Why Tucker Carlson and Trump can't win with empty patriotism

Tucker Carlson was feeling constrained, unfairly restricted, unjustly put-upon. It seems that censorious liberals are keeping him from speaking his truth, specifically his feelings about Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who is being considered as a possible running mate for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

So after saying “You’re not supposed to criticize Tammy Duckworth in any way because she once served in the military,” Carlson played a clip of the Illinois Democrat being asked about taking down statues (and basically dodging the question), then said this:

It’s long been considered out of bounds to question a person’s patriotism. 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. And yet paradoxically, at the same time they desperately want to control America, more than anything. And that leads to the most basic of all questions: Can you really lead a country that you hate?

Duckworth, a retired Army National Guard pilot who lost both her legs when her helicopter was shot down in Iraq in 2004, has never been shy about citing her military service to smack down those who would question her patriotism. So she tweeted this in response:

Link to tweet

?s=20

The mistake Carlson makes here is one we hear regularly from conservatives when confronted with someone like Duckworth. No one has any problem with him criticizing her, or any other veteran. He can say she has been a poor senator, or that she shouldn’t be vice president, or that she roots for the wrong baseball team.

It’s only when he criticizes her for allegedly being unpatriotic that people do, and should, say he has stepped over a line.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/07/07/why-tucker-carlson-trump-cant-win-with-empty-patriotism/