i beginning to have a "little" respect for tucker carlson. he's

[catmother]

on now. i know he was against the war in iraq. right now he's questionning bush's former advisor who said "we need a stable iraq". tucker said "we had a stable iraq under saddam".

last week he challenged a lebanese official who said they would use the lebanese army against israel. tucker said "why don't you use your military to get rid of hizbollah, there the ones who started all this".

don't worry. i'm not changing parties. just giving credit where credit is due.

[BOSSHOG]

1. I would have a great deal of respect for him if he enlisted

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

17. Bingo.

n/t

[LittleClarkie]

2. He might be a paleo Conservative like Scarborough

They tend not to be sock puppets for the administration the way people like Frist or Allen or Santorum are. Every once in a while, the paleos say something that shows they're at least thinking.

[fat dad]

50. He might be a paleo Conservative like Scarborough

No. He's a weasel like Scarborough. When 2008 rolls aorund they will claim that Bush "spent like a Democrat" and his failure in Iraq was almost as bad as what "the liberals would have led us into." And that's why they are voting for the Republican candidate. Because Bush was almost as bad as a Democrat.

How do you argue with logic like that?

[Benhurst]

3. I agree. Even little bow-tied right-wing twits deserve a little

respect now and then for occasionally stumbling onto the truth.

[DIKB]

73. Respect??? Bah!!!

Not in my book. Like the old adage says, "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."

You gotta come out swinging, not just tossing a little jab in here and there, to get my respect. Scarborough has done this more so than carlson.

[wyldwolf]

4. Him and Scarborough are both moderating their views somewhat...

Part of the mass exodus away from the sinking ship.

[SteppingRazor]

5. I wouldn't call it abandoning the sinking ship so much as...

doing whatever it takes to garner ratings. The more television watchers grow angry with the Bush administration, the more likely these pundits are to suddenly "see the light."

[sgxnk]

11. it doesn't have to do with moderating ratings

in that tucker has been against the iraq war for long before the ship jumping began

he's kind of a paleoconservative with strong libertarian tendency. reminds me of pj orourke

without the humour

[calimary]

25. I must be missing something. I do NOT remember ever hearing

li'l tucker ever saying he didn't support the war. Maybe I'm just lumping them all into one foul pile, though, based on past performance. Although I do remember him starting to back off the snarky crap early on election night in 2004, when the exit polls at first showed Kerry was winning. He was already doing the humility thing, which stood out from the cocky attitude he'd had up til then. Hard for me to believe he'd ever be against anything from bush. But if so many DUers say it's true...

Besides, it's not like I spent much time paying any attention to what he says or what his track record has been. It's not like he's Keith Olbermann or somebody. So it could well have gotten past me. Still hard to believe, though. I'd expect him to be a mindless rubber stamp from the get-go, on everything, and maybe just turning on the war now mainly because it seems politically correct and somehow "in" to be anti-war now, and because he's got ratings to whore for (not to mention how desperate I bet he is to get back on in prime time).

[catmother]

27. i heard it right from his mouth a few weeks ago that he opposed

going into iraq. i was quite surprised.:shrug:

[madmunchie]

33. He has always said that.

Many of his other opinions are still right wing though, sickenly so. He has a smug attitude that some old ladies probably think is "cute". I find him smug and obnoxious. His ONLY redeeming feature is his recognition of the catastrophic mistake that it was going into Iraq.

[calimary]

66. Yes, I heard that one, myself, and it made my eyebrows rise a little.

But my question was - since when was he ALWAYS against the war? THAT I had not ever heard, and I used to see his earlier programs from time to time, on CNN and such, and I don't recall ever hearing him say, back then, that he was against the war or in any way thought it was a bad idea or the wrong approach. I can see how some people like him want to change sides NOW, either for political expediency (they can read the writing on the wall - that's getting bigger and heavier and spreading across MANY walls now), or because maybe they really do have a change of heart, seeing how terribly it's going and how much more clear it is that the war was a bad idea, and poorly executed at that. But he says he NEVER supported the war??? I can't believe that one. That's news to me. Then again, though, there ARE all those brain cells I killed...

