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Tucker Carlson: Bush's
truth-telling "is exactly what's needed around the
world"
Media Matters July 13, 2006 Summary: On MSNBC, Tucker Carlson claimed that "one of the few redeeming things about" Bush is his "bravado," because "telling the truth is exactly what's needed around the world." But Carlson himself has questioned the usefulness of Bush's "overconfidence" and the truthfulness of the Bush administration's rhetoric prior to the invasion of Iraq. While discussing President Bush's foreign policy on the July 10 debut of MSNBC's Tucker, host Tucker Carlson claimed that "one of the few redeeming things about" Bush is his "bravado," because "telling the truth is exactly what's needed around the world." However, Carlson himself has questioned the usefulness of Bush's "overconfidence" and the truthfulness of the Bush administration's rhetoric prior to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Introducing a discussion with Mike Papantonio, co-host of Air America Radio's Ring Of Fire, on Time magazine's July 17 cover story, "The End of Cowboy Diplomacy," Carlson stated: "Actually, President Bush's bravado is the best thing about him, one of the few redeeming things about him, in fact. Telling the truth is exactly what's needed around the world, particularly in places like Iran and North Korea." But on the June 28 edition of MSNBC's The Situation with Tucker Carlson, Carlson questioned Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) about whether the Bush administration's assertions about Iraq's purported possession of weapons of mass destruction were properly scrutinized before the invasion. Carlson stated that "even thinking about ... the run-up to the war in Iraq is making me agitated." From the June 28 edition of MSNBC's The Situation with Tucker Carlson:
Carlson also led a discussion on the March 1 edition of The Situation about a video showing President Bush being informed before Hurricane Katrina that New Orleans' levees could be overtopped. During the discussion, Carlson agreed with MSNBC contributor Flavia Colgan's assessment that the Bush administration has "a pattern that the rhetoric does not match the reality on the ground" and that Bush's "overconfidence stands in stark contrast to the dire warnings they were hearing." Carlson then stated: "My trust evaporated after no WMD were found." From the March 1 edition of MSNBC's The Situation:
From the July 10 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:
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