Carlson on Sen. Clinton: "Could you actually live in this country for eight years having to listen to her voice?"

On the May 24 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, commenting on Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-NY) decision to have the public choose the theme song for her presidential campaign, host Tucker Carlson said: "But this does nothing to make me like her. And it raises the question: Could you actually live in this country for eight years having to listen to her voice?" When former New York Gov. George Pataki (R) responded that "of course" he could live in the United States with Clinton as president, Carlson responded: "You're a man of steel." As Media Matters for America documented, media figures have repeatedly attacked Clinton for the tone and volume of her voice, including MSNBC hosts Chris Matthews and Joe Scarborough, and Time's Ana Marie Cox.

Carlson later said of Sen. Clinton: "Do you know when she's most charming? You know that she's got a sly, nasty sense of humor and she uses profanity a lot in private. You know that to be true, of course. If she would just drop the F-bomb on the trail or let the real Hillary Clinton out -- why doesn't she do that? I think that would work."

From the May 24 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:

CARLSON: This, obviously, Governor, is part of the Clinton campaign's charm offensive. I think there's a lot to recommend Senator Clinton as a candidate. I think she's more responsible than most of the other people running on the Democratic side. But this does nothing to make me like her. And it raises the question: Could you actually live in this country for eight years having to listen to her voice? Do you think you could?

PATAKI: Well, sure I could --

CARLSON: Do you really think you could?

PATAKI: Of course.

CARLSON: You're a man of steel.

PATAKI: You know -- obviously, I don't want to see her become the next president of the United States. But all those who said in 2000, "If Bush wins, I'm leaving the country," they're still here.

CARLSON: No, of course they are.

PATAKI: They didn't leave. And it's easy to say, "Oh, my God, things are going to be so bad." I'm going to do whatever I can to try to help the Republican nominee win the election the next time out. But if Senator Clinton gets elected, then we should all try to see that she succeeds as much as possible --

CARLSON: Of course that's right. I'm just --

PATAKI: You don't flee. But I'll tell you, I don't think that particular charm offensive is going to help her win the election.

CARLSON: No! Do you know when she's most charming? You know that she's got a sly, nasty sense of humor and she uses profanity a lot in private. You know that to be true, of course. If she would just drop the F-bomb on the trail or let the real Hillary Clinton out -- why doesn't she do that? I think that would work.

—A.I.