Tucker Carlson Got Into Some Rightwing In-Fighting By Torching Ted Cruz For Calling Jan. 6 A ‘Violent Terrorist Attack’

The first anniversary of Jan. 6, when violent Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building, is upon us, and Republicans have no idea how to commemorate it. Trump, who helped foment the attack, announced what would have almost certainly been an unhinged press conference, but pulled out at the last second. Meanwhile, Fox News hosts keep getting busted for frantic texts they sent that day or, in Sean Hannity’s case, before and after as well.

Ted Cruz, who was instrumental in spreading lies about nonexistent voter fraud, took a truly unpredictable stance: He told the truth. Well, about the insurrectionists, anyway. On the Senate floor, he praised the Capitol police who put themselves in harm’s way, many of whom were injured, some of whom died later as a result of what happened. He even went a step further: He described the siege as a violent terrorist attack.”

https://twitter.com/YossiGestetner/status/1478787194315841538

He’s not wrong, although it’s difficult to know who his target audience was, considering his role in the lead-up to the assault. That’s what Tucker Carlson wondered on his show Wednesday night.

The Fox News host spent a segment slamming “supposedly conservative Republican senators” who are “busy repeating the talking points that [Attorney General] Merrick Garland has written for them.” He then singled out Cruz, airing his recent speech, and then tearing him a new one.

After calling him “legitimately smart” and “one of the more articulate people to serve in Congress,” Carlson removed his kid gloves, taking umbrage with his classification of violent people whipped up on lies, trying to overturn a free and fair election.

“Of all the things that January 6 was, it was definitely not a violent terrorist attack. It wasn’t an insurrection. Was it a riot? Sure!” Carlson asserted. “It was not a violent terrorist attack. Sorry! So why are you telling us that it was, Ted Cruz? And why are none of your Republican friends, who are supposed to be representing us and all the people who’ve been arrested during this purge, saying anything? What the hell’s going on here? You’re making us think maybe the Republican party is as worthless as we suspected it was.”

Carlson then admitted, “That can’t be true” and asked Cruz to “reassure us, please.”

It’s yet another example of the Republican in-fighting inspired by the continued investigation into one of the darkest days in American history, which has led multiple Trump allies to come after each other in an attempt to save face, especially as possible jail-time looms for some.