Fox News host Tucker Carlson, a divisive name in many American households, is considered a beacon of modern conservatism for some. Fox News, a haven for the alt-right, serves as a breeding ground for Carlson’s radical viewpoints and protects him from public backlash despite his extensive history of indefensible statements. Individuals like Tucker Carlson endanger the validity and constructiveness of political discourse in America due to their insidious shift toward extremism.
With 3.47 million nightly viewers, Tucker Carlson Tonight was the second most-watched cable news show last year. Carlson’s media machine is comprised of wealthy, well-educated men who perpetuate a profit-seeking narrative, regardless of the validity of such statements. These influential individuals disseminate digestible yet bigoted rhetoric that is strife with conspiracy theories to an information-hungry conservative America.
Tucker Carlson, a member of the Swanson frozen food conglomerate family, was born into the American elite. After bouncing from one news outlet to another, Carlson found himself at Fox News in 2009. At the time, the Republican party was characterized by less radical sentiments, represented by figures such as Mitt Romney. Back then, Carlson’s viewpoints were accordingly less controversial and fact-based.
However, as time passed, the political right drifted towards extremism, and Rupert Murdoch, the president of Fox’s parent company News Corp, followed this trend. The 2016 election cycle represented a watershed moment, with a previously marginalized part of America’s political spectrum coming to the center stage. Carlson’s segment was quickly populated with angry monologues on the dangers of diversity and immigration.
It wasn’t long before Carlson began supporting ideas such as the Replacement Theory, which suggests that higher birth rates among immigrant populations will eventually replace white populations and culture. Many believers in this theory have gone on to commit horrible acts. In the case of the shooting in Buffalo, New York, a gunman killed ten and wounded three in a predominantly Black neighborhood.
As such rhetoric continued, Carlson, at one point a close friend of Former President Donald Trump P’00, converted the nightly segment into an outlet for the White House’s initiatives. In addition, the monologues supported falsehoods on national television, as manipulative misinformation provided an opportunity to further improve ratings and income.
With little care for the consequences of his actions, Carlson’s broadcast pivoted towards intrigue and deception rather than fact. With fewer guests of opposing viewpoints represented, these partisan falsehoods spoke to a larger audience, further driving up ratings. The malicious effect of these conspiracies worsened to such a degree that Carlson faced a defamation lawsuit at one point. However, the suit was dismissed, with District Judge Mary Vyskocil noting that “any reasonable viewer arrives [to the segment] with an appropriate amount of skepticism.”
Tucker Carlson is just one case of the information war plaguing America today. Defined by wealth and an endless desire to maintain power, members of the conservative elite contribute to the drastic political polarization of America through the continuation of extremist values. For instance, pro-working class policies pushed by the conservative elite are often a cover for more harmful intentions. Moreover, through their money and through platforms for prominent figures such as Carlson’s, extremists are capable of influencing impressionable and uneducated Americans into supporting candidates and legislation that benefit few but the ultra-wealthy.
A prime example of this misinformation is the tax cuts proposed by the Republican leadership. A mainstay of conservative policy, tax cuts are presented by Fox and other media groups as a lifeline for the middle class. However, research reveals that the focus of the proposed legislation is centered on cutting corporate income, capital gains, and estate tax. In other words, these politicians are truly interested in easing the burden on their most influential supporters — the ultra-wealthy.
The most recent controversy surrounding Carlson only further speaks to the profit-driven and elitist nature of conservative leadership. Last month, as part of the $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit about misinformation in the 2020 election, Fox News was mandated to release internal correspondence. Carlson made the headlines for texts relating to his private misgivings about Trump. Two months following the election of President Biden, Carlson texted members of his staff, “We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. I truly can’t wait … I hate him passionately.” Such communications serve to demonstrate further the hypocrisy that goes on behind the scenes of the propaganda machine that is Fox News. Knowing that betraying Trump’s ideology would anger Fox’s base and destroy viewership, Carlson maintained the facade of being a die-hard supporter of the former president despite clear apprehensions.
As American politics offers more representation and influence to groups of self-serving elites, it is imperative to understand the fundamental values of America. Our country was founded on embracing truth and valuing the voice of the people, ideas that are ever more important as people like Tucker Carlson seek to harm our country.