And yes, madmunchie - he is NAUSEATINGLY smug. A snot-nose, if you ask me.

[sgxnk]

78. i have never heard

tucker say that he was FOR the invasion of iraq, and i have heard him say several times over the last few years that he was against it.

that is evidence enough for me, unless somebody has evidence to the contrary

[sgxnk]

77. tucker has been saying this for ages

i realize there is this common theme here that ALL republicans support the war, that the war is a republican/conservative thang... and none of these things are true

some on the left support it and some on the right do not
tucker happens to fall in the latter camp. so does william f buckley.

like i said, tucker falls more into a sort of libertarian paleocon camp, whereas bush falls into an authoritarian right moderate camp (bush is definitely not a conservative, and he is definitely statist/authoritarian).

[skiddlybop]

6. Not true.

Earlier, Little Tucker said, of the massive Israeli bombings, "Not that they didn't deserve it."

Like any opinions about Iraq, understand that they cheerleaded for ALL of it and may sometimes say that it later fucked up. But count on them to say we must invade Iran soon.

[wyldwolf]

9. false premise

1.. There are many moderates who are agree with Israel's actions.
2.. you can't deny they are moderating their views based on what you think they MIGHT say in the future.

Just a few weeks ago, Scarborough said Al Gore would be an effective president.

[catmother]

12. i agree with israel. i thought i was more to the left, but i'm not

sure since this whole fiasco started. i do mourn for the loss of innocent lives on both sides. but to be honest, i would like to see the leader of hizbollah's head on a stick.

maybe scarborough said al gore would be a good president after gore made it clear that he would not run.

[wyldwolf]

13. nope!

Said Gore would be an effective president BEFORE that.

[catmother]

15. well good for him. he's a thinking person.

[ShortnFiery]

29. "i would like to see the leader of hizbollah's head on a stick."

Yes, I must, with true respect, note that your opinion above, throws you out of the American Liberal, left of center, of the political spectrum. IMO, those of us who do NOT have ANY true ties to the Middle East (neither Religion, Culture, ancestors, etc.)

Those of us with NO PERSONAL HISTORY with regard to the Middle East look on in HORROR with only ONE basic desire: That the Killing, Maiming and Dying end on BOTH Sides cease and the good peoples of that region, the moderates stand firm so all factions can show tolerance and live in peace. :shrug:

Those of us genuinely looking from the outside-in BELIEVE that ---> BOTH sides in this seemingly perpetual war are "terrorizing the innocent civilians" of their enemy. It's all EVIL ... all the deaths of the innocents. In fact, war is evil ... War is terrorism. :cry: :(

[NJ Democrats]

39. How the hell do you not be a liberal because of 1 position?

I fully support Israel, and I think Hizbollah deserves everything they are getting. That being said, I'm anti-Iraq, pro-aboartion, pro-gay marriage, pro-gun conrtol, etc. So tell me, even with ALL those liberal positions, I'm not a liberal because I support Israel? What kind of bullshit is that?

[catmother]

45. my feelings are the same as yours. i have always supported

israel and i feel the same as you. i'm also anti-iraq, pro-choice, pro-gay rights. i do own a handgun but i do believe in controls. i'm for the brady bill -- it has kept a lot of guns out of the wrong hands. i'm also anti-death penalty. i want universal health care, a decent wage for all, protection of the environment, but i too, have been told i'm not a liberal anymore.

on edit: don't you love the way these so-called peace loving liberals hate everyone who doesn't agree with them. just look at some of the remarks about tucker carlson.

these last 3 weeks because of my pro-israel stance, i have been called a freeper and worse -- i've had my threads locked -- my posts deleted.

i don't understand how people can take the side of Hizbollah. look what they did to our marines in beirut in 1983. over 2 hundred killed by a hizbollah suicide bomber. they were there to keep the peace.

