While decent people are reacting with shock, disgust and horror at the suffering of immigrants and immigrant children at the hands of the U.S., leave it to white supremacist hero Tucker Carlson to suggest they deserve every bit of cruelty and more.
With unintentional irony, trust-fund baby Carlson began the discussion by sneering, “Google the phrase, ‘out-of-touch rich person' and her picture emerges.” He was referring to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) who is definitely not rich and especially not when compared to Carlson. (Also, the first recognizable image seen in Carlson’s suggested Google search is Ivanka Trump.)
Carlson fear mongered that “open borders, for real” will be here if Democrats are given half a chance. “What’ll happen to the country at that point?” Carlson “asked.”
For an answer, we heard from guest, Jason Johnson. He was identified as a former adviser to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and “the founder of J2 Strategies.” In other words, a Republican strategist there to demonize Democrats, not an impartial immigration or national security expert.
Carlson repeated his “question” to Johnson, “If you are to take what the Democratic Party and … elected Democratic office holders are saying on television, if you were to take it seriously, what would happen to America?”
Johnson grabbed the bait. “It’s out of control, it’s crazy,” he said. He called Ocasio-Cortez “the leader of today’s Democratic Party” and claimed that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) along with “the leading Democratic socialist candidate for president” would fall in line with AOC.
However, demonizing was not enough for Carlson. As is the norm with him, he was intent on terrifying and inflaming his white nationalist fan base into thinking that immigrants are an existential threat. “So this is absolutely destroying America. There’s really kind of no question about it, if you just look at the trajectory,” he said.
Actually, there is nothing to indicate that immigrants are “destroying America.” But there is plenty to indicate that Carlson's bigoted, divisive propaganda is a real threat.
Johnson not only had no problem with Carlson’s rhetoric, he validated it. “Absolutely,” Johnson agreed.
But that wasn’t enough hate mongering for “patriot” Carlson. Although the video below cuts off, you can see in the Fox transcript that he and Johnson went on to target Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn. He’s up for re-election in 2020 and seems not to be in danger from any primary challenge. But since Cornyn is not anti-immigrant enough for the likes of Carlson and it appears that Johnson has a client interested in mounting a primary challenge from the anti-immigrant right, there was this exchange in which Carlson handed Johnson an opportunity to go after Cornyn:
CARLSON: The Republicans are doing nothing about it, nothing. So why would any Republican member of the United States Senate for example, who isn't making this a top priority? Why would that person get votes from any conservative ever again?
JOHNSON: Yes, I can't imagine. Look, as you know, Tucker, the goalpost have been moved so much in this immigration debate. …
I tell you, we have a senator here in the State of Texas, who is up for reelection in 2020, and they need to pay attention, they need to get out of their D.C. bubble and realize, they're not only out of touch with conservatives, they're not only out of touch with moderate Republicans, they are out of touch with mainstream Americans when it comes to border security and immigration.
CARLSON: That's right. Because it's not a partisan question. It's do you care about America or not? Honestly, that's where we are.
Actually, it’s these two who are out of touch or, more likely, outright lying about mainstream Americans on the subject of border security and immigration: A recent Gallup poll found 76% of Americans think immigration is good for the country. Trump’s border wall isn’t popular, either.
But don’t hold your breath waiting to hear that from Carlson, despite his claim to be “the sworn enemy of lying, pomposity, smugness and groupthink.”
Watch the dishonest hate mongering below, from the June 25, 2019 Tucker Carlson Tonight, via Media Matters.