Tucker Carlson’s unhinged meltdown with Democrat Pat Davis, a former cop running a “F*** the NRA” ad in support of his congressional run, proved that Carlson seems utterly incapable of having a real debate on the subject of guns or, probably, anything else.
There's a serious intent behind Davis' attention-getting "F*** the NRA" statement. He also said, “If Congress won’t change our gun laws, we’re changing Congress." According to The Washington Post, Davis has been "inundated with ‘belligerent, vulgar’ messages from NRA supporters, as well as donations and messages from people who encouraged him to continue in that vein.”
Apparently, Carlson thought his own belligerent and vulgar attacks would score points with his NRA Bro viewers. Certainly, Carlson did not bring on Davis for an adult conversation. Carlson made that clear when he started off by saying Davis’ ad was “kind of moronic, no?”
Carlson sneered, “Doesn’t it degrade you? … If you have a position, say it, but ‘F’ the NRA? I mean, come on.”
“Being polite hasn’t made our schools any safer, hasn’t protected police officers, like I used to be,” Davis replied. “If a cuss word on TV offends you more than pictures of dead children in Parkland or Newtown, then your priorities are all wrong.”
“Is rudeness going to save lives, do you think?” Carlson later asked. He must have thought it would win him ratings, though, because Carlson was nothing but rude throughout the entire interview. Davis, on the other hand was civil throughout.
Davis said about his ad, “Clearly, this got the NRA’s attention and it has started a new conversation.” Then, as he started to say that 50% of NRA members support background checks, Carlson interrupted. “No, it started a conversation about how embarrassing you are,” he snapped.
Carlson “clarified” by “asking,” “I mean, how many NRA members have committed mass shootings?”
I would argue that Davis made a mistake in not calling out Carlson right there both for his ad hominem attacks and for trying to deflect. The issue is not, as Carlson almost surely knows, about NRA members committing mass shootings, it's about how the NRA enables mass shootings by obstructing gun control regulations that most Americans support.
However, as Davis started to respond, Carlson laughed in his face. “So you’re really doing a public service,” Mr. Rudeness-Is-Embarrassing mocked.
Carlson’s dishonesty and blustery inadequacy really came to light as he attacked Davis’ latest ad. In it, Davis says that an AR-15 can fire 150 bullets in 15 seconds.
Davis has since posted a YouTube video and cited articles from CBS News and Slate that bolster his claim (though CBS seems to say that the AR-15 can “only” shoot 100 rounds in 15 seconds).
But even if Carlson is correct, that was no excuse for browbeating Davis: “If you believe it is true, then you’re not qualified to have a conversation about guns.”
In that case, why did Carlson bother to host him? Surely, Carlson was not in doubt about Davis' sincerity before the interview.
Obviously, Carlson’s real interest here was not to inform viewers but to carry out a pre-planned ambush, then use that as a vehicle for another, more childish series of personal insults:
CARLSON: People are laughing at you because you are ignorant. You don’t know what you’re talking about. … So I guess my point is, if you’re gonna take on the NRA and be Mr. Tough "I Was A Cop" Guy, maybe you should know what you’re talking about, but you don’t. … You’re putting something on television that’s demonstrably wrong, that’s physically impossible and all of your voters are like, "Oh, yeah, this guy knows what he’s talking about. He was a cop." But you don’t know. So maybe you should apologize for it.
It was clear that Carlson had not had the decency to advise Davis in advance that a debate about the facts behind the “15 seconds” ad was on the agenda. Yet even with that unfair advantage, Carlson never cited even a single source to back up his own claim that Davis was wrong. And, by the way, I can't recall a single instance of Carlson caring about any of Trump's thousands of falsehoods.
With unintentional hilarity, Carlson claimed, “I’m trying to get a real conversation going here,” and “Facts work. Why don’t you get some facts?” Carlson wrapped it all up by yelling, “Learn something about guns and get back to me. Interview over!”
Too bad Davis didn’t laugh in Carlson’s face and call attention to Carlson’s middle school behavior.
Such puerility is par for the course with this guy. As I keep saying, Carlson can’t debate.
Watch Carlson try to cover up his incompetence below, from the May 15, 2018 Tucker Carlson Tonight.
I wish that Davis had simply called Carlson out for using a false premise and for refusing to engage in a manner that would make any sense. Davis could also have pointed out that Carlson could not just behave in his usually smug and rude manner and then blame it on Davis’ commercial – if he wanted to take a higher moral ground, then that would require Carlson to have acted in a respectful manner. Carlson, of course, never had any intention of acting in a respectful manner. He just wanted a quick “gotcha” so he could post something up and say that he “destroyed” Davis when in fact the full tape shows that he did nothing more than throw a couple of cheap shots and then frantically run for cover.
I have to wonder if the continuing tightening of the noose around the Pence White House as more and more unfortunate material comes out from the various scandals and investigations is taking a personal toll on Carlson. He honestly seems to be in a desperate state.
;^)
What gets me is I’ve seen the tables turned and Tucker get snagged on some fact. When the person he’s arguing with points it out he’ll dismiss it and if it’s ever brought up again he’ll wet his pants raging that point has already been covered, move on. Yet his typical debate tactic is to keep pounding his guests over and over on some fact and being unforgiving about it to invalidate everything else they say. He’s such a hypocrite! 🤥
““Is rudeness going to save lives, do you think?” Carlson later asked. He must have thought it would win him ratings, though, because Carlson was nothing but rude throughout the entire interview………..As I keep saying, Carlson can’t debate.”
Naturally Ellen. Always remember: F**ker — oops, I mean — Tucker Carlson will ALWAYS, ALWAYS SNEER AND LOOK DOWN on anyone not as fortunate and privileged as him. Keep in mind: Carlson’s stepmom is an HEIRESS to the Swanson frozen food fortune.
Melting the barrel? Here’s some crazy gun nut who did and it’s shocking how many clips he went through before the rifle failed: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BSizVpfqFtw.u
All that said, Davis’ ad may be off but it’s honest in its point. An AR-15 can spray lots of bullets in a few seconds. Does Tucker doubt it can kill on a mass scale? I think that has been tragically demonstrated.