[ShortnFiery]

52. Wishing death on any ONE individual, no matter how heinous you

wish them to be is NOT liberal.

You know that, don't you?

[ShortnFiery]

55. Because you wish the death of your enemy, no matter how evil

they are, according to you. Really, you must also conclude that DESIRE for DEATH of another human being, kind of disqualifies you for a "liberal" label. No offense but the vast majority of objective people would concur with my analysis. :hi:

[catmother]

46. i will say it again. i would like to see the leader of hizbollah's

head on a stick. they are terrorists in the true sense. not people defending themselves, but aggressively attacking other countries. just remember our marines in 1983 beirut. over 200 men killed by a hizbollah suicide bomber. they were not there to fight anyone, they were peacekeepers and this is what they got.

i said earlier that i mourn for the innocents on both sides, but members of hizbollah are not innocents. they want israel pushed into the sea -- i want them wiped off the face of the earth -- they are scum.

and don't anyone try to tell me about all the good they do -- the social programs, etc. that's how they win people over and then they hide their weapons among innocent civilians. so who's killing who? Hizbollah is the responsible party for all the innocents who were killed or maimed.

[ShortnFiery]

53. Yes, you are entitled to your opinion, but your opinion is not liberal.

WWJD?

[catmother]

58. what does WWJD mean?

you're also entitled to your opinion

[w4rma]

59. "What would Jesus do?" (nt)

[catmother]

62. thank you. i don't know what he would do. he was a jew.

inasmuch as he's not around i don't know whether he would say "turn the other cheek".

[ShortnFiery]

67. It means ...

What Would Jesus Do. That is only for those who can relate to The Christian Faith, I believe. :blush: I'm a secular Franciscan and also a pacifist. :-)

If a draft should kick in, I will be working with Pax Christi to do everything I can to discourage young people from being "sucked into the intake" of the War Machine. :hi:

http://www.paxchristiusa.org/

[catmother]

68. ii was raised catholic and gave up the religion in my early 20s.

i do not believe in any form of christianity, but i respect what you are doing. if i had a son who was drafted i would do everything in my power to make sure he did not serve.

[catmother]

74. what about WWII. my dad and most of my uncles fought in

that war. were they terrorists?

[The Gunslinger]

44. and thats why the 06 elections dont look good for the Dems anymore.

This conflict is just too good to be true for the Rightists. The stories of the Israel attacks being planned a long time ago have been deeply and conviently buried by the MSM. This is too good to be true for the Rightists. Democrats wanting blood blindly following Israel into battle. Dems becoming fans of Scarboro and Tucker........

Personally I'm for peace. I dont know who's wrong or right because I dont believe the Anministration's and the MSM story of whats going on there, other then the Death.

[catmother]

47. sometimes i think that some people are anti-israel just

because bush supports them. every president no matter what party has always supported israel. i have not become a fan of scarborough or tucker. i have an open mind and sometimes they are right. in some people's eyes if your not a screaming liberal your opinion is worthless.

maybe we should be concentrating on 06 instead of the constant arguing among us about israel. the election is 3 months away. wake up people.

[chimpymustgo]

61. But you're basically cool with the carnage and ethnic cleansing? Wow.

That's PNAC, neocon bullshit. You must not feel very comfortable at a progressive forum.

[catmother]

63. i would not call it ethnic cleansing unless you're talking about

those in the ME who want to do away with israel. there the ones doing the ethnic cleansing.

most of the american people support israel. i don't remember what the exact number is. but it's very high. my husband told me yesterday.

[catmother]

10. who didn't deserve it the israeli's or those they bombed?

