CNN’s Brianna Keilar Takes Down Tucker Carlson: “He Is White Rage”

CNN’s New Day anchor Brianna Keilar delivered a scathing takedown of FOX News personality/alt-right barbershop quartet member Tucker Carlson yesterday. In her segment “Roll the Tape”, Keilar addressed the conservative fury over Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, who defended a curriculum that teaches the accurate history of racism in this country in our military academies and institutions. This move toward a more authentic understanding of the role racism has played in America has been labeled “critical race theory”, which conservatives have weaponized as their latest scaremongering conspiracy theory in their endless culture war.

Milley’s thoughtful, compassionate response to the importance of education was lauded by many … except by FOX News hosts and republican congress members who would rather smear a decorated army general than … admit racism exists?

Keilar’s segment highlighted Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who called to defund the military over Milley being “too woke”. She also addressed the network’s whitewashing of the Capitol insurrection while villainizing the Black Lives Matter movement. But she saved her best zingers for Tucker Carlson, who called Milley “stupid”, “a pig”, and “unimpressive” in an unhinged rant against the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“Unimpressive, he calls him,” Keilar said. “What does he mean? Milley is not immune from criticism but look at the stripes on his sleeve. Ten of them, we counted. Each one of those overseas service bars is six months deployed. That is five years. That is more time than Tucker Carlson spent at his probably third-choice boarding school.”

She continued, “Tucker Carlson didn’t serve. His biggest achievement is having nine lives in the world of cable news, making a bowtie famous, and getting away with promoting conspiracy theories, night after night after night.” Keilar then ran a clip of Carlson’s latest segment on “anti-white mania”, where Carlson raved about America turning into Rwanda (whatever that means).

“That isn’t just a dog whistle, it’s a white-whistle,” Keilar said, addressing Carlson’s barely contained anger. “He pretends white rage doesn’t exist. He is white rage! Don’t sell yourself short, pal.”

Many took to Twitter to support Keilar’s takedown:

As FOX News and other conservative outlets slide deeper into conspiracy theories and racist fearmongering, it’s important that real journalists hold them accountable for their profligate lies. And while they’re preaching to the choir, it’s still refreshing to see news anchors on CNN and MSNBC finally call out FOX News for what it really is: a bullshit factory.

(via CNN, image: screencap)

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Chelsea Steiner

Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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