Sen. Kamala Harris made history on Tuesday after becoming the first black woman on a national presidential ticket, and Fox News host Tucker Carlson said that alone is enough to give her immunity from any criticism.
Harris was revealed as presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s running mate after several months of vetting candidates and growing pressure for Biden to choose a woman of color.
“For the next several months, Harris is going to say that Donald Trump is a racist,” Carlson said. “She will say that every day until November. That’s her job now. You watch. But keep in mind as you watch, that there’s no fighting back. It’s not allowed. Kamala Harris is a ‘historic’ candidate, and that means you have no right to criticize her regardless of what she says.”
Carlson pointed to a letter that was sent to media outlets on Thursday by a group of powerful women’s organizations, including Planned Parenthood and Emily’s List. The letter urged media outlets to be vigilant of anti-racist and anti-sexist reporting in anticipation of Biden’s vice presidential pick, which was not yet announced at the time the missive was sent.
“Women have been subject to stereotypes and tropes about qualifications, leadership, looks, relationships and experience,” the letter reads. “Those stereotypes are often amplified and weaponized for black and brown women.”
Carlson said the letter has already impacted coverage of Harris in the New York Times’s description of her, which described the California Democrat as a “pragmatic moderate.”
“That wasn’t guidance,” Carlson said regarding the letter. “It was an unveiled threat. They made it because they knew it would work, and, in fact, it’s already working.”
Later on in his show, Carlson made his point again when he sparred with his guest Richard Goodstein, a former Hillary Clinton adviser, over the proper pronunciation of Harris’s name.
“This is something that will serve you and your fellow hosts on Fox,” Goodstein started. “Her name is pronounced ‘comma,’ like the punctuation mark. Kamala … Out of respect for somebody who’s going to be on the national ticket, pronouncing her name right. It’s kind of a bare minimum.”
Carlson shot back, saying that was only an example of how criticism against Harris won’t be taken lightly.
“So I’m disrespecting her by mispronouncing her name unintentionally?” he said. “So it begins. You’re not allowed to criticize Ka-mala Harris or Kamala Harris or whatever.”
The host added that he stands firm on the idea no one in a position of power is immune to criticism.
“Nobody in power is immune from criticism,” Carlson said. “Our political leaders must be held to account. That’s our job.”
