Here's how Fox and Newsmax tried to spin the January 6 committee's first prime-time hearing
- 2 years ago
This column is about the media, and this moment exemplifies America's two parallel tracks of media. So if you watched Thursday night's hearing by the House's 1/6 committee, shown live by most of the major TV networks in the United States, let me tell you what I watched on right-wing TV at the same time.
The prime-time hearing began at 8 p.m. Eastern time. When Rep. Bennie Thompson gaveled the hearing to order, Fox News host Tucker Carlson ignored him. Carlson declared that the "ruling class" was giving "yet another lecture about January 6." He called the hearing "propaganda" and reveled in his refusal to air it. "They are lying," he said, "and we are not going to help them do it."
Carlson then lied himself: He said "if something noteworthy happens" at the hearing, "obviously we will bring it to you immediately." But his show did not do that.
When Thompson said January 6 was "the culmination of an attempted coup," Carlson asked why the news media cared at all. He barely mentioned Donald Trump, even though the former president's plot to undermine American democracy was the focal point of the hearing. Instead, he talked a lot about Democrats and questioned why other networks were committing "collusion" with the House by televising the hearing. "Because the Democrats and the left are desperate," his guest Jason Whitlock said.
When Rep. Liz Cheney revealed many of the committee's findings for the first time, Carlson said everyone knows that America "could face some real problems real soon;" implied that Congress shouldn't be wasting its time on the 1/6 investigation; and called Thompson and Cheney "lunatics."
Carlson sounded like an amateur magician who tries to distract kids when a performance falls apart: "Look over here, not over there." He said, "Gas is over five bucks. Inflation is higher than it's been in the lifetime of most Americans. Violent crime is making cities impossible to live in, and more than one hundred thousand Americans ODed on drugs last year. Why isn't there a prime time hearing about any of that?"
The prime-time hearing began at 8 p.m. Eastern time. When Rep. Bennie Thompson gaveled the hearing to order, Fox News host Tucker Carlson ignored him. Carlson declared that the "ruling class" was giving "yet another lecture about January 6." He called the hearing "propaganda" and reveled in his refusal to air it. "They are lying," he said, "and we are not going to help them do it."
Carlson then lied himself: He said "if something noteworthy happens" at the hearing, "obviously we will bring it to you immediately." But his show did not do that.
When Thompson said January 6 was "the culmination of an attempted coup," Carlson asked why the news media cared at all. He barely mentioned Donald Trump, even though the former president's plot to undermine American democracy was the focal point of the hearing. Instead, he talked a lot about Democrats and questioned why other networks were committing "collusion" with the House by televising the hearing. "Because the Democrats and the left are desperate," his guest Jason Whitlock said.
When Rep. Liz Cheney revealed many of the committee's findings for the first time, Carlson said everyone knows that America "could face some real problems real soon;" implied that Congress shouldn't be wasting its time on the 1/6 investigation; and called Thompson and Cheney "lunatics."
Carlson sounded like an amateur magician who tries to distract kids when a performance falls apart: "Look over here, not over there." He said, "Gas is over five bucks. Inflation is higher than it's been in the lifetime of most Americans. Violent crime is making cities impossible to live in, and more than one hundred thousand Americans ODed on drugs last year. Why isn't there a prime time hearing about any of that?"