On the October 23 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, discussing an October 23 New York Daily News report, in which Daily News blogger Ben Smith wrote that former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's Republican opponent in the New York Senate race, said Clinton “used to be ugly -- and speculates she got 'millions of dollars' in plastic surgery,” host Tucker Carlson claimed that the Daily News story “almost seems like a plant” by the Clinton campaign, because “that's how she wins in every case, when people think she's wronged.” Later, Carlson stated, "[I]t seems to me there's a double standard here" in that Clinton says to voters, “on the one hand, 'Treat me like a man,' ” and, “on the other hand, she is saying ... 'treat me as a woman.' ” Carlson then added that Clinton was the “beneficiary” of this “double standard” during her 2000 senatorial campaign against Republican Rick Lazio, who was “perceived as being rude to a woman” and “somehow ... was a cad” when he confronted her during a debate.

As Media Matters for America has noted, Carlson has previously contended that Clinton “just bulldozes everybody” in the way of her presidential ambitions because there are “so few men” and “so many wussies at the helm” of the Democratic Party that "[n]obody has the huevos to stand up to" her.

From the October 23 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:

CARLSON: A reporter for the New York Daily News claims that John Spencer -- he's the Republican challenger to incumbent Hillary Clinton -- told him on an airplane that Senator Clinton used to be, quote, “ugly.”

Spencer supposedly went on to speculate that Clinton got “millions of dollars” in plastic surgery -- whatever that means, quote, “You ever see a picture of her back then? Whew. I don't know why Bill married her.”

Well, Spencer has denied making any of these comments, but, of course, it doesn't matter. He wasn't going to win in the first place, but he's been tarred with these comments, regardless.

Joe, it seems to me, leaving aside, again, whether it's fair or unfair, this hurts Republicans everywhere, and it helps Hillary Clinton. It almost seems like a plant from Hillary Clinton --

REV. JOSEPH WATKINS (Republican political consultant): Well, well --

TUCKER: -- from her campaign, 'cause she's the wronged woman yet again, and that -- that's how she wins in every case, when people think that she's wronged.

[...]

CARLSON: Also, Sam, it seems to me there's a double standard here. So, Hillary Clinton is saying, on the one hand, "Treat me like a man. I'm a man. I mean, I'm as good as any man"; and, on the other hand, she is saying, as a lot of female candidates do, frankly, "No, I'm a woman, and treat me as a woman."

Remember six years ago, when she was running for Senate --

SAM GREENFIELD (radio talk show host): Well, number one -- number one --

CARLSON: -- and she -- she was -- and she was dissed. I don't know if we have the video. There it is right there. There's Rick Lazio --

GREENFIELD: Mmm-hmm.

CARLSON: -- and Hillary Clinton. Remember, he marched across the stage and said, here, sign this.

GREENFIELD: Mmm-hmm. Mmm-hmm.

CARLSON: He was perceived as being rude to a woman --

GREENFIELD: Mmm-hmm.

CARLSON: -- Hillary Clinton, and that somehow, he was a cad or, you know, he had bad taste. It was this double standard, of which she was the beneficiary.