"We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights," "I truly can't wait."
"I hate him passionately,"
"That's the last four years. We're all pretending we've got a lot to show for it, because admitting what a disaster it's been is too tough to digest. But come on. There isn't really an upside to Trump."
These latest texts feel particularly devastating, not only are they from before Jan 6th, but also express open personal animosity to Trump and state that the whole presidency was a failure. Clearly, though, the big problem is most people who like Tucker and like Trump are never going to see these. My big idea of the morning is that, if there was a campaign to rent cheaper billboards in Trumpy rural areas across the country and display these messages, it might be at least somewhat effective, at least raising some questions among Trumpist people (“just asking questions”). At best, a certain percentage of those that see the signs might become disillusioned with the whole movement, at worst it at least causes a bit of a headache for one of the worst people in America (Tucker, of course). Not sure on the legal aspects of this, but I’d certainly pitch in some money and time if this effort ever got off the ground.
Tucker Carlson thinks his viewers are stupid because they are stupid. Sometimes it's really that simple. Stupid enough to suspend all critical thinking and believe whatever they are told. Stupid enough to put a political agenda over a fact-based approach to a problem. Stupid enough to think that only one side ever is right, and the other side only ever is wrong. And most of all stupid enough to ignore that he, and his fellow talking head fame and fortune whores, are in it mostly, if not solely, for the fame and fortune.
Only they do not seem to know that they are being played, on an ongoing basis. It is a frame that is built for dummies and fits them perfectly. They will go down with this Titanic because they do not think it can sink. The question remains how many of the rest of us will be taken down with them as long as the entertainer-politicians they vote for remain in power and continue to undermine the greater good.
"The totalitarian mass leaders based their propaganda on the correct psychological assumption that, under such conditions, one could make people believe the most fantastic statements one day, and trust that if the next day they were given irrefutable proof of their falsehood, they would take refuge in cynicism; instead of deserting the leaders who had lied to them, they would protest that they knew all along that the statement was a lie and admire the leaders for their superior tactical cleverness."
Most folks know the above quote is from Hannah Arendt's opus on totalitarianism. I first read it before Trump was elected, and frankly, it I had a hard time wrapping my head around it. It was just hard to imagine that millions of civilized, educated, cosmopolitan people could just completely lose their grip on reality. It's not hard any more, of course, because we're living it. We can see it with our own eyes. If we could ask Hannah Arendt herself how she thinks it will end, I don't think we'd like her answer.
You would think Tucker Carlson, man adept at lying to his audience, knows a losing issue for himself and his party when he sees one. This will not help the Republican Party, Tucker, Trump, or MTG. What helps them is when they get to talk about their pet issues - immigration, the border, crime, whatever.
These segments, in addition to being obvious lies, are incredibly weak. Weak enough that I wonder that if Dominion's billion-dollar suit against Fox succeeds, that the Capitol Police might be right behind them.
Lawrence O'donnell, last night on MSNBC, had a good take on Carlson's revisionist history. He said it would be like a short, selective edit of the Zapruder film showing JFK taking a nice ride through Dallas.
It's hard for me to overstate how disgusted I am with those in the GOP who haven't spoken out against Tucker, not to mention the bipedal pile of shit that is Tucker Carlson. I got into it with a coworker yesterday (we're cops) after he watched and remarked on a clip from Tucker's show. There were the usual comparisons to the riots in Kenosha and after George Floyd's murder. To my surprise, another coworker (whom I consider a Sarah Longwell-esque Republican), joined in and seconded my disgust with the hypocrisy of people who claim to be "pro-police" while staking apologist positions for the insurrectionists. Reading today's newsletter has me all riled up again, and while I'm sure there's a more eloquent to say this, I'll stick with "Fuck you, Tucker Carlson."
From the closing paragraphs of Joe Walsh's recent column:
"And in order to defeat them, we need to understand them and take them seriously."
With respect to former Congressman and Bulwark contributor Joe Walsh: "HOW?!?"
