For any skeptical person, watching Fox News Channel (FNC) and comparing the information provided to most other news sources is challenging. Of course, Hannity is a Trump confidant with considerable influence and no conscience. Still, among the worst of the offending commentators is Tucker Carlson and his daily tedium of tumultuous terrible tantrums and tirades reminiscent of the terrible twos.
The impetus for this article came from the same “conservative” (Mr. X) who noted what they think about “liberals” and “progressives.” Basically, all the country’s ills are our fault. His position, that as state-run -media, Fox News Channel, politically is not far enough to the right for him and other “conservatives.”: The email stated, “Actually Fox does not cover news stories properly - they have almost non-stop political talking heads and thus they ignore most foreign and domestic news items. Except for Tucker Carlson weeknights and Saturday’s Greg Gutfeld/Judge Janeen, (sic) I find Fox unwatchable most of the time.”
Based on the comment, I opted to record and watch Tucker every day over a period of time (painful but necessary). There is a point of agreement with Mr. X’s statement. That is, there is an absence of news, especially regarding foreign affairs, on most of the 24-hour media platforms. Were it not for a compendium I receive indirectly from the U.S. State Department daily, most of the world events would go unnoticed, and there is a lot happening beyond our country’s borders. Mr. X infers, however, that Tucker Carlson is a source of accurate information.
Mr. X’s commentary is at once both really scary and worth noting. It is important as Tucker Carlson has the highest rated program on FNC and does reach millions of people. It is scary as Tucker, (Our Man of Perpetual Frowns), peddles an amazing amount of misinformation. Later I’ll address the plethora of inaccuracies I found over the period of observation. But all readers should be aware that his manure is spread so deeply, that even FNC formally admitted they didn’t believe him.
Specifically, Tucker and FNC recently were sued for slander by Shepard Smith, a previous FNC anchor who left after being attacked. The FNC legal defense was that no rational person would believe Tucker. They actually won the case based on the assertion of Tucker’s lack of credibility. The judge in the case, Mary Kay Vyskocil, found, “Fox persuasively argues… that given Mr. Carlson’s reputation, any reasonable viewer ‘arrive[s] with an appropriate amount of skepticism’ about the statements he makes,” Vyskocil wrote. “Whether the Court frames Mr. Carlson’s statements as ‘exaggeration,’ ‘non-literal commentary,’ or simply bloviating for his audience,…” She let them off the hook and they didn’t pay Shep who has just returned to television on CNBC.
Worrisome is the Mr. X, a well-educated man, thinks that Tucker is providing accurate information, even though the FNC legal team thinks what could most generously be termed “exaggeration.” The real problem is that there are many, many others in Tucker’s considerable television audience who also believe the nonsense they knowingly are being fed. Conversely, most of those viewers adamantly believe the other news outlets that they derogatorily refer to as mainstream media or just “MSM” are the ones conveying lies.
My evaluation of Tucker’s material is derived from watching a number of programs. It also comes from a unique lens that few readers, even friends, would know. That is, I am a graduate of the U.S. Army Psychological Operations School. While my experience in the field is somewhat dated, the principles remain constant. What Tucker is providing in his nightly broadcasts is barely concealed propaganda. Intentionally, vigorously employing circumlocution, his commentary is designed to incite both anger and fear in his audience. That is paralleled with visuals that may, or may not, have anything to do with the discussion at hand but are sure to be abhorrent to the viewer.
What is clear is that anyone getting their news mainly from FNC in general, and Tucker Carlson in particular, is exposed to a very different reality than does the rest of society. It also explains why the “conservative’s” view of “facts” make coherent discussion nearly impossible. Recently (14 October) I actually received an email from another educated professional explaining the “facts” were different from “truth.” That followed his posting of a video proclaiming that Osama bin Laden was not killed during the raid at Islamabad. Further, the members of Seal Team Six had been murdered under the direction or acquiescence of Obama, HRC, and Biden who then paid off Iran with billions of dollars to keep the secret.
Considering the person sending me that material is a CIA retiree, something that ridiculous should never have been reposted. The video was repudiated almost immediately, though I received it from multiple well-educated sources. It is also noted that Trump re-posted that same video in a Tweet from the White House. To her credit, NBC host, Savannah Guthrie, admonished him stating, “You’re the president, you’re not, like someone’s crazy uncle.” Words matter.
