Tucker Carlson announces something that was already clear: he’s not a Republican
And he does it with his usual narcissistic flair:
Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson says he’s “out” of the Republican Party moving forward, arguing the GOP no longer reflects his views. …
“And if I’m out, then I think a lot of other people are out.”
He fancies himself a thought leader. And you know what? He most definitely does have followers and a huge digital audience. The question is about the composition and range of that audience. There is some evidence that a large number of them live abroad, particularly in Pakistan, and that many are of the bot persuasion. But I happen to think that a significant number are real live voting-age Americans, although I’ve read extremely variable estimates of their numbers
Whatever Tucker’s influence, I’d wager many of his followers left the GOP long ago.
I’ve written a great many posts on Carlson in the last year or two, ever since he left Fox and began his very visible political “turn.” I’ve described it in some depth, especially in this, which is the first part of a three-part series I wrote, and contains links to parts two and three of the series.
This political change of Carlson’s resulted in – among other things – his current emphasis on Israel and Jews as the source of most of the world’s problems. It’s an old story, but everything old is new again.
From his recent farewell to the GOP:
Carlson said, adding that the GOP has “betrayed” voters by prioritizing Israel’s national security over America’s.
I think this short clip is a good analysis of some of Carlson’s rhetorical tricks:
Carlson also says he “is unsure how he’ll vote moving forward” but that he’s not a Democrat.
But Tucker already has been supporting Democrats by allying with them in being obsessed with the unique evil he – and they – think Israel is. He also supports Democrats by having worked to split the right for several years now, first on Ukraine but especially after 10/7 and escalating much more after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. He would not have dared had Kirk been alive.
I also believe that Tucker knows pretty much what he’ll do “moving forward.” The question is not how he’ll vote; he’s just one vote, after all. It’s whom he will endorse, whom he’ll choose to interview and about what, and whether he’ll run for office himself. He doesn’t have to do the latter to split the party by endorsing some third-party candidate, either, which he might do.
Or maybe it’s Vance he’ll focus on and support, depending on whether Vance is truly allied with some of Tucker’s worst impulses or whether Vance is just pretending to be Tucker-adjacent the better to keep the party together for 2028. I don’t know which it is and I can’t read Vance’s mind.
Interesting video. It’s that much more difficult to point out to people under Carlson’s spell what’s wrong with what he’s saying because you have to get into the meta-issue of Carlson’s misuse of rhetoric, as opposed to the topic at hand. Which means you have to take the time and effort to listen to him – which who wants to do?
I’m happy to say that I don’t know anyone that supports Tucker’s views–that is among conservatives. I know plenty of Democrats (Leftists), along the lines of Neo’s friends. They also are not antisemitic and as we know will vote Democrat no matter what. So I have no idea how much influence pernicious Tucker has in the Republican realm. I think A LOT of internet numbers are bots and artificially inflated.
Marjorie Taylor Greene has joined the exodus. Good riddance there as well. We’ll find out how much influence Carlson & Co. actually have. I hope the number of real people is small.
2027 – The worlds littlest surprise:
New York Times – June 24, 2027
“Tucker Carlson converts to Islam, says Jews are cockroaches and moves to Qatar. In his press conference he says, “America sucks.”
the GOP no longer reflects [Tucker’s] views
I’m thankful it doesn’t.
Arguably, the GOP never reflected Tucker’s views. Upon what basis might we assume that Tucker ever truly supported the Jewish people? Much less Israel’s right to exist.
The exit of Tucker Carlson from the Republican Party means that the latter’s collective IQ just underwent an incremental bump upward.
Kate, the polling shows that old people are the only people, Left or Right who support Israel.
Hence the level of desperation and hysteria.
To quote Ben Shapiro, “The facts don’t care about your feelings.”
So what are you going to do about it? Unlikely that talking or excoriating this or that public commentator will make an iota of difference.
“Old Man Shakes Fist at Cloud” is a popular online meme. For good reason.
