Carlson baselessly criticized caller for suggesting world opinion of U.S. has worsened under Bush

Written by Brian Levy

Published

Tucker Carlson baselessly criticized a caller to his MSNBC show by conflating “the rest of the world” with “Islamic extremists.” In fact, worldwide polling suggests that America's image has indeed declined worldwide since President Bush took office in 2001.


On the “Voice Mail” segment of the July 13 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, host Tucker Carlson baselessly criticized a caller by conflating “the rest of the world” with “Islamic extremists.” Responding to concerns from the caller “Gail” that "[w]e have a president who's arrogant and brags and makes the world hate us," Carlson responded: "[T]he fact is, they, meaning Islamic extremists, have hated us for many years over many presidents." He then chided the caller: “I mean, that's ridiculous. This is a problem that is deeper and more complex than a single president, and you ought to know that, Gail.” In fact, worldwide polling suggests that America's image has indeed declined worldwide since President Bush took office in 2001.

In 2002, the Pew Global Attitudes Project reported: “Since 2000, favorability ratings for the U.S. have fallen in 19 of the 27 countries where trend benchmarks are available.” On June 13, the Pew Global Attitudes Project reported that trend had continued: “America's global image has again slipped and support for the war on terrorism has declined even among close U.S. allies like Japan. ... [F]avorable opinions of the United States have fallen in most of the 15 countries surveyed.”

From the July 13 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:

CALLER: Gail Ford, Southbury, Connecticut. The rest of the world did not hate us under Eisenhower, FDR, JFK, or Clinton. We have a president who's arrogant and brags and makes the world hate us.

CARLSON: Yeah, take a history course, Gail. I mean, that's the problem with political partisans. They have a time horizon about eight minutes long. I don't think Bush has helped. I think the war in Iraq weakens this country. I'm opposed to it, as I've said countless times.

But the fact is, they, meaning Islamic extremists, have hated us for many years over many presidents. In 1979, the Iranians took the hostages. In 1983, they bombed the barracks in Beirut and killed all those American Marines. They bombed the World Trade Center under Bill Clinton. I mean, that's ridiculous. This is a problem that is deeper and more complex than a single president, and you ought to know that, Gail. Next up.