OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson did not hold back in criticizing a frequent MSNBC guest who regularly spews venomous and inflammatory accusations at Republicans, suggesting that Americans push back on him using a familiar hand gesture.
During his Friday monologue, Carlson took verbal aim at contributor Jason Johnson, who last week called the GOP a “dimestore front for a terrorist movement” as part of overall comments regarding how Democrats are exploiting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot to help the party during the upcoming midterm elections.
“So the whole point of this exercise is to redefine any opposition to the Democratic Party as domestic terrorism as they face defeat in the midterm elections. Some Democrats are just saying that out loud,” Carlson said.
Johnson, a professor of journalism and communication at Morgan State University in Baltimore, said this on MSNBC host Nicole Wallace’s “Deadline: White House” program:
"Objective" professor Jason Johnson tells Nicolle Wallace on MSNBC that the Republican Party is a terrorist front like the PLO is for Hamas.
(Hamas gets gentler treatment on MSNBC than the GOP.) pic.twitter.com/MwF4EglNCD
— Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) January 16, 2022
We don’t know if Trump’s going to be on the ballot. If Trump is on the ballot in 2024, it’s the easiest thing in the world for Democrats because you can always run against the bad guy.
But I think the bigger, more dangerous thing, and I’ve been saying this for a while, I’m working hard to never say Republican Party again because they’re not a party. They’re Sinn Fein to the IRA, they are the PLO to Hamas. They are a dimestore front for a terrorist movement.
They didn’t have a policy in 2020 except loyalty to Trump. They just announced in The New York Times today, I think I saw the article where they’re asking their 2024 nominees to not engage in presidential debates. They’re no longer a party.
“A front for a terrorist movement. Do they really mean what they say? Who knows if they mean it? They’re acting like it. And that’s the problem,” Carlson responded.
“So how did the rest of us respond as the U.S. government redefines people who disagree with their political beliefs as terrorists? Well, there’s really only one way, and it’s a nonviolent way,” he continued.
Carlson added: “It’s the essential way. Refuse to play along. Don’t pretend they’re sincere. They’re not sincere. Tell the truth. Call authoritarianism what it is. Preferably with a middle finger extended.”
Johnson received no pushback or fact-checks to his wildly inflammatory remarks.
He went on to explain:
That’s what a man called Alex Bruesewitz did. Bruesewitz is a Republican political consultant. He dares to work for candidates who are running against members of the Jan. 6 committee. You don’t want to do that.
What happened? Well, just days ago, a senior counsel on that committee demanded an interview with Bruesewitz. Here’s how he responded: “I feel sorry for you that you have to deal with the likes of Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Adam Schiff and the rest of the committee members on a daily basis. I will pray for you.”
In other words, up yours. Then Bruesewitz described in clear and honest terms exactly what the Democrats are so obviously doing. “This select committee has run roughshod over the First Amendment rights of my fellow citizens. Now it is targeting me.” Which it absolutely is. Good for Alex Bruesewitz.
Earlier, Carlson noted that last week he interviewed Thomas Caldwell, a man who has been accused of “seditious conspiracy” regarding the Jan. 6 riot, who told the Fox News host that he never even went inside the building.
“Caldwell’s indictment paints him as a dangerous militia leader who is planning a sort of D-Day invasion on the banks of the Potomac. The real Thomas Caldwell does not fit that description. Caldwell is a senior citizen who walks with a cane. He’s a devout Christian. Try to picture Thomas Caldwell leading a bloodthirsty band of insurgents. You can’t, because he didn’t,” Carlson said.
