MSNBC host Tucker Carlson continued his recent attacks on Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, stating that the difference between Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman and Clinton is that “he actually believes something, and she's just craftier.”
MSNBC's Carlson continued Hillary-bashing
Written by Ben Fishel
Published
On the August 8 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, host Tucker Carlson continued his recent attacks on Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) during a discussion with Eli Pariser, the executive director of MoveOn.org, stating that the difference between Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut and Clinton is that “he actually believes something, and she's just craftier.” Carlson asserted that Clinton has not renounced the “world view” -- shared by Lieberman and the Bush administration -- that led the United States to invade Iraq and asked Pariser: "[S]houldn't you be targeting her for defeat? And why aren't you?" However, as Pariser noted, Clinton has frequently opposed the Bush administration on the Iraq war, recently calling for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and signing on to a letter urging the beginning of troop withdrawal.
Carlson has previously attacked Clinton, calling her a “neo-con” on the August 7 edition of Tucker and asking the Rev. Al Sharpton to work toward defeating her in order to “do the rest of us a favor.” Also, as Media Matters for America noted, on the August 4 edition of Tucker, Carlson called Clinton “a phony” and “an appalling figure” and said Clinton's questioning of Rumsfeld was a “shallow attack.”
From the August 8 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:
PARISER: The difference between Hillary Clinton -- the difference between Hillary Clinton right now and Joe Lieberman is that Hillary Clinton actually is listening. If you watch what she is doing, she understands that her voters are upset with what's going on -- on the war.
She called for Donald Rumsfeld to resign. She signed on to a letter urging the beginning of exit of troops from Iraq. These are steps toward where her base is, and Joe Lieberman thumbed his nose at the entire Democratic base in Connecticut.
CARLSON: Because he actually believes something, and she's just craftier. And you know that to be true.
Look, here's the bottom line. We went to war in Iraq not randomly, but based on a set of ideas, an ideology, a world view that its supporters share.
PARISER: That's right.
CARLSON: Some supporters like Lieberman, others, you know, in the Bush administration, but they all look at the world the same way. Hillary Clinton is one of those people. She has not renounced that world view, and until she does, shouldn't you be targeting her for defeat? And why aren't you? I don't get it.
From the August 7 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:
CARLSON: I said are you going to endorse Hillary Clinton? Maybe you already have.
SHARPTON: First of all, I don't --
CARLSON: And if you have, how can do you that?
SHARPTON: Endorse her for what? I haven't endorsed her for anything.
CARLSON: For her re-election campaign coming up in November.
SHARPTON: I haven't endorsed Hillary Clinton or anyone else in that campaign. I think that anyone that supports this president should not be supported by me or anyone that believes in a fair and a just foreign policy.
This president was wrong. He was wrong before. I said it in '04. Later, Dennis Kucinich said it in '04. Later, Howard Dean said it. We were right. I think I'm glad to see Ms. Clinton come very late and say that Rumsfeld should resign.
CARLSON: Oh, come on.
SHARPTON: I wish it had been three years ago.
CARLSON: You're not -- oh come on, don't tell me you're being suckered by that PR campaign.
SHARPTON: I said I wish it had been three years ago.
CARLSON: She basically just criticizes his style, but she doesn't criticize the war at its essence. She doesn't explain why it was a bad idea to go in it the first place. She's still a neo-con.
SHARPTON: Tucker, Tucker, if you want someone to defend those that are have been with Bush, including Ms. Clinton, you've the wrong guest. But we have a more immediate problem.
CARLSON: Yes, but I'm just saying, why don't you take your sizable constituency -- look, you are a walking political action committee. You can get voters to the polls. It matters who you support. And my point is, why don't you turn your considerable cash and skills and cachet on defeating Mrs. Clinton, and do the rest of us a favor? Please.