Thought would be interesting to check Carlson’s viewership metrics.
His best numbers ever at Fox hovered around 5.3M viewers.
Now that he’s independent online he’s at 56.5M viewers.
Something to think about.
Hate him all you like, but he blows Bari Weiss and the rest of the Geritol-sponsored brigade out of the water.
Facts on the ground.
Geoffrey Britain, I can’t tell if that was directed at my comment.
I suspect Tucker loves America so much that he’ll eventually be forced to cut all ties with America, whom he’ll declare has betrayed him and all True Americans.
Imaginary numbers are a mathematical thing.
Tucker’s numbers may be something entirely different, fantastical, IMO.
Geoffrey shouldn’t throw his Geritol bottles at his own windows.
Geritol was a big Boomer thing, I remember the TV ads. Iron poor blood was the malady but 18% ethanol was the hook.
What did John Adams say about facts? Tenacity not mendacity.
om:
But Boomers were kids when those Geritol ads were popular. The ads were pitched to the Boomers’ grandparents. I’m not sure what that generation was called, but it wasn’t Boomers. Edwardians?
Actually, now that I’ve looked it up, it was the Lost Generation.
My mother used it. Six children would make any mother a bit tired. We weren’t placid or well behaved, but all survived to adulthood.
Tucker may become the figure of a new movement which can draw the anti-Semitic left without out all the woke/Marxist extremism. He’s already carving out the anti-Israel isolationists on the right.
The left just hates Jews, probably envy rooted in their achievements. What Tucker is trying to pull away from MAGA/Republican party are the Christians that can be persuaded the Israel of today is not the Israel of Abraham and can be abandoned.
Now that he’s independent online he’s at 56.5M viewers.
Geofrey Britain:
Cite?
Carlson said, adding that the GOP has “betrayed” voters by prioritizing Israel’s national security over America’s.
The Mullahs refer to Israel as little Satan, and the US as big Satan.
Huxley, you are an intelligent sentient human. Google. Scroll down top 10 results.
If the number comes as a surprise to you, ask yourself why this is so.
Epistemology, not Plastics, is the future.
neo:
Looks like the troll is back sock puppetting as “Huxley” not huxley.
He also sock puppetted as “Geofrey Britain” not Geoffrey Britain. Geoffrey forgot how to spell his own name?
The troll isn’t as smart as in his imagination or arrogance.
neo:
The troll also didn’t use Geoffrey’s or huxley’s graphic images next to the sock puppet stolen names. Why would the real Geoffrey or huxley do that?
He was a malicious piece of work before he was banished last time.
Smells like zaphod and I do mean smells. If it makes an unintentionally ironic remark about the “globohomo conspiracy” we’ll know.
Truth vs. Consequences:
‘“Kill Your Parents” at the Obama Presidential Center;
“The radicalism in the front rows’—
https://danielgreenfield.substack.com/p/kill-your-parents-at-the-obama-presidential
H/T Powerline blog.
FOAF:
Yes.
So glad it wasn’t the real Geoffrey Britain.
People who call themselves Christian but think the present-day Jewish state can be casually abandoned might want to look more closely at their reasoning. Carlson, for one, has clearly stated his disdain for the Hebrew scriptures. He read the Bible straight through once, and now he knows all about it, he claims, and joins therefore some ancient heresies rejected by the Ante-Nicene Fathers. And even without reference to religious belief, the establishment of a very small state by a people who have been severely persecuted and nearly eliminated within recent memory should be applauded by anyone having respect for basic human rights and dignity. Obviously, this excludes radical Islamists, both Sunni and Shi’a, and apparently Carlson, and this tells us something.
Like some past “great people” of history, Carlson knows that he can say anything he wants to…and that if he says it often enough it becomes—presto—TRUTH.
He’s not the only one certainly; but he’s probably unmatched when it comes to enhancing his earnest tripe with giggles…