In a speech on the Senate floor Monday, Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Fox News host Tucker Carlson “should be ashamed of himself” for acting as an apologist for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Amid Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, parts of Carlson’s on-air spiels have been translated to serve as pro-Russia propaganda on Russian state-sponsored TV.
The Fox News host has blamed the U.S. for Russia’s war and repeated pro-Russia talking points, evidently nabbing the attention of the Kremlin, which reportedly directed state media to use clips of his broadcasts “as much as possible” earlier this month.
“When I hear apologists for Putin in America, I wonder who they are and what they’re made of,” Durbin said during a speech condemning Russian atrocities in Ukraine.
“Tucker Carlson is one that even the Russians are recommending that their friends in the media listen to. Making excuses on Fox for Vladimir Putin. There are no excuses. Not acceptable,” the senator said. “Mr. Carlson should be ashamed of himself.”
"Tucker Carlson ... making excuses on Fox for Vladimir Putin. There are no excuses, none acceptable on the subject. Mr. Carlson should be ashamed of himself." — Sen. @DickDurbin https://t.co/cnEcGp0YRT pic.twitter.com/fGiXYFGm0N — Mediaite (@Mediaite) March 14, 2022
According to a Mother Jones report published over the weekend, a Russian government agency asked media and commentators in a March 3 memo to use clips of Carlson’s broadcasts because he “sharply criticizes” the actions of the U.S. and NATO and their “negative role in unleashing the conflict in Ukraine.”
On Thursday, ABC’s chief Washington correspondent, Jonathan Karl, reported that Carlson’s commentary justifying Russia’s attack on Ukraine has at times been an almost “word-for-word” recitation of Putin’s remarks.
Carlson has promoted these types of views for years. In 2019, he asked, “Why do I care what is going on in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia? ... Why shouldn’t I root for Russia? Which I am.” Following backlash, he claimed he was joking.
As Russian aggression intensified in the lead-up to the invasion, Carlson defended Putin and criticized Ukraine, arguing that Ukraine was not a democracy.
After Putin began his brutal attacks on the neighboring nation and its civilians, Carlson admitted that it had taken him “by surprise” and that some of his analysis was wrong.
He has since amplified a baseless Russian conspiracy theory about secret U.S.-backed biological warfare labs in Ukraine.
DashCat9 on March 15th, 2022 at 06:33 UTC »
So, tomorrow's show will feature a clip of this. Tucker will have that stupid, can't tell if he's more confused or more outraged, look on his face. Yelling "why are we attacking Putin when our own government is doing this to it's citizens." And either Tulsi Gabbard or Glenn Greenwald will be nodding in agreement that yes, this is literal fascism, his first amendment rights are being stepped on, and this is somehow worse than anything Putin has done in surely the past decade.
I may not be exactly right, but I'm willing to bet I'm close.
Fast_Championship_R on March 15th, 2022 at 05:24 UTC »
He is 100% a Russian asset. Same with Tulsi Gabbard.
crackdup on March 15th, 2022 at 02:13 UTC »
It's time to call out Murdoch and Suzanne Scott on the floor of Congress.. not that it would achieve anything, but the real problem are the decision makers who not only tolerate such crap from Tucker, but who actively promote it in the name of ratings