Just Asking Questions

In the middle of last week, as President Trump flirted with joining Israel’s bombing campaign against Iran and its nuclear infrastructure, Tucker Carlson—the Fox host turned independent right-wing podcaster, who, as I noted in last Tuesday’s newsletter, has vehemently opposed US involvement in the conflict—posted a clip from a forthcoming interview with Senator Ted Cruz, who supports regime change in Iran (if not, for now, putting US boots on the ground to achieve it). Carlson asked Cruz how many people live in Iran. Cruz didn’t know. Carlson, pulling the incredulous grimace that he has perfected over the years, asked Cruz why he didn’t know. “I don’t sit around memorizing population tables,” Cruz replied. Carlson proceeded to ask Cruz about the ethnic makeup of Iran, in an exchange that quickly degenerated into yelling. “You’re a senator who’s calling for the overthrow of the government,” Carlson snorted, leaning forward in his chair, “and you don’t know anything about the country!” Responding to the clip on X, Cruz accused Carlson of “gotcha” journalism, and said that he wouldn’t play that “silly game.” He then posted a meme that depicted Carlson asking Luke Skywalker to specify the population of the Death Star.