Tucker Carlson’s pro-death agenda was once again on full display last night as he said, “Bless you” to a Trump operative/protester blocking traffic in Michigan and, as collateral damage, health care workers, in order to sabotage the Democratic governor's stay-at-home orders.
First, the back story, via The Washington Post:
For miles, thousands of drivers clogged the streets to demand Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) ease restrictions and allow them to go back to work. They drowned downtown Lansing, Mich., in a cacophony of honking. They blared patriotic songs from car radios, waving all sorts of flags from the windows — President Trump flags, American flags and the occasional Confederate flag.
But in the massive demonstration against Whitmer’s stay-at-home executive order — which they have argued is excessive and beyond her authority — the pleas from organizers that protesters to stay in their vehicles went unheeded. Many got out of their cars and crashed the front lawn of the capitol building, with some chanting, “Lock her up!” and “We will not comply!”
…
The Michigan Conservative Coalition and Michigan Freedom Fund — founded by Greg McNeilly, political adviser to the family of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos — planned the protest following Whitmer’s executive order last Thursday that expanded existing restrictions. Becoming one of the stricter stay-at-home measures in the country, Whitmer’s order intended to minimize unnecessary travel as much as possible.
But, shades of Sean Hannity disregarding the well-being of 55 hospice patients and their families as he staged his media circus to keep patient Terri Schiavo on a feeding tube, in the name of pro-life, Tucker Carlson is willing, if not eager, for Americans to die of coronavirus in the name of the Constitution and the economy. Or maybe it's just politics.
Broadcasting from the safety of a remote studio, Carlson was full of praise for others risking contamination. He didn’t mention the connection to DeVos nor how they were blocking healthcare workers from getting to work. He didn't even seem to mind that in their disregard for social distancing, they may have endangered their own health.
For the record, I think there is a legitimate concern here. But rather than offer a thoughtful examination of such serious, life-and-death issues, Carlson was all about sensationalizing and simplifying them into us vs. them. He began with an inflammatory, “Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, not impressive, has imposed what might be the most authoritarian restrictions on daily life in the history of this country.”
Then Carlson brought on one of the protesters, Meshawn Maddock, also from a remote location, to promote the protest. Carlson also didn’t mention that she is quite the Republican operative and Trumper. Her Twitter bio states, “National Advisory Board of #WomenForTrump, Michigan Trump Republican Founder, Co Chair Donald Trump Campaign Michigan.” Her Twitter handle urges readers to text to the Trump campaign. Maddock’s husband is a Republican member of the state legislature.
CARLSON: So, let me ask you, you’re living under the Whitmer regime and these restrictions. She has said in public many times, I’m letting the science guide my decision. She has said that is illegal in the state of Michigan to sell or buy paint. Has she explained the “science” behind that decision to you? Do you understand the “science” there?
This is a typical Carlson trick. If he really wanted to understand Whitmer’s rationale, he would have asked someone who knew. Predictably, there isn’t a scientific or public health credential to be found in Maddock’s online bio either on Twitter or Facebook.
“I have my own reasons why I think she’s behaving the way she is but there is no science behind it,” Maddock replied. She complained that the governor allows the “perfect leftist hobby” of going canoeing or kayaking but not hunting or taking a motorboat on a lake by yourself.”
That is false. Michigan allows hunting. Clearly, “curious” Carlson couldn’t be bothered to look into what the restrictions he finds so odious actually are. Nor could he be bothered to look into why motorboating is not allowed ( motorboaters “typically need to procure secondary services for their craft” and people were congregating without social distancing in and around them).
So Maddock was allowed to go on attacking Whitmer, while Carlson wore his “listening intently” face, giving her a little extra credibility.
Carlson sounded awestruck as he closed the discussion:
CARLSON: I really, sincerely, from the bottom of my heart hope she is not rewarded for this. She's trying to become Joe Biden's VP pick. I hope she loses her job because she certainly deserves it. This is mindless and authoritarian. Meshawn, thank you. Thank you for coming on tonight, and thank you for exercising your constitutionally protected rights as an American. Bless you.
Let’s not forget that Carlson promoted Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s coronavirus death wish, too. He also shrugged off deaths from chloroquine in order to promote the Trump-favored hydroxychloroquine treatment for COVID-19.
I really, sincerely, from the bottom of my heart hope Carlson is not rewarded for this and loses his job. Sadly, that is not likely to happen as Fox seems to be all in on a pro-death agenda, too.
You can watch Carlson slobber over endangering American lives below, from the April 15, 2020 Tucker Carlson Tonight, via Media Matters. Underneath is a health care worker who was stuck in the Michigan traffic with some choice words about the harm the protesters caused, via MSNBC.
I know I saw a video of protesters in their cars and pick-up trucks. Many were wearing red MAGA hats. I saw one Trump flag waving next to a Confederate battle flag. Am I stereotyping or is this a Fox News crowd?
I admit some of what is and isn’t allowed seems odd and I agree there are some legitimate concerns. But a responsible host would have explored the issues in a substantive, serious way rather than just have some Trump operative come on for a polemic.
Fox is treating questions of life and death like they’re just campaign talking points.
For an even more blatant example of Tucker’s lies of omission visit Media Matters to see their video comparison of what Tucker claimed MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle said and what she actually said.
I am a supporter of protesting and nonviolent civil disobedience. So In principle I applaud this protest. But when I saw video of a group of about 150 gathered outside their vehicles to mock social distancing that’s when we part ways.
The video’s sound isn’t playing on my iPhone for some reason so I can’t verify this. But isn’t what sparked this not social distancing per se but Whitmer adding additional restrictions which some are finding a bit strange. So you can go to a Walmart for toilet paper but they may have lawn fertilizer roped off. This despite the fact Walmart is practicing social distancing by limiting the number of customers in their stores.
On the way to get my labs drawn today, I passed a local outdoor garden center with a packed parking lot and herds of people. None in masks. Many grouped in 3s, 4s, 5s and on from there but no huge groups. This is Virginia where our governor is accused of going too far while our infection rate graphs a steep vertical line.
I don’t think this will end well for America.