How Tucker Carlson deceptively edited a video to accuse veteran Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of hating America

Duckworth's blunt response to Carlson exposed the Fox host's bullying

Written by Eric Kleefeld

Published

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) responded sharply to Tucker Carlson on Monday, after the Fox News host deceptively edited a video clip of the senator and accused her of hating America.

“You're not supposed to criticize Tammy Duckworth in any way because she once served in the military,” Carlson said on the July 6 edition of his Fox News show. “Most people just ignore her.”

Carlson simplified the story considerably. While serving as an Army helicopter pilot in Iraq, Duckworth lost both her legs when a rocket-propelled grenade exploded in the cockpit right at her feet.

Carlson continued: “But when Duckworth does speak in public, you're reminded what a deeply silly and unimpressive person she is. Here's Tammy Duckworth from over the weekend telling us it's time to get rid of George Washington.”

The video merely showed Duckworth responding to a question from CNN anchor Dana Bash on Sunday, saying, “Well, let me just say that we should start off by having a national dialogue on it, at some point,” then quickly cut away.

From the July 6, 2020, edition of Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight:

“So what to make of all of this? Well, it's long been considered out of bounds to question a person's patriotism,” Carlson went on to say. “It's a very strong charge, and we try not ever to make it. But in the face of all of this, the conclusion can't be avoided. These people actually hate America. There's no longer a question about that.”

Duckworth, who has been mentioned in media coverage as a possible Democratic candidate for vice president, tweeted her response to Carlson Monday night:

Media Matters’ Parker Molloy also pointed out that Carlson engaged in a deceptive edit of what Duckworth actually said: Far from dwelling on the issue of taking down images of George Washington, Duckworth was trying to change the subject back to more important topics.

As was clear from viewing the full segment, Duckworth gave brief mentions of some important issues of cultural dialogue — while trying to steer the conversation back to pressing issues such as the coronavirus pandemic and the alleged Russian bounties on American troops.

From the July 5, 2020, edition of CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper

DANA BASH (GUEST HOST): Senator, I know that you support changing the name of military bases named after Confederate leaders. But there are leaders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson who were slave owners, and some people are demanding that their monuments come down, too. So, in your view, where does it end? Should statues, for example, of George Washington come down?

SEN. TAMMY DUCKWORTH (D-IL): Well, let me just say that we should start off by having a national dialogue on it, at some point. But right now, we're in the middle of a global pandemic. And our — one of our ally — one of our — countries that are opposed to us, Russia, has put a bounty on American troops' heads.

What really struck me about this speech that the president gave at Mount Rushmore was that he spent more time worried about honoring dead Confederates than he did talking about the lives of our American — 130,000 Americans who lost their lives to COVID-19, or by warning Russia off of the bounty they're putting on Americans' heads.

I mean, his priorities are all wrong here. He should be talking about what we're going to do to overcome this pandemic. What are we going to do to push Russia back? And, instead, he had no time for that. He spent all his time talking about dead traitors.