[ShortnFiery]

30. IMO, the innocent civilian populations on BOTH sides do not deserve

to be terrorized by these waring parties. :cry:

[Schema Thing]

64. Hizbollah has legitimate political goals

why do you key in on the rhetoric?

It's no different from all the dumbshits who go around saying 'freedom isn't free' (meaning we gotta kill a bunch o' A-rabs, and maybe suffer a few losses ourselves) or 'they hate us for our freedom' (meaning: I don't want to admit that "they" have legitimate political goals, so I'll just call them terrorist and extremist who hate us for something that it is ridiculous to believe could inspire hatred).

[catmother]

69. so you support what hizbollah has done?

[Schema Thing]

71. I acknowledge that they have legitimate political goals

And that Israel has been far from a peacemaker.

[catmother]

72. legitimate goals? OMG. they are terrorists who won the people

over with their social programs to get elected. :mad:

[AndyA]

7. I can't stand to watch the little bow-tied twit.

Anyone who helps the Neocons do their dirty deeds is a bad seed in my book. If he came out and told us he'd been lying all along, and he was sorry, I might have some sympathy for him. But until then he's just a right wing SOB.

[President Jesus]

8. he made his name by being a GOP shill for over a decade

I don't care what his "angle" is now. No shill (and this goes for our side a well) should EVER be given respect as a journalist.

[The Gunslinger]

40. Amen.

Just because the wind is currently blowing him slightly to the left of the far right this week, does not mean it will be like that next week. He's just like Scarboro.

[KansDem]

14. If anyone deserves "little respect" it's Tucker...

I haven't seen or heard him much but the last time I did he was berating an anti-flag burning amendment proponent by equating flag burning with shouting obscenities at old women and burning the Torah (all were protected under 1st amendment). I couldn't quite follow his convoluted logic so I turned him off...

[catmother]

16. wow that was some comparison. some people feel very

strongly about our flag. i would never burn one, but i wouldn't want it to be a crime if someone else did.

on edit: i follow no religion, but i would never deface a religious object of any faith.

[ShortnFiery]

34. Often Tucker acts like a child who craves Mommy's attention ...

He's going for the shock effect by blurting out Right Wing B.S. from time to time. That's what makes many of us consider him, at best, "an attention whore," and, at worse, "a waste of human DNA." :-) :hi:

Although he hasn't been on the Air as long as Tucker, many of these snot nosed Male News Commentators can be categorized as having IMO "The Glen Beck Syndrome." Lookie Mommy! What I'm gonna say next! Don't stop me! - I'm just your normal American "Knuckle Draggin' Manly Man." :puke:

Yeah, that jerk (Beck) is a walking - talking example of most everything DISTURBED with the Great American Male Psyche. :scared: :(

[endarkenment]

18. Against it after he was all for it.

Carlson is a shit. A total rightwing turd.
Read this account from media matters:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200406170002
he is one piece of lying slime.

Or here: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tucker_Carlson

Or here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/the-full-disclosure-tucke_b_16530.html

And Hannity - oops er Scarborough (it doesn't much matter) is plain loathsome.

[Ian David]

19. Carlson is also in favor of drug reform...

I believe he fancies himself a Libertarian.

But I still hate that prick.

Fortunately, he's too much of a soft-headed, poorly researched, lightweight whimp to be much of a bully.

[Stinky The Clown]

20. He's a snarky, whiney, smart-assed dweeb

His interview style is disrespectful to his guests. He never allows anyone to complete a thought, even when they agree with him. He goes WAY out of his way to slam (generic) Dems at every chance.

He is not our friend even if we share the same views on a few points.

[ReadTomPaine]

21. Carlson mastered Crossfire's format...

...where he was a formidable foe. He cut his teeth working that arena and understood the timing and landscape of the show so well it was hard get the better of him.

That advantage turned around to bite him when he left his cradle and had to compete in a larger pool of sharks and in less restrictive formats. Without the bells, buzzers and bluster of Crossfire to protect him, he's left to stand on the strength of his ideas and intellect. For Tucker, that's pretty thin ice.

