Tucker vs. Hannity on Ukraine Is the Debate We Need
Russia has amassed its military on Ukraine’s eastern border, and many are concerned Vladimir Putin will order an invasion of the country just as he did in 2014. A growing number of politicians and pundits across the political spectrum have called on President Joe Biden to take a variety of measures to prevent an invasion, as well as prepare a response in the event that it happens.
Anyone who has watched Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity on Fox News recently has likely noticed that their views on this situation are quite different. Carlson has expressed alarm at the bipartisan push to become further involved in a conflict that he thinks has little strategic implications for the U.S. Hannity, meanwhile, has excoriated Biden for not doing enough to deter Putin.
The hosts’ respective monologues on Thursday night were instructive of this, and it’s high time these two debate the issue with one another in Ali-vs.-Frazier, Rumble In the Jungle-esque fashion. It’s the debate we need.
“In the coming days, Russia may violate Ukraine’s eastern border,” Carlson said on Thursday night. “This, we are told, cannot stand.”
Carlson played a montage of elected officials and pundits on various networks – including Fox News – calling on Biden to do more to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine. (The following night, Carlson hosted Tulsi Gabbard, who used his show to call Fox News contributor Mike Pompeo a “warmonger.”)
“Oh, they’re all red in the face,” Carlson said. “But it’s not the usual partisan chorus. This is the entire choir. You just saw representatives from every faction in Washington, from Adam Schiff to Dan Crenshaw – not as different as they seem – and all the dummies in between. And all of them are promoting war against Russia on behalf of our new and deeply beloved ally, the government of Ukraine. ‘Vladimir Putin is our most dangerous enemy!’ they scream. ‘We can’t let ’em hurt Ukraine!'”
The story on Hannity that night was much different, as the host slammed Biden for a second night in a row. More than twenty four hours before, the president had suggested a U.S. response to Russian aggression against Ukraine would depend on whether it took the form of a “minor incursion.” The White House later cleaned up his comments.
Hannity highlighted reactions from Ukrainian officials who expressed shock at Biden’s remarks.
“Joe Biden has now essentially invited Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine,” Hannity told viewers on Thursday night. “Democrats? They could care less. The mob, the media, can care less. Joe Biden literally giving Putin a waiver to build the [Nord Stream 2] pipeline.”
The night before, Hannity lamented that “our enemies are watching this” and said Biden is too “weak” to stand up to Putin.
Hannity immediately follows Tucker Carlson Tonight, so any debate could be folded into the network’s regular programming schedule. Of course, Fox News doesn’t need advice on how to win big in the ratings. It’s doing just fine in that department on its own. But a debate on a widely discussed hot-button issue between the two most-watched primetime hosts would be a ratings bonanza.
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