How in the Sam Hell does he propose that we understand their motivations? I've known these people my entire life, and their loyalty to and support of that nickel and dime shuck and jive artist beggars my imagination. North Dakota ranchers and oilfield people have (had) a concept of honesty and hard work and fair play that seems quaint out in the rest of the world at large. And they've unequivocally thrown in their lot behind Donald Trump. I will go to my grave wondering how in the name of God a real estate huckster from Queens captured the imaginations of my tribe. Not that they don't bear responsibility of their own: it's a little rich watching your friends, with their three homes and several boats and luxury SUV's organize a boat parade for Trump, while simultaneously presenting themselves as some victimized underclass, but here we are.
It is official, FNC viewers are snowflakes. They are so sensitive that they would be harmed by FNC telling them the truth about the election and DJT. This is the argument FNC has put forth to the public for their deplorable actions, disinformation and faux news coverage of the despicable January 6th insurrection. How disrespectful is that to have someone lie to you on a daily basis because they believe you are so fragile psychologically. Lol, it gives me such pleasure to view FNC viewers as snowflakes after all their bad behavior regarding their support for Trump and his deplorable behavior.
I wouldn't want to leave today's comments without at least one comment on the story about the Ukrainian soldier and it's relevance to the Tucker Carlson/Fox news story.
Incredibly brave - and incredibly sad.
The people that shot him were the "victims" of the same incessant stream of lies and alternate truths that the GOP base is today. Americans who say that Carlson, Trump, Hannity et al are Russian agents may not be right - but they certainly adhere very closely to the Russian playbook.
Carlson's editing of Jan 6 events is so staggeringly false....are viewers going sincerely believe this propagandized presentation? The bandwagon effect has morphed into a pretty bizarre lemming result.
Recently joined Bulwark+, my first comment here!
"We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights," "I truly can't wait."
"I hate him passionately,"
"That's the last four years. We're all pretending we've got a lot to show for it, because admitting what a disaster it's been is too tough to digest. But come on. There isn't really an upside to Trump."
These latest texts feel particularly devastating, not only are they from before Jan 6th, but also express open personal animosity to Trump and state that the whole presidency was a failure. Clearly, though, the big problem is most people who like Tucker and like Trump are never going to see these. My big idea of the morning is that, if there was a campaign to rent cheaper billboards in Trumpy rural areas across the country and display these messages, it might be at least somewhat effective, at least raising some questions among Trumpist people (“just asking questions”). At best, a certain percentage of those that see the signs might become disillusioned with the whole movement, at worst it at least causes a bit of a headache for one of the worst people in America (Tucker, of course). Not sure on the legal aspects of this, but I’d certainly pitch in some money and time if this effort ever got off the ground.
The problem is that Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson are more representative of Republican voters today than Mitch McConnell and Mitt Romney.
Tucker Carlson thinks his viewers are stupid because they are stupid. Sometimes it's really that simple. Stupid enough to suspend all critical thinking and believe whatever they are told. Stupid enough to put a political agenda over a fact-based approach to a problem. Stupid enough to think that only one side ever is right, and the other side only ever is wrong. And most of all stupid enough to ignore that he, and his fellow talking head fame and fortune whores, are in it mostly, if not solely, for the fame and fortune.
Only they do not seem to know that they are being played, on an ongoing basis. It is a frame that is built for dummies and fits them perfectly. They will go down with this Titanic because they do not think it can sink. The question remains how many of the rest of us will be taken down with them as long as the entertainer-politicians they vote for remain in power and continue to undermine the greater good.
The capitol police should file a defamation suit against fox news for 1.6 billion
"The totalitarian mass leaders based their propaganda on the correct psychological assumption that, under such conditions, one could make people believe the most fantastic statements one day, and trust that if the next day they were given irrefutable proof of their falsehood, they would take refuge in cynicism; instead of deserting the leaders who had lied to them, they would protest that they knew all along that the statement was a lie and admire the leaders for their superior tactical cleverness."
