Well, folks, this is a heck of an interesting episode:
Ep. 15 Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund reveals what really happened on January 6th. Our Fox News interview with him never aired, so we invited him back. pic.twitter.com/opDlu4QGlp
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) August 10, 2023
There are several interesting elements to both the media story of Carlson v. Fox News and the inherent newsworthiness of the entire piece. We suggest you listen to all of it but we will give you a brief summary: According to Steven Sund, the former Chief of the Capitol Police, there was a stunning refusal to share intelligence with him before the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. There was a stunning refusal to provide him help when he asked for it. There was a similarly stunning refusal to help protect the White House in May of 2020 or to prosecute those rioters.
Mind you, this is all according to Sund. Others may tell a different story, and the documentary and similar evidence might tell a story that either backs him up or contradicts him. But if he is to be believed, then the best-case scenario is that many people in the federal government knew that there was likely to be violence on January 6, 2021, and seemingly decided to make the situation worse.
The other element to the story is the media element. This is probably the most in-your-face episode aired by Carlson yet toward Fox News, after the first one. He is saying that there was a previously recorded interview with this man, probably substantially similar to the one he just aired. But he couldn’t get the recording, so he had to basically redo it and, we guess, act surprised.
Why didn’t Fox News air the interview? It seems almost certainly newsworthy, if it is substantially similar to this one. Yes, it would have been awkward to show an interview with Carlson after he was taken off the air, but its extremely newsworthy, whether his story holds up or is debunked.
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Or if they really, really didn't want to air a Tucker Carlson interview, why didn't they re-interview Sund and release that?
Further, Fox News almost has to air the original Carlson interview, now. Any reasonable reporter would want to look at the recording and see how consistent Sund has been between both interviews. If he contradicts himself, that is news. If he is robotically reciting the exact same story word-for-word it makes you wonder if he is just memorizing a story. And if he is not doing either of those things, it probably bolsters his credibility.
Also, it is worth noting that Carlson didn’t have to tell us he previously interviewed the guy. Maybe he told us in the spirit of openness, or maybe he is twisting the knife into Fox News, putting them on the spot for refusing to air the interview at all.
Moreover, it is interesting to hear Carlson talk about his old show. At one point he refers to his Fox Show as his previous job. But he also said that he was welcoming Sund ‘back.’ So that suggests he sees Tucker on Twitter as essentially a continuation of his Fox News show.
Finally, to follow up briefly on ratings, we wondered previously if the interview with Tristan Tate would get the same number of views as his brother. The answer is he got just over 45 million views, less than half. But the Devin Archer interviews (here and here) got even less, which is depressing because the Tates are likely to be a footnote in history, while Archer’s testimony might be a stepping stone to an impeachment of Joe Biden.
In any case, here are some reactions:
Shouldn't it be called "Tucker on X"?
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) August 11, 2023
We are toying with calling it ‘TSMSFNA Twitter.’ That stands for The Social Media Site Formerly Known As Twitter.
Told ya!
— Luke Zaleski (@ZaleskiLuke) August 11, 2023
Tucker’s doing exactly what @elonmusk did—He’s trying to suggest he’s the ultimate arbiter of truth and an outsider and centrist in order to overtake the media landscape, shift the Overton window, and rebrand in his middle-age. And like with Elon MAGAs are all all-in.
This is lunacy. Tucker Carlson expressing his opinion no more makes him the ultimate arbiter of truth than this lug nut is by expressing his opinion.
2 minutes later and Tucker already has more viewers than CNN will have all evening.
— JoMa🏝️ (@joma_gc) August 10, 2023
We don’t know if that is true and we are too lazy to look it up, but definitely sounds true. And it’s hilarious.
Chief Sund only scratched the surface. The USCP General Counsel, Thomas DiBiase is central to the coverup. I've already proven that this was a fedsurrection parliamentary coup and I name who was involved. To catch up to this reality, here is the blueprint of who should be…
— Ivan Raiklin (@IvanRaiklin) August 11, 2023
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) August 10, 2023
Fox & Establishment: We ought to censor this dude. Our plan would be in jeopardy if we don’t.
— Alan Myron : E Pluribus Unum 🌺 (@AlanMyron) August 11, 2023
* Try to silence Tucker *
Tucker: pic.twitter.com/SIxwO0LtKi
A stand down was ordered
— Jesus G. Navarro 🇺🇸 (@Jesus_G_Navarro) August 11, 2023
Fox News spiked @TuckerCarlson’s original interview with former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund on J6 — So he interviewed him again and posted it on 𝕏.
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) August 11, 2023
𝕏 is the media now. https://t.co/H8nxvxaKoB
BREAKING: Tucker Carlson interviews former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, who reveals what really happened on Jan 6. https://t.co/0fiA8NasQn
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) August 11, 2023
Fox News DIDN’T want you to see this interview.
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) August 10, 2023
That means you MUST watch this interview! https://t.co/OZVuGq7pwH
65% of all likely voters believe Jan 6th was a #Fedsurrection
— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen_Poll) August 11, 2023
This looks worthwhile … https://t.co/sttEOUTSa9
The Nazis are already shadow banning this post. I got a text from tuckers website but X didn’t notify me. https://t.co/MFFxR5YFs8
— Mr. America (@ConservativesSo) August 11, 2023
This author’s backup Twitter account, @AaronWalkerLaw (set up for a YouTube channel he has been neglecting), gave a notification, for what it is worth. (This author’s main, @AaronWorthing, is still unjustly suspended.)
Breaking! While people were watching Jan 6 on TV, Nancy Pelosi refused to provide the Capitol Police Chief with the national guard for 71 minutes!
— Bad Kitty Unleashed 🦁💪🏻 (@pepesgrandma) August 11, 2023
Nancy Pelosi set up conservatives!
Also, the DOJ, and military etc refused to provide the Police Chief with any intelligence in… https://t.co/k5ROma0aND
Dear liberals… your J6 narrative is really falling apart, and fast.. I cannot wait until this trial. https://t.co/qqTuITLKzB
— 🇺🇸 MAGA Michelle S 🇺🇸 (@MAGAMichelleS69) August 11, 2023
Why is Tucker the only one interviewing this Capitol Police Chief about what really happened on Jan 6th? True journalism in US is dead….except for here on X. @elonmusk https://t.co/ZTYfuDCGqM
— John Spears (@spears36) August 11, 2023
It does seem like a dereliction of duty on the part of the press.
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