Fox News guest Michael Blake: “Why the hell does Tucker Carlson still have a job here?”
Michael Blake: “Why the hell does Tucker Carlson have a job here in the first place? The reality is this is someone who said white supremacy is a hoax and why does Fox allow him to still be here in the first place?”
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From the November 26, 2019, edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom
BILL HEMMER (CO-ANCHOR): Tucker Carlson with a bold prediction, saying Michelle Obama just may be the Democratic ticket next year despite the former first lady saying she's not interested.
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HEMMER: What do you think of the prediction on Michelle Obama? Would you like to see that?
MICHAEL BLAKE (DNC VICE-CHAIR): Well, she is not running but the core question is why the hell does Tucker Carlson still have a job here in the first place? The reality is this is someone who said white supremacy is a hoax and why does Fox allow him to still be here in the first place?
HEMMER: Alright, well I mean his opinion there was that Michelle Obama may get in this race. Do you think that will happen or is it not going to not?
BLAKE: Not going to happen but I think the core question is he shouldn't be on here at all.
HEMMER: I got it. We didn't bring you on to talk about Tucker Carlson. I brought you on to talk about the Democratic field.
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BLAKE: On the other side, Donald Trump is always trying to scare and avoid the truth and the reality is -- whether it be Trump or what's happening on this network and other places -- ignoring the truth. That's the frustration we have.
HEMMER: You know what I see this past week? I see a clear battle for a moderate in your -- in the Democratic party. Think about Deval Patrick getting in a week ago and now Michael Bloomberg, they see the lane to be more up the middle or center-left. How do you see that?
BLAKE: I think we see a lane for truth, which is what the party and the country wants right now. And so whoever the Democratic nominee will be, that person will be president -- he or she -- will be president. The reality is, it's time for the Republican party to recognize that it's time to come home and defend the country. It cannot just be about defending an individual in the White House. It's about doing what's best for the country and ignoring the truth, and what we're seeing on the other side is the reason why everyone is deciding to jump in. People are sick and tired of the noise out of D.C., Bill, this cannot continue in any way. Regardless of the number of candidates in the field, we're talking about jobs while Trump is ignoring the truth. We're talking about healthcare while he's ignoring the truth. And the question must be, for Donald Trump, for Fox News, for other entities --
HEMMER: Listen, I didn't bring you on to bash our network. So with all due respect, why don't we just keep it on topic.
BLAKE: But it's not --
HEMMER: Politico magazine says this Michael, just out --
BLAKE: But it's relevant.
HEMMER: No its not.
BLAKE: Well, the Tucker Carlson premise.
HEMMER: It is not relevant to the conversation we're having, save it for later.
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HEMMER: Here's the quote, out just a moment ago. With one candidate he -- meaning Barack Obama -- pointed out that during his own 2008 campaign, he had an intimate bond with the electorate, especially in Iowa, that he no longer has. Then he added, "And you know who really doesn't have it? Joe Biden." End quote there. Your reaction to that.
BLAKE: So first, it's not appropriate just to say that we can't talk about what you said. You brought us on to be a guest. Second, the question around the electorate and the effort, one of the reasons you brought me on is that I was part of the team that organized a successful election in 2008 and thereafter.