUGH TO
HEAR THAT WHITE SUPREMACIST
FAMILIES GATHER ROUND TO WATCH
TUCKER TWICE, THE FACT IS,
MILLIONS OF VIEWERS A NIGHT
WATCH HIM ONCE, AND ONCE IS
ALREADY MORE THAN ENOUGH.
AND NOW THIS.
♪ ♪
>> Announcer: AND NOW...
A LOOK BACK AT ONE YEAR OF TV
NEWS WITH PANDEMIC PRECAUTIONS.
>> YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT
ABOUT TONIGHT'S NEWSCAST.
>> LIKE MANY OF YOU, EVERYONE AT
CBS 17 IS PRACTICING SOCIAL
DISTANCING.
>> WE ARE STANDING 6 FEET APART
ON THE SET.
>> SOCIAL DISTANCING.
>> THIS IS 6 FEET RIGHT HERE.
>> IT FEELS LIKE I HAVE TO SHOUT
OUT YOU KNOW.
>> I KNOW.
>> WE HAVE MICROPHONES AND WE
DON'T.
>> I'M COMING TO YOU LIVE THIS
MORNING FOR MY OWN HOME.
>> YOU LOOK GREAT SITTING THERE
SET UP AT A STUDIO AT HOME.
>> WHAT'S HAPPENING?
>> OLIVIA IS CALLING.
SOMEBODY ANSWER OLIVIA.
>> WE CAN SAY HI.
>> WERE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
APOLOGIZE.
MY ALEXA IS GOING OFF.
ALEXA COME OFF.
>> THE DOWNSTREAM EFFECT IS
PLAYING OUT ACROSS THE SYSTEM.
I'M SORRY, YOU ARE HEARING MY
DOG BARK AT THE MAILMAN.
>> IT'S BEEN A WEEK, THIS IS THE
CAT, THAT'S THE PERKS OF WORKING
FROM HOME.
>> THE MAPS AREN'T GOING TO MOVE
BECAUSE HE WHACKED THE COMPUTER
WITH HIS HEAD.
LET ME VERBALIZE THE FORECAST.
>> 62 IN PASADENA.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE STORM.
HE WALKS NOW, GUYS.
I'VE LOST ALL CONTROL.
SORRY.
YEAH.
YOU CAN HAVE BISCUITS.
[KYLE YOUNG]
>>
SORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> RUN TO THE SUPREME COURT AS
THEY HAVE INDICATED, CLEARLY,
THAT HAS FAILED.
THEY HAVE REFUSED TO INTERVIEW
AND ULTIMATELY THOSE BALLOTS
WILL BE COUNTED.
>> John: THAT'S OUR SHOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
GOOD NIGHT!
♪ ♪