Michael Avenatti finally fulfilled Tucker Carlson’s dream of appearing on his show – and how did Carlson show his appreciation? By promising not to engage in name calling to Avenatti’s face while banners throughout the interview referred to him as “creepy porn lawyer.”
“Creepy porn lawyer” is Carlson’s childish nickname for Avenatti. Tonight, Carlson declared, “In the past he’s also demanded that we stop referring to him by a certain unflattering nickname. We haven’t agreed to that demand but tonight, as a gesture of goodwill, we will not use that nickname ‘cause we’re always grateful when guests are brave enough to show up in person, including in this case." Carlson didn't mention that his producer would not stop using the nickname.
Before Avenatti spoke, Carlson said, “We can sit here and hurl insults at each other for the segment. Already done that. I certainly insulted you, you’ve insulted me. But you seem smart. So let me take you seriously as someone who wants to be involved in the public conversation and ask you about things that you have said on questions of policy to flesh them out a little bit.”
Banner: CREEPY PORN LAWYER TOYING WITH 2020 RUN
However, when Carlson asked Avenatti about a statement he made likening Russia’s interference in our democracy to an “electronic invasion” similar to placing troops on our border, Avenatti said he “understood” that he would be talking about the Stormy Daniels case.
Carlson sputtered as he said, “I didn’t tell you that.”
Banner: DOES AMERICA WANT CREEPY PORN LAWYER AS PRES?
“I actually don’t have an interest in squabbling with you at all or name calling," Carlson again insisted. "I’ve done a lot of that to you and you’ve done that to me.” As he spoke, the banner read:
Banner: CREEPY PORN LAWYER TOYING WITH 2020 RUN
Nevertheless, Carlson said, “I want to take you seriously. I’m serious.” But the “CREEPY PORN LAWYER TOYING WITH 2020 RUN” banner remained on the screen.
Carlson’s “serious question” was, “I wonder two things: One, what you would do as president if [Russian interference in our elections] happened under your watch and two, what do you think Russia thinks watching public figures like you say that we’re at war with Russia?”
Of course, Avenatti did not say we’re at war with Russia. However, he let that pass and said that there was no question Russia interfered in our election “in a very serious way” and that the only question is about the involvement of Trump and/or his cronies. Shortly after that, the banner changed to, “DOES AMERICA WANT CREEPY PORN LAWYER AS PRES?”
“And let me tell you what we should not be doing,” Avenatti continued. “We should not be standing shoulder to shoulder with Vladimir Putin and choosing Russia over the hard working men and women of the intelligence community that risk their lives for this country. The president has sold out the United States for the benefit of Putin.”
The conversation went downhill from there. As I’ve repeatedly said, Carlson can’t debate – and defending Trump’s behavior with Putin is an especially tough task. So Carlson resorted to his usual tactic of sandbagging and insults: “What I’m saying is, you’re using reckless rhetoric on a subject you don’t really understand that increases the temperature between the United States and a nuclear-armed adversary. Is that a responsible thing to do?”
BANNER: STORMY’S LAWYER AS CREEPY PORN PRESIDENT?
Avenatti is no mealy-mouthed Democratic strategist and, in many respects, he gave as good as he got. But I think it would have served him well to have come better prepared for Carlson’s tactics. For example, at this moment, he could have turned around and asked why Carlson was trying to change the subject away from Trump’s disturbing suck up to Putin – and hammered on that, knowing that Carlson would never want to discuss it.
After the interview, Avenatti called out the smarmy banners as “trash television” and “a new low.”
Yes. After he told me that he was not going to engage in “name calling.” This is why so many people correctly conclude that @TuckerCarlson is a liar, just like Trump. https://t.co/y7ly56tIWy
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) September 14, 2018
The extent there was any doubt as to the lack of professionalism of @TuckerCarlson or @FoxNews before tonight, there is no longer. What happened with the chyron tonight was a disgrace. Complete garbage - trash television. A new low.
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) September 14, 2018
Avenatti is 100% correct about that. Yet even after all the bamboozling, Carlson still felt the need to call on his pal Mark Steyn to make sure to get in nearly four more minutes of attacks on Avenatti without the inconvenience of allowing him to respond.
Watch Carlson’s new low below, from the September 13, 2018 Tucker Carlson Tonight.