[RiffRandell]

22. ....not wearing a bow tie anymore." n/t

[gully]

23. *ucker Carlson is a libertarian, he's not a Republican to my understanding

But, while he's annoying he says what he believes.

[catmother]

26. you know you're probably right. he said he had never voted

for a democrat so i assumed he was a repub.

yes. he does. :shrug:

[ShortnFiery]

31. Just an antidote ... Suggested by Thom Hartmann

With the exception of the Left Libertarians. Those seemingly Center to Right Wing Libertarians like Tucker Carlson and Ron Paul have open minds on social issues, just that they don't want their tax dollars paying for it.

Thom Hartmann quips that "Libertarians are Republicans who like to Smoke Pot." :P

It stands to reason that many SECULAR republicans don't want the Government in their bedrooms or messing with their personal life choices as long as it doesn't harm society as a whole. However, they sure as shit don't want to contribute to the public GOOD via tax money. They're much easier to tolerate than the religious freaks in the GOP, but aside from not wishing the gov't to mess with Americans personal life choices, they also demonstrate minimal COMPASSION for those less fortunate than themselves. ;)

[catmother]

32. Bill Maher -- the comedian is a libertarian

[ShortnFiery]

36. I didn't know that for a fact, but it does hold up to logic :-)

:hi: Thanks for the Info. IMO Maher is highly intelligent and entertaining on MOST occasions.

[catmother]

37. he's said it several times. i like him too.

[ShortnFiery]

54. I don't really like him at all, his personality is abrasive but he's

entertaining to watch on television because he is highly intelligent. Thank goodness I'm not related to him because he's one arrogant little man. ;)

[OneTwentyoNine]

43. Who agrees with Republicans 99.99999% of the time...

Just like that turd Neal Boortz. They CLAIM their in a different party--BS,they use that line of horse shit so they can get a radio or TV job. Hell even Boortz was telling his Libertarian sheep to vote for Bush in 04.

[gully]

57. Indeed he does. But he likes to appear independent minded - thus is

00.000001 percent deviation from RW propaganda. ;)

[tinfoilinfor2005]

24. Take a Stewart and a Colbert and call me in the morning.

They should straighten you right out on Tucker's credibility.

[catmother]

28. has he been on either one of their shows? i don't get to see

them all the time.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

35. Jon may have ended Tucker's career on CNN.

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bljonstewartcrossfire.htm

[catmother]

38. well thank you. that was great. i don't think he'll ever be on

"the daily show".

[tinfoilinfor2005]

41. Prolly not!

:)

Soon after this interview, CNN canceled Crossfire, and Tucker was jobless. But MSNBC hired him, and soon he was bowtie-less, and a bit more flexible in his political philosophy.

[OneTwentyoNine]

42. Another Repuke like Tweety who spins like a top....

Both those SOB's spent YEARS kissing ass on Bush and his Nazis. Now they see the tide is REALLY turning and they don't want to go over the falls with the boy King. Too late asswipe....

[fairplay]

48. Liberal Democrats side with Israeli fundamentalist?

As in other countries, Israel has more than one political point of view. Labor, liberal, moderate, conservative and fundamentalist ractionaries are all part of the Israeli poilitical dialogue. Why don't you liberal Democrats resonate with liberal or moderate Israelis, why do you support the Israeli version of Pat Roberts and Jerry Farwell, the Christianists? Jon Stewart sides with moderate Israelis. Is Jon Stewart anti semitic?

No liberal would want another country to determine the our foreign policy!

Why is the far right wing government of Israel the only government in the whole universe that is above reproach?

[Bombtrack]

76. I just think Tucker wants to be one of the popular kids having fun

he came to the conclusion there was no possible personal benefit to be found with the "Stay the course" people.

