Tucker Carlson came out swinging at the top of his show Thursday evening with the Fox News host blasting Democrats for their decision to not offer his network a 2020 presidential primary debate. He also took aim at CNN’s Brian Stelter and Ana Navarro, and accused the mainstream media of allowing a political party to dictate news coverage.
“‘They criticize Nancy Pelosi,’ screams the eunuch. ‘That’s not allowed. They must be excluded,’” Carlson said in a mocking tone moments after playing footage of Stelter justifying the DNC decision by citing Fox’s relentlessly critical coverage of Democrats. “Needless to say ubiquitous windbag Ana Navarro agrees with that,” Carlson continued, before playing footage of her.
Carlson went further still, suggesting that Stelter’s on-air position represented the true feelings of CNN boss Jeff Zucker and that he was using Stelter as a way to launder his personal opinions.
“Tom Perez is arguing that a political party should decide who gets to cover the news. Amazingly CNN and MSNBC agree with him,” Carlson said “Jeff Zucker issued a public statement saying so. Zucker didn’t do it in his own voice of course, he prefers to lurk behind the curtain. Instead Zucker dispatched his creepy little spokesman to deliver the party line.”
Carlson went on to defend his own network’s dedication to free speech.
“You may dislike Fox News, but there is no question about this channel’s commitment to free speech. We defend speech, even when it’s unpopular, even when the person speaking has attacked us personally,” he said. “Free expression is bigger than any one person or organization. It’s the very heart of this country.”
“We really believe that. CNN and MSNBC do not believe that,” Carlson added.
A CNN spokesperson declined to comment. Stelter himself addressed the issue on Twitter with an eye-roll.
“Misplaced priorities: Instead of leading his hour with, let’s say, Paul Manafort’s sentencing, Tucker led with… me,” he said. In his Thursday evening newsletter, Stelter said Carlson “misstated what I’ve said about Fox being rejected by the DNC” and linked to past remarks from his Wednesday evening newsletter, which he said reflected his actual position on the issue.
