Media critic for The Washington Post, Erik Wemple, shared a strong response Fox News host Tucker Carlson gave to a question about his son.
In his Monday column titled, “Tucker Carlson, megalomaniac,” Wemple mentioned a report published by Axios about a phone call Carlson had with Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), chairman of the House Republican campaign committee, on Friday about his son.
“Either reveal which staff member took a swipe at Carlson’s son, a Capitol Hill aide, in an article about internal House GOP politicking — or the Fox host would assume Emmer himself was to blame for the quote,” Axios explained.
Wemple offered context in his column:
“If Republicans capture the House in the midterms, [Rep. Jim Banks] might face off against Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) for a House leadership position. In assessing that intra-party contest, the Daily Beast included this criticism of Banks from an unnamed GOP strategist: ‘Deep down, he dies to be liked by the Establishment. He hires Tucker Carlson’s son, a 24-year-old kid, to be his communications director.'”
Axios noted Emmer told Carlson his office had nothing to do with the quote about his son.
Wemple reported that when the Post reached out for comment about the phone call with Emmer, Carlson replied, “Normal people understand it’s wrong to go after a man’s family.”
He added, “But you don’t because you’re a soulless ghoul who literally works for Jeff Bezos. Go f*** yourself.”
Concluding his column, Wemple wrote, “Thin skin; no sense of proportion; a compulsion to attack; a reliance on conspiratorial thinking as a way of explaining the world: That quote captures the essential aspects of Tucker Carlson, none of them pretty.”
Others commented on the matter, including Donald Trump Jr.
He tweeted, “Why did Tom Emmer tell his consultants to run to the leftwing Daily Beast to trash Jim Banks, Tucker Carlson and Tucker’s family? Does he really think that’s a winning strategy for a Republican House leadership race? Pathetic!”
Why did Tom Emmer tell his consultants to run to the leftwing Daily Beast to trash Jim Banks, Tucker Carlson and Tucker's family? Does he really think that’s a winning strategy for a Republican House leadership race? Pathetic! pic.twitter.com/kFwi1C5M1P
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) October 21, 2022
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) wrote, “I stand with Buckley Carlson.”
I stand with Buckley Carlson.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 23, 2022
Additionally, Axios noted Emmer attempted to “distance his office from the quote — and even to shift blame to another member of leadership’s staff, according to two sources familiar with his private comments.”
However, the Fox News host is still placing the blame on Emmer.