Donald Trump has reportedly decided to skip the Fox News debate next week in order to sit for an interview with Tucker Carlson, who was publicly outed as hating Trump “passionately
Donald Trump is very unhappy with Fox News these days. Not only is the network insufficiently loyal to the twice-impeached presidential candidate facing 91 felony charges, including two indictments for attempting a coup, but also because “they purposely show the absolutely worst pictures of me.” He also said, “And then they want me to debate!” suggesting that he was thinking of skipping Fox’s upcoming Republican presidential primary debate on Wednesday. That was Thursday.
On Friday, The New York Times reported Trump plans to do an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson instead of the debate:
For weeks, the former president has been quizzing aides, associates and rally crowds about what he should do. Until earlier this week, Mr. Trump had been giving people the impression he was considering a last-minute surprise appearance on Wednesday.
Still, people close to him had said for months that he was unlikely to take part in the first two Republican debates, both of which are sponsored by the Republican National Committee. And Mr. Trump’s apparent decision to skip the first debate of the presidential nominating contest is a major affront to both the R.N.C. and Fox News, which is hosting the event.
It’s easy to see what a tough decision it must have been for TFG. Tons of attention, but likely questions about those 91 felony charges vs. giving an FU to Fox but missing the limelight!
But an interview with Tucker Carlson… really? Carlson is the guy whom the Dominion defamation case revealed despises Trump. Some examples of Carlson’s uncovered texts:
All of [Trump’s business ventures] fail. What he’s good at is destroying things. He’s the undisputed world champion of that. (Nov. 6, 2020)
We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. I truly can’t wait. … I hate him passionately. (Jan. 4, 2021)
He’s a demonic force, a destroyer. (Jan. 7, 2021)
Trump is known for carrying grudges and waging personal vendettas yet he’s willing to help boost Carlson’s post-Fox career? And Carlson is willing to put aside his “passionate hate” for Trump in order to conduct a friendly interview? Really?
A preview of the gutless lack of principles of these two was on display not long after Carlson’s texts were made public. Carlson subsequently told an interviewer, “I spent four years defending [Trump's] policies and I -- I'm going to defend them again tonight. And actually, and I'm pretty straight forward, I'm -- I love Trump. Like, as a person, I think Trump is funny and insightful.” Not long after, Carlson conducted a lapdog interview with Trump in which the supposed "sworn enemy of lying" apologized for insulting Kim Jong-un and called Trump “moderate, sensible and wise.”
But Carlson was a Fox News employee during those occasions. Although it may not have been written in his contract, it was surely understood if not given as a direct order by a superior that Carlson was to play a Trump supporter on TV regardless of what he truly believed. And Carlson was willing to comply. As for Trump, he got the benefit of a friendly interview on a top Fox show.
Carlson is no longer under those constraints. He is, however, looking to remain relevant and important after getting booted from his top-rated show. Apparently, sticking it to Fox is more important than any of Carlson’s actual beliefs, assuming he ever had any other than promoting his hatred for the U.S. That’s at least one thing he shares with the presidential pu**y grabber.
Apparently, Trump is willing to put aside, at least temporarily, any beef with Carlson in order to stick it to Fox, too. And, not so incidentally, avoid any tough questions about those 91 felony charges. Yet Carlson no longer has the platform he had as a Fox host.
More from The Times:
However, the Trump/Carlson interview does not seem to be definite.
…
Mr. Trump is notoriously mercurial, and left himself something of an out to change his mind with an ambiguous post on his website, Truth Social, on Thursday. He wrote that he’s polling well ahead of his rivals and added, “Reagan didn’t do it, and neither did others. People know my Record, one of the BEST EVER, so why would I Debate?”
Stay tuned!
(Image via screen grab)
Both are willing for one thing – $$$.