One must question whether Tucker has a fascination with pyromania. Almost every program contained videos of riots and things burning. In most instances, those events portrayed occurred months earlier, yet he keeps recycling the videos. There is little doubt the subliminal message is that that you, the viewer, are in imminent danger. Of course, Tucker constantly noted that these were occurring in cities with Democratic mayors or governors. In listening to Tucker and Trump, one could draw the conclusion that several of those cities have been burned to the ground. There was no mention of national responsibilities in setting the tone. Perhaps one of the most glaring omissions was the day the plot to kidnap Michigan governor, Gretchen Whitmer, was exposed. While it was the lead story on most news outlets, Tucker relegated it to - well not mentioned.
Mind-boggling statements are made daily. Tucker tries to convince his audience that billionaires are a problem as they overwhelmingly support Democrats. He seems oblivious to the Koch Brothers as well as Karla Jurvetson, Paul Singer, Bernard and Billi Marcus, Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, or all of the other wealthy donors who were the recipients of the Trump tax breaks. Standing alone is Sheldon Adelson, who, with his wife Miriam, just dumped $75 million into Trump’s campaign.
Biden’s health and mental state are constantly bombarded. On 8 October, a guest, comedian Adam Carolla, indicated that the fly that had landed on Pence’s head during the recent vice-presidential debate, “would take him (Biden) down,” while on September 29th Tucker’s claimed Biden was senile and “forgets where he is.” That is, of course, without merit, yet a GOP theme and one often reiterated by Trump.
Like others hosts and guests on FNC, Tucker is prone to supporting conspiracy theories. A recurring one was that the COVID-19 was created in a Chinese Government laboratory in Wuhan. That rumor had been put to bed months ago, but Tucker keeps resurrecting it. On 6 October he had as a guest, Dr Li-Meng Yan, for about a six-minute segment. She returned a few days later to reiterate that same discredited story. Recently Tucker interviewed disgraced ex-White House speechwriter, Darren Beattie, “promulgating a Kremlin-style conspiracy theory about the Democrats’ supposed plan to wreck the election.” Deep State stories and Q Anon fantasies are endemic on FNC (and often repeated by Trump).
Here are more of the lowlights from several programs with subjugation a major theme:
- The Democratic Party objective is to “keep you in a perpetual state of fear” and “to dominate you”
- “If you complain you’re a monster, in fact you are a killer.”
- “Rules are a form of obedience training.”
- “They are trying to see what they can make you do.”
- “Taking a mask off is pornography.”
- “You are a human bioweapon – a WMD.”
- They “keep our children stunted and ignorant by shutting down schools.”
- They “drive our country to the brink of madness with politically motivate hysteria.”
- “Masks are not science but medieval superstition” (followed by stories of trial by ordeal in which you die to prove innocence)
Tucker lamented the indictment in St Louis of the McCloskey’s for using guns to threaten protesters and stated it was “the mob” that should be prosecuted. He was joined by FNC’s Judge Jeanine who opined that the peaceful protesters “were anything but that.” According to her, the protestors “threatened to burn down their homes, and move into the homes.” The McCloskey’s, she claimed “had no other choice.” Tucker then noted it was a “Soros-back prosecutor” that brought the charges to the grand jury. He said they “were sending a clear message that you must submit and you don’t have a right to defend yourself from the mob.” (His fear and domination theme again). Judge Jeanine went on to state the prosecutors were, “telling you protesters can do whatever you want. You can burn things down and you’ll get away with it.” Further she noted the “prosecutors were pro-criminal and anti-law enforcement.”
Over several programs Tucker indicated that a new “Russian hoax Bombshell” was coming. Hillary Clinton, John Brennan, and others should be punished for this plot, he noted. He lamented that the CIA operated independently. He seems not to understand the intelligence community is apolitical, a point Trump doesn’t appreciate either. Of course, a few days later, the bombshell fizzled when it was announced by the Justice Department that the special investigation failed to find any criminal activity in the unmasking probe. Yes, Trump was also upset when his anticipated October Surprise evaporated.
One could do an entire article on the faux recorded medical exam of Trump by Dr. Marc Siegel. Pure theater. What surprised me was that other stations didn’t mention how Trump was having problems breathing during that interview. It was much like the night he returned from Walter Reed.
Daily, there are ridiculous statements coming from Tucker and his selected guests. Here are a few examples of just how crazy they get:
- If you don’t wear a mask, they (liberals) consider you are “John Wayne Gacy.”
