As of: February 11, 2024, 7:29 p.m
By: Christoph Gschoßmann
Comments
Press
Split
Tucker Carlson was criticized after his interview with Vladimir Putin.
An ex-colleague of Fox also joins in.
Frankfurt – The interview with Vladimir Putin made waves, but in the aftermath it caused a lot of criticism for US journalist Tucker Carlson.
His ex-colleague from Fox News, Chris Wallace, described Carlson and his attitude towards Putin as an “eager puppy.” For the first time since the war of aggression against Ukraine began almost two years ago, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin was questioned in detail by a US interviewer.
The 127-minute conversation with the right-wing talk show host Tucker Carlson was recorded on Tuesday and published on the German night of Friday (February 9, 2024).
Wallace didn't leave Carlson in good stead: the conversation was “anything but an interview,” Wallace said on his
CNN
show “The Chris Wallace Show.”
“Putin talked for two hours and seven minutes while Tucker sat there like an eager puppy.”
Tucker Carlson interview did not discuss the invasion of Ukraine
After 18 years at Fox, Wallace moved to CNN in 2022.
He observed that Carlson asked a question “occasionally, but rarely.”
Nevertheless, what Carlson didn't ask was much more meaningful.
“Nothing about why Putin invaded a sovereign country.
Nothing about targeting civilians.
Nothing about Russian war crimes,” Wallace said.
“A reporter can ask Putin a difficult question if he wants a real interview.”
Unique opportunity: Tucker Carlson (l.) interviews Vladimir Putin.
© Gavriil Grigorov/dpa
He himself played a clip on his show in which he interviewed Putin for Fox in 2018 and asked: "Why is it that so many of Vladimir Putin's opponents die or are close to him?" But Carlson is "for such questions" apparently not […] gone to Moscow.”
Former colleague compares Tucker Carlson to “useful idiots”
He compared Carlson to gullible Cold War wrestlers who spread Soviet propaganda as “useful idiots.”
Carlson, however, made a cynical decision.
He wants to score points in the “Make America Great Again” movement by being close to dictators.”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) also sharply criticized the interview.
Scholz said on Friday (February 9th) during a visit to the US capital Washington that it was an interview “that honestly only mocks what real actions have been done by Russia in Ukraine and tells a completely absurd story about the cause of this war”.
My news
NATO response to Putin's air strikes: Experts fear rapid fire read
Emergency situation for Putin's troops: Swedish tank mixes up the front
“War must be brought to Russia”: CDU expert calls for escalation – against the worst case scenario
In just two sentences: German Russia expert exposes Putin after reading an interview
Repetition of the election in Berlin: When the first results can be expected today read
Ukraine is threatened with a serious loss of Avdiivka: Kiev is therefore taking a tank risk reading
Scholz and EU criticize Carlson interview with Putin: “Well-known lies”
Scholz emphasized: “There is a very clear reason.” That is the Kremlin chief's desire to incorporate part of Ukraine.
“And all the stories that are told about it do not change the fact that this is exactly the purpose of his imperialist efforts.”
Carlson is known for spreading hoaxes and conspiracy theories at his former employer Fox News.
He did not question Putin's long-winded remarks.
Critics had already identified this in advance of the conversation as the reason why the Kremlin chief may have granted the American an interview.
The European Union also expressed criticism.
Putin repeated “well-known lies, distortions and manipulations” in the interview, said the spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Nabila Massrali, in Brussels on Friday.
She also criticized Carlson, who had “offered Putin a platform for manipulating and spreading propaganda.”
Former US President Donald Trump, who was supported by Carlson, declared that if he were re-elected he would not protect defaulting NATO members from Russia, but would “even encourage” Putin.
(cgsc)