Tucker Carlson’s antisemitic rhetoric: A dangerous echo of Father Coughlin - opinion

This piece draws a stark parallel between the dangerous rhetoric of Father Charles Coughlin in the 1930s and contemporary commentator Tucker Carlson. Like Coughlin, who used his radio platform to spread virulent antisemitism under the guise of patriotism, Carlson is accused of employing similar tactics. The article meticulously details how Carlson's accusations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his claims of Jewish elites secretly guiding US policy mirror the "blood-libel playbook" and old conspiracy theories repackaged for a modern audience.

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Today, Tucker Carlson has taken up that same dark mantle. His tactics, his rhetoric, and his fixation on Jewish conspiracy theories follow the Coughlin playbook, line by line.

What is particularly concerning, as highlighted by the author, is Carlson's timing and target. His attacks on the US president and allies at a moment of significant global instability—with threats from Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas—are seen not as strengthening America, but as bolstering the narratives of its enemies. This mirrors Coughlin's historical pattern of undermining American leadership during times of crisis, a strategy that sows confusion and division from within.

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Carlson has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “controlling” America, an accusation straight out of the blood-libel playbook. He claims Jewish elites secretly guide US policy.

The article further condemns Carlson's insinuations regarding the Israeli president and Jeffrey Epstein, labeling them as baseless accusations designed to stain a Jewish leader with toxic conspiracy theories. This method of spreading antisemitic myths through whispers and insinuations, dressed as "questions," is precisely how such corrosive ideologies gain traction, much like Coughlin's unchecked influence in his era. The piece also notes Carlson's interview with Alexander Dugin, a figure known for his anti-Western and anti-Jewish views, suggesting a shared ideological space that is deeply concerning for international relations and the fight against hate.

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He is not strengthening America. He is not strengthening our allies – he is strengthening our enemies’ narrative. He is strengthening the narrative of our enemies.