- “So, the idea is that nobody with sincere Christian beliefs can serve in high office”
- Senator Dick Durbin, “doesn’t know which end of a gun the bullet comes out”
- -The NBA ratings were down “because they support the Chinese Communists”
- “Biden doesn’t lie very well” which is not easy “for a man who desperately wants to be loved” (Wonder where that theme came from)
- “Democrats want to completely change our government”
- “Biden is an elitist snob” and that is the “mark of despotic tyrants.” (Jenna Ellis, Trump advisor)
- General Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, was “part of the resistance” and probably just waiting “to write a book.”
- “They (liberals) wrecked the economy with the lockdown”
- “Why is Michelle Obama so angry all the time?”
- “She destroyed whatever good was left of Obama’s legacy” (Candice Owens)
- Barack Obama is now “an operant” as he took money and “is no longer in control of the narrative”
- “Rioters had BLM tattoos on the necks”
- “There is a 99.99% chance of surviving” (a MD guest regarding COVID-19)
- “Testing is working perfectly”
- Senator Mazie Hirono is “the dullest person to hold office in American history”
- A student was charged “for the crime of having diverse views”
It is no wonder that people getting a daily dose of Tucker come away with a very distorted view of domestic and world affairs. We do know that many Republicans get their information almost exclusively from FNC. Following Nazi Joseph Goebbels’ edict on propaganda, big lies repeatedly told may soon become believed as if facts. On FNC in general, and Tucker in particular, counterfactual stories are drummed into the viewer’s head until they accept them.
Tucker frequently engages in ergofusion. Ergofusion is a nonlinguistic word I coined and actually got published in an article for the Harvard International Review. It means the misidentification of causal relationships. If A therefore B, even if there is no established causal effect. As an example, eating artichokes causes cancer. For Tucker, rioters and protesters all are related to Antifa. It matters not if a vast majority are peacefully exercising First Amendment rights. If damage happens (especially fires) it is definitely Antifa. Of course, that line of thinking is derived straight from Trump and echoed by the Department of Homeland Security. If you believe Tucker, the city of Kenosha Wisconsin has ceased to exist as it was burned to the ground. That also applies to Seattle and Portland. Even though rioting occurred in relatively small areas of those cities, viewers get the impression that these cities are utterly destroyed as old footage rolls in the background.
There will be flames; always flames. This is propaganda designed to impart fear in their aging, white audience. The message is that rioters, mostly black or brown people are coming to take your property and probably kill you. If you wonder where he gets his cues, remember, “They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." Not to mention those from “shithole countries.”
One of my favorite ergofusion examples was when BLM protestors arrived with a rental truck carrying signs, and other “riot supplies.” Tucker commented that the owners of the rental company were responsible for supporting riots. He particularly went after Michael Novogratz for providing funds to The Bail Project, an effort that assists poor people getting out of jail, generally for low-level crimes. He seems clueless about how the bail-bond system works in America and sees that project as a mechanism to facilitate riots. (Note in some areas of the country up to 80 percent of jail inmates may not have been convicted of the offenses they were charged with - but too poor to get out on bond). Also noteworthy that when white nationalist protesters arrived in Seattle with stake-body trucks full of real riot supplies, nothing was mentioned by Tucker.
Speaking to Michael Smerconish on 10 September, Tom Friedman best summed up the situation in America today. We have a President who is shameless; a Republican party that is spineless; and a news outlet without integrity that amplifies the right-wing messaging. William Macy would do well to have his Shameless character, Frank Gallagher, ascend to the White House. However, like the program Veep, Shameless writers would have trouble making a comedy that was not being outdone by the current reality in the White House.
Trump’s recent rallies prove that many adherents in his base don’t behave as if they are very bright. In the middle of a recognized pandemic, they eschew the advice of medical experts. Shunning masks and social distancing as if a badge of honor, they expose themselves unnecessarily to COVID-19. But as Tucker proclaims, masks are just a control mechanism. Note that germ theory was proposed as early as the Middle Ages, and Louis Pasteur published his thesis about it in 1861. It seems Tucker and Trump supporters still haven’t gotten the message.
It is unfortunate and frightening that more than five million people daily get their information primarily from FNC led by Tucker Carlson. That is even though the corporate leadership acknowledge he often is peddling nonsense, or as they term it “non-literal commentary.” While Judge Vyskocil noted, “any reasonable viewer ‘arrive[s] with an appropriate amount of skepticism,’” in reality, Tucker’s audience does believe him (and votes accordingly). Financially motivated, FNC management still supports that effort. For many viewers, FNC is a sole source of information and they seem unaware that this is a sophisticated indoctrination process. It is damaging the country. Again, some observers question whether FNC is state-run-media, or the U.S. is now a media-run-state. Either way, former Reichstag Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, would be proud of their efforts. And Putin loves it.