Tucker Carlson 2024
Tucker Carlson made poor Ted Cruz grovel and beg. It was cruel. Tucker Carlson loved doing it.
Tucker Carlson is running for president.
The clip below is television worth watching. Every pundit who dislikes Ted Cruz--and there are many of them across the political spectrum--showed it gleefully and commented. It will be a landmark in our political history.
Ted Cruz's error, as Carlson saw it, was to have said: "The attack at the Capitol was a despicable act of terrorism and a shocking assault on our democratic system." Tucker Carlson found the quote and objected. Ted Cruz begged for mercy. Please, please accept my apology, please let me explain away my error, you are right, so right, please don't cast me out into the darkness of your contempt.
Most of the commentary has been about the self-humiliation of Ted Cruz. The comments put it into the context of Cruz's support for Trump notwithstanding Trump saying Cruz's wife is ugly and his father plotted to kill JFK. The pundits wonder and chuckle: Is there no bottom whatever to the humiliation Cruz will accept?
Another tack for the commentary was about message and meaning of the riot. Pundits saw it as another example of GOP politicians getting clear that January 6 was something to be proud of, not ashamed of. Carlson defines the January 6 riot as a broadly legitimate protest by patriotic citizens. Carlson upbraided Cruz: "You called this a terror attack, when by no definition was this a terror attack. That's a lie. You told that lie on purpose. I wonder why you did that."
In Carlson's view those protesters were nearly all good people, representative of the 73 million people who voted for Trump. He said a few false-flag Democrats and deep state FBI provocateurs joined them. Those bad apples deserve the blame for any distasteful things seen on camera. Besides the damage and violence was over-hyped and misrepresented by the media. The real story is how the Democrats did it and are getting away with it.
I propose a third meaning for the takedown on Fox. This is Tucker Carlson's campaign announcement. Carlson did what a political leader does. A leader defines the political terrain and explains to the public what they are seeing. Carlson said we are seeing good versus evil and the good guys are the Trump-supporting, election-doubting citizens. The villains are Nancy Pelosi who failed to protect the Capitol, the unknown provocateurs, and Democrats and the biased media calling it terrorism, with Cruz's help.
A political leader claims and sustains dominance within a party. “I don’t believe you,” Carlson told Cruz, said with dismissive disdain. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. I don't buy that," Carlson interrupted, when Cruz tried to explain and backtrack. Carlson was decisive and certain. Cruz submitted, thus confirming their roles. Carlson is the boss.
We are at a moment of uncertainty. Carlson is now heir apparent. He stepped in front of Cruz in the hierarchy. Cruz had been saying he had been number two in 2016, so he was the natural heir. No longer. By humiliating Cruz, Carlson became senior to Don Junior, Ivanka, Nicki Haley, Mike Pence, Josh Hawley, John Kasich and everyone else roaming the country giving speeches. The uncertainty is Trump.
Trump understands domination and hierarchy. As acutely as anyone in America, Trump understands that Tucker Carlson has stepped out of place and has become a rival, not an asset. Carlson did not directly challenge Trump. On its surface he defended Trump. But Carlson took over Trump's job defining the riot to the GOP electorate. Trump had been the guy who humiliates and dispatches rivals: Little Marco, Low Energy Jeb, Pocahontas. He just watched Carlson do it here, and saw the pundits' delight. Carlson is usurping Trump and doing it better. The assistant made the sales pitch and landed the client, and did it in public. That stings for Trump and it should. It is a threat.
Trump is not done being the center of attention and boss. Trump did not choose Carlson. Carlson chose himself, acting on his own ambition and skill at giving the populist message the base loves. Worse, Fox sponsors and empowers him the way Fox did for Trump in the past. Trump sees the handwriting. He is the account executive watching his biggest client get solicited by a very able competitor. Carlson has the bigger, better platform: 4.8 million Twitter followers and the most-watched show on Fox. Trump has a little-read website and a start-up media company with stolen software.
The old generation in political power hangs on as long as they can. They do not give up power willingly. It is wrested from their clutch by younger, stronger hands. We are seeing it happen.