Tucker Carlson is interviewing Putin, and the press corps is giddy.
For the first time, perhaps ever, the media has decided that interviewing a world leader is a bad idea, possibly even treasonous.
It was fine to interview Jeffrey Dahmer. Fine to interview Charles Manson. And, for others, fine to interview Putin himself. That includes 60 Minutes, Megyn Kelly (for NBC), and Bloomberg, among other outlets. But when Tucker Carlson does it? We’ve gone too far.
Here’s a small sampling of the headlines:
Newsweek: Tucker Carlson Could Be 'Prosecuted' for Putin Interview, Lawyer Warns
Washington Post: Putin interview with Tucker Carlson shows Kremlin outreach to Trump's GOP
MSN: US talk show host Tucker Carlson slammed as 'traitor' after being pictured in Russia ahead of 'sit-down interview with Putin'
The left-wing media has a vested interest in promoting the “Republicans ❤️ Putin” narrative. Although they couldn’t make the false Trump-Russia collusion story stick, they still seem determined to prove Republicans are working hand-in-hand with the Kremlin to keep their people in power.
It’s worth noting that the Russian influence on elections (which no one has proven Republican involvement with) was laughably simple anyway. They spent a few hundred thousand dollars on silly Facebook ads and memes, and that was basically it. They should keep their noses to themselves, of course, but it wasn’t exactly a criminal mastermind enterprise.
But the media declaring someone a Russian apologist comes from the same toolkit as routinely calling people “racist” or “homophobic.”
But is it true?
Are Republicans more likely to support Putin?
According to a YouGov poll late last year … no. The poll showed that “opinions of Putin are similar among Democrats and Republicans.” Just after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Republican and Democrat views on Russia were also similar. About 70% of Americans considered Russia an enemy of the United States, up from 41% in January. It showed 72% of Democrats and 69% of Republicans considered Russia an enemy, within the poll’s margin of error.
Of course, if you’d read this Washington Post article from 2022, you’d have a very different impression of Republican opinions.
I could take this article apart in detail, but suffice it to say that the author — routinely a partisan shill masquerading as a reporter — spins hard for his headline. He makes bad comparisons and eliminates inconvenient facts to make the case.
I wish he were the only one.
– Ken
Could be the lame stream media is jealous they couldn’t get interview with Putin if they wanted whereas independent Tucker got it! The independent upstaged the whole of liberal/leftist media. How humbling! I think it was a very interesting interview to boot.
I’m halfway through listening to the Putin interview, and all I can say is.... I only wish our addled president was half as articulate as Putin. The difference is stark. Putin is obviously saying what he wants Americans to hear, but he is just.... so much more ‘there’ than Biden.