Tucker Carlson gives indoor smoking his heartfelt endorsement
Carlson: “The most American of all pleasures … the smell of freedom”
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From the January 13, 2023, edition of Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight
TUCKER CARLSON (HOST): On the other side, you have Republicans. They're back in control of the House of Representatives. And because they are -- on the House side -- Republican members who want to smoke tobacco once again can. They couldn't when Nancy Pelosi was speaker because she had banned tobacco smoking in the Capitol complex back in 2007.
Now, you'd think this would be non-controversial in a country where you're allowed to smoke meth in a park. Kids are encouraged to smoke weed. But it's very controversial because unlike meth and weed and crack, tobacco is bad. Several members of the Capitol press gallery are horrified by this, and they're complaining.
So you have to kind of wonder, why is tobacco so dangerous? Well, we thought we would ask a member of Congress who uses it -- who smokes an occasional cigar. Troy Nehls joins us tonight.
Congressman, grateful that you're here. Willing to stand up for the most American of all pleasures, which is tobacco. Sorry to say it, it's true. It founded the country. Tell us why it's important for you to burn a cigar occasionally in your office.
REP TROY NEHLS (GUEST): Well, thank you for having me, Tucker. It's all about freedom. It's interesting, the dishonest media and those -- they want to complain about a little smoke coming out of my cigar. They don't want to talk about the inflation or the crime or the southern border.
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CARLSON: But if you were smoking weed or meth no one would say anything. What is it about tobacco -- which was a religious sacrament for the American Indians, for all the Mesoamerican Indians. What is it about tobacco that triggers them so profoundly, do you think?
NEHLS: I don't know. Maybe they've never tried one.
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CARLSON: Congressman Troy Nehls. Striking a blow for freedom. That is the smell of freedom. We appreciate your coming on tonight and standing up for Americanness.