Chris Wallace’s response to a years-old slight from Tucker Carlson was met with a huffy knock at the commentator’s career path.
(Video Credit: MSNBC)
Nearly three years after the former host of “Fox News Sunday” parted ways with Fox News, ending up at CNN, the broadcast journalist presented himself as “bitter” to viewers during his first-ever interview with MSNBC’s Ari Melber.
Meant as a plug for Wallace’s new book, “Countdown 1960,” looking at the election that year, the host kicked off with a focus on the most recent presidential contest, leading his guest to swipe, “Well, I’m employed and Tucker really isn’t anymore.”
The knock against Carlson, who, after he was taken off the air at Fox News went on to start his own successful production with considerable exposure on X, came as Melber dredged up text messages that had been made public via the discovery process in the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit against the cable news network.
Leading off the interview on “The Beat,” the host read off one exchange between Carlson and Fox News host Laura Ingraham where the latter had said, “My anger at the news channel is pronounced.”
Carlson replied, “It should be. We devote our lives to building an audience and they let Chris Wallace…wreck it.”
When Melber sought Wallace’s response after reading the messages, his guest fired back, “Well, I’m employed and Tucker really isn’t anymore. So that’s part of my response. You know, look, I had a very good 18-year run at Fox, and they never messed with me the whole time.”
He went on to assert that the network shifted in response to backlash over coverage of the 2020 election, particularly when the state of Arizona had been called for then-former Vice President Joe Biden well before any other outlet.
“There was less interest in — even in the news side — in sticking to the facts, sticking to the truth, and more in telling that audience — to try to win them back — what they wanted to hear,” argued Wallace. “And they paid a big price for it. You know, you talk about the misinformation about the elections. You know, I have to say I’m not unhappy that Fox had to pay $787 million because there ought to be a price to pay when you don’t tell the truth and you deliberately misinform people about things that the evidence, in that case, showed that higher-up at Fox knew wasn’t true.”
As was reported, Carlson and Ingraham weren’t alone in sounding off about their colleagues at the network as Sean Hannity and Jesse Watters were part of exchanges where others they mentioned wanting to see depart Fox News included Leland Vittert, Jacqui Heinrich and Neil Cavuto.
Wallace’s reaction to the message left many believing Carlson lived rent-free in the CNN talking head’s mind as his “bitter” demeanor was called out.
Chris is a bitter clinger.
— God’s Girl (@Rachel22Queen) October 9, 2024
He’s a bitter old man.
— Bev (@oh2bajones) October 9, 2024
He always reminds me of a celebrity tag along, last kid picked. No where near as good as his dad.
— Never forget ❤️ (@kathy25932350) October 9, 2024
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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