He's far less hatable than almost anyone on Fox, and a more honest debator as well. But I think his personal philisophy is routed in selfishness and attention. I think the same thing about someone like Chris Matthews to a degree. They even both needed to find a mediocre radio show to attention whore it up on as a "friend" to it. Chris Matthews is an Imus asskiss. Tucker is now a regular on "Bubba the Love Sponge" of all people.

[snowbear]

49. He reminds viewers on that show all the time...

that he's not a Republican, that he's a registered Independent..

So by saying "Don't worry I won't change"


..I dunno what he means.

Bob Novak also claims to be a lifelong Independent, and never a Republican.. Or so he says.

[El Fuego]

51. Sometimes I think he's a closet liberal.

[w4rma]

60. They are sneaky like that. Little headgames. (nt)

[otohara]

56. Not That They Don't Deserve It - Carlson on Hardball re: Lebanon

He says it twice - he's worried about the dying fruit in Isreal & the financial toll.


MATTHEWS: Welcome back to HARDBALL. Let‘s go straight now to Haifa and to Tucker Carlson who is waiting to talk to us. Tucker, what is happening up there?

TUCKER CARLSON, MSNBC ANCHOR: Chris, we spent most of the day north of Israel, much north of here, part of the time in a town called Matul, which is a farming community directly across, and I mean directly across from Lebanon. I accompanied apple farmers as they went through their orchards. There was literally a Hezbollah flag flying at the end of one man‘s orchard. I learned two things, quickly, one, this conflict is taking a big financial toll on northern Israel.

Ever since Israel pulled out of Lebanon in 2000, the country has not been to use Lebanese workers for agriculture, so they have imported workers, mainly from south east Asia and Thailand, for instance. All those workers split immediately, and many went back to Thailand. The rest went to Tel Aviv to hide out for the duration of this conflict. So, fruit is literally dying on the vine in northern Israel.

The second thing I learned this is, and I am not sure how to say this, I‘ll just be as blunt as I can, it‘s not a fair fight, not that it should be, but it‘s not. You have on the one hand Hezbollah throwing pretty sophisticated munitions southward. You have on the other hand the IDF, the Israeli Defense Force, throwing a massive amount of very sophisticated hardware north. I‘m not saying that‘s a bad thing, probably a good thing. But it‘s also the truth. We watched round after round after round of enormous artillery shells flying north into southern Lebanon.

I could bore you all day with recounting the sounds of these massive concussions. I cannot imagine what southern Lebanon looks like after taking the pounding that it has been taking. Eve now as I‘m talking to you, we can hear Israeli Air Force planes going over us. We can hear the concussions 20 miles north in the hills form the bombardment. They are really taking a pounding in south Lebanon, not that they don‘t deserve it, but they are definitely taking a pounding.

MATHEWS: Thank you very much Tucker Carlson. Great reporting from over there. Tucker is back at the top of the hour, and be sure to watch Tucker again at 10:00 Eastern tonight for MSNBC‘s again a special report on the Middle East. Play HARDBALL with us again tomorrow night. We‘ll have the latest developments in the Middle East. Right now it‘s time for Tucker again.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

END

.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13970743/

[LostInAnomie]

65. Tucker is full of shit about being against the war.

He, Scarborough, and Tweety all whored for the war and how it was being ran for the first year and a half. They fellated any administration rep. or neo-con that came on their shows, and lambasted any conflicting opinion. It wasn't until public opinion started to turn that they started the "I've always been against the war". Even now, Tucker will throw "I've always been against the war" but he will never directly be critical of it, how it's being ran, or the bastards who fooled the country into it.

If public opinion were to turn again, which I doubt, they will all change their tune again.

[graduate student]

70. they change for ratings....

they change for ratings, when the viewership feels one way, so will there.

that's consumerism media for you

[krkaufman]

75. I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find a clip of Tucker ...

... asking some anti-Iraq war guest whether they would rather Iraqis were still under the dictatorship of Saddam.