Fox host Tucker Carlson regularly spews blatantly homophobic and racist drivel during his time on air, but he may have hit a new low on last night’s program. The host claimed out Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had taken paternity leave to “figure out how to breastfeed.”
As part of a blatantly homophobic smear campaign, rightwing pundits and politicians have attacked Buttigieg’s decision to spend time with his husband, Chasten, and their newborn twins, Penelope Rose and Joseph August.
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“Pete Buttigieg has been on leave from his job since August after adopting a child. Paternity leave, they call it, trying to figure out how to breastfeed. No word on how that went,” Carlson ranted during a piece on inflation and rising prices.
Fox News provides employees with six weeks of paternity leave – and encourages them to use it. Several of Tucker’s colleagues have praised the perk on-air.
Conservatives are blaming Buttigieg for supply chain issues and backups at the Port of Los Angeles. Now they’re including his children in the blame game and wrapping it all in a big homophobic bow.
“We have the biggest transportation crisis in years and PeteButtigieg is on maternity leave,” GOP House candidate Buzz Patterson tweeted.
“Did the biological woman who actually gave birth to the children of PeteButtigieg and Chasten get paid maternity leave, too?” pundit Todd Starnes asked.
People all over Twitter quickly rallied to Buttigieg’s defense, pointing out the base insult behind Carlson and his cohorts insults and insinuations.
“Pete Buttigieg is an American Hero,” one user wrote. “Tucker Carlson; a homophobic Zero.”
“I took two weeks paternity leave after the birth of each of my kids,” attorney Bradley Moss tweeted. “Not all of us were raised among the uber-wealthy who ship their kids off to boarding school. Some of us take time off to care for our kids.”
Tucker Carlson's @FoxNews colleague, @ToddPiro, in April, after he took six weeks of leave to help care for his infant daughter: "I cannot thank Fox enough for providing all fathers who work here with such a generous paternity leave." https://t.co/FU50gSkIEo https://t.co/LDwLmfvtGq — David Gura (@davidgura) October 15, 2021
The Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, is on maternity leave and MAGA is losing their minds. New trend is so full of homophobic garbage. Christ. https://t.co/V2SPQprill — Vegas Visions ™ (@VegasVisions) October 15, 2021
Pete Buttigieg is an American Hero. Tucker Carlson; a homophobic Zero. — 💞🕊Heyoka 🕊💞 (@HeyokaEmpath01) October 15, 2021
Did the biological woman who actually gave birth to the children of @PeteButtigieg and @Chasten get paid maternity leave, too? — toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) October 15, 2021
So Pete Buttigieg is catching heat for being on paternity leave. Good thing he doesn't golf on our dime every weekend or anything. — Thick Rick Havoc (@RikHavic) October 15, 2021
.@TuckerCarlson I took two weeks paternity leave after the birth of each of my kids. Not all of us were raised among the uber-wealthy who ship their kids off to boarding school. Some of us take time off to care for our kids. — Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) October 15, 2021
We have the biggest transportation crisis in years and @PeteButtigieg is on maternity leave. — Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) October 15, 2021
Will today be the day that #EmptyShelvesJoe demands that Pete Buttigieg gets his butt back into the office and start working on the supply chain crisis? Let him bring his breast pump with him if that is what it takes to get him back to work. — Greg Karnes (@realGregKarnes) October 15, 2021
I took paternity leave when we adopted our daughter. I'm a better father for having that bonding time. I'm glad Pete Buttigieg is taking paternity leave. We need to normalize paternity leave. It makes better fathers, better families, and a better country. — Brady Quirk-Garvan (@bradyqg) October 15, 2021
UltraRunningKid on October 15th, 2021 at 15:41 UTC »
Republicans: "A two parent household is critical for a healthy family"
Also Republicans: "What is a dad going to do with a child? Breastfeed it?"
BillionTonsHyperbole on October 15th, 2021 at 14:42 UTC »
Sure, attack the existence of a family. That's sure to go very well for you.
Morihando on October 15th, 2021 at 14:21 UTC »
Tucker thinks that babies should be left alone in a crib all day without a parent, just because he apparently was.