Most folks know the above quote is from Hannah Arendt's opus on totalitarianism. I first read it before Trump was elected, and frankly, it I had a hard time wrapping my head around it. It was just hard to imagine that millions of civilized, educated, cosmopolitan people could just completely lose their grip on reality. It's not hard any more, of course, because we're living it. We can see it with our own eyes. If we could ask Hannah Arendt herself how she thinks it will end, I don't think we'd like her answer.
You would think Tucker Carlson, man adept at lying to his audience, knows a losing issue for himself and his party when he sees one. This will not help the Republican Party, Tucker, Trump, or MTG. What helps them is when they get to talk about their pet issues - immigration, the border, crime, whatever.
These segments, in addition to being obvious lies, are incredibly weak. Weak enough that I wonder that if Dominion's billion-dollar suit against Fox succeeds, that the Capitol Police might be right behind them.
Tucker and Fox are taking no lessons from the Dominion lawsuit. They are truly high on their supply.
Lawrence O'donnell, last night on MSNBC, had a good take on Carlson's revisionist history. He said it would be like a short, selective edit of the Zapruder film showing JFK taking a nice ride through Dallas.
It's hard for me to overstate how disgusted I am with those in the GOP who haven't spoken out against Tucker, not to mention the bipedal pile of shit that is Tucker Carlson. I got into it with a coworker yesterday (we're cops) after he watched and remarked on a clip from Tucker's show. There were the usual comparisons to the riots in Kenosha and after George Floyd's murder. To my surprise, another coworker (whom I consider a Sarah Longwell-esque Republican), joined in and seconded my disgust with the hypocrisy of people who claim to be "pro-police" while staking apologist positions for the insurrectionists. Reading today's newsletter has me all riled up again, and while I'm sure there's a more eloquent to say this, I'll stick with "Fuck you, Tucker Carlson."
Let's have a Senate hearing featuring Carlson, Hannity, Murdoch...
If anyone owes an explanation of their actions over the last few years it would be them.
As I started to read this, I immediately thought of Alex Jones and Sandy Hook. I'm thankful for Mitt Romney's remarks.
From the closing paragraphs of Joe Walsh's recent column:
"And in order to defeat them, we need to understand them and take them seriously."
With respect to former Congressman and Bulwark contributor Joe Walsh: "HOW?!?"
How in the Sam Hell does he propose that we understand their motivations? I've known these people my entire life, and their loyalty to and support of that nickel and dime shuck and jive artist beggars my imagination. North Dakota ranchers and oilfield people have (had) a concept of honesty and hard work and fair play that seems quaint out in the rest of the world at large. And they've unequivocally thrown in their lot behind Donald Trump. I will go to my grave wondering how in the name of God a real estate huckster from Queens captured the imaginations of my tribe. Not that they don't bear responsibility of their own: it's a little rich watching your friends, with their three homes and several boats and luxury SUV's organize a boat parade for Trump, while simultaneously presenting themselves as some victimized underclass, but here we are.
It is official, FNC viewers are snowflakes. They are so sensitive that they would be harmed by FNC telling them the truth about the election and DJT. This is the argument FNC has put forth to the public for their deplorable actions, disinformation and faux news coverage of the despicable January 6th insurrection. How disrespectful is that to have someone lie to you on a daily basis because they believe you are so fragile psychologically. Lol, it gives me such pleasure to view FNC viewers as snowflakes after all their bad behavior regarding their support for Trump and his deplorable behavior.
I wouldn't want to leave today's comments without at least one comment on the story about the Ukrainian soldier and it's relevance to the Tucker Carlson/Fox news story.
Incredibly brave - and incredibly sad.
The people that shot him were the "victims" of the same incessant stream of lies and alternate truths that the GOP base is today. Americans who say that Carlson, Trump, Hannity et al are Russian agents may not be right - but they certainly adhere very closely to the Russian playbook.
Carlson's editing of Jan 6 events is so staggeringly false....are viewers going sincerely believe this propagandized presentation? The bandwagon effect has morphed into a pretty bizarre lemming result.
Even by Fox’s standards, the double speak is breathtaking. Is Tucker pretending all those texts are fake?