Tucker Carlson’s ouster at Fox News led to speculation about a political future.
Carlson finally addressed the rumors.
Tucker Carlson sent one message about running for president in 2024 that no one could believe.
As Black Eye Politics reports:
Back in July of 2020 POLITICO published an article titled “Tucker Carlson 2024? The GOP is buzzing.”
During the 2020 election Carlson drew the highest ratings in the history of cable news — that fall Carlson’s show outrated the NBA Finals — and set the agenda in the GOP.
Carlson introduced the scourge of critical race theory in school and diversity, equity and inclusion programs in corporate America to a mass audience.
And Carlson’s opposition to COVID mandates and the Black Lives Matter riots helped frame the opposition to the left’s attempt to use the pandemic and the death of George Floyd to seize total power in America.
But Carlson denied ever having any interest in running for national office.
Just weeks before Fox News sacked him Carlson told Ben Smith of the left-wing outlet Semafor that he loved his job at Fox News too much to ever run for president.
“I have zero ambition, not just politically, but in life,” Carlson stated. “My ambition is to write my script by 8 p.m. … I don’t want power, I’ve never wanted power — I’m annoyed by things, I want them to change — but I’ve never been motivated by a desire to control people.”
“I’m not running,” Carlson continued. “I’m a talk show host! And I enjoy my job, by the way. What a blessing it is to say what you really think. Only women can get pregnant, I dare you to say that.”
But now that Fox News took that job away from Carlson, Insider senior correspondent Mattathias Schwartz wondered if Carlson’s thoughts on a 2024 campaign had changed.
“Are you going to run for president?” Schwartz texted Carlson.
Carlson’s response stunned Schwartz.
“Yes. Announcing Friday in New Hampshire,” Carlson replied.
Schwartz scrambled to get Carlson on the phone to confirm what he believed to be a massive scoop that would shake up the election.
“Can I call you? I would like to be first with this… But I can’t stand it up with one text… Let me know. A voice call would be helpful,” Schwartz wrote back.
That was when Carlson dropped the act and let Schwartz know he was just pulling his leg.
“I can never control myself. I’m fundamentally a d—. My apologies,” Carlson explained.
But Carlson’s presence may still yet be felt in the 2024 election.
Carlson recently announced he is bringing his show back to Twitter.
And recent reports revealed that Donald Trump and Carlson discussed Trump appearing at a candidate forum hosted by Carlson on his new show.