Reporting from Moscow

Americans are a forgiving people. When Jane Fonda visited Hanoi at the height of the Vietnam War and was photographed smiling as she sat in an anti-aircraft battery, those of us in uniform who if we visited Hanoi would be dead or sitting in a locked and barred “tiger cage” questioned her patriotism. It all worked out for our girl Jane. She appeared in plenty of movies over the following fifty years and even won an Oscar.

Will Americans forgive Tucker Carlson? “Tuckie” just returned from Moscow where he interviewed Vladimir Putin. The Russian media loved it. It mentioned Carlson more than 2,000 times in recent days. Some outlets even tailed his vehicle, reporting where he ate, with whom he met and where he visited. Eager for a taste of home, “Tuckie” was photographed visiting the fast-food outlet Vkusno i Tochka, which replaced McDonald’s when the chain left Russia. Will that photo of Tucker Carlson wolfing down a “Big Macski” while bombs fall on Ukrainian civilians cause the same revulsion as Jane in the AA battery?

The Russian media is “spinning” Carlson’s visit like Republicans claiming that the Jan 6 rioters were “just another Capitol tour group”. According to Russian state media, Carlson’s interview with Putin is proof that in the West, “our truth is in demand like never before.”

Good point, Ivan. Why else visit balmy Moscow in February?

“Tuckie” made a boo-boo though. When he claimed on a video Tuesday that Russia had invaded Ukraine, Russian media was quick to correct him. “Russia did not invade anywhere; it was NATO that attacked Russia.”

According to some, the 1969 “moon landing” was the all-time most elaborate hoax. There was even a movie (co-starring O.J. Simpson of all people) describing how NASA did it. Those crafty Ukrainians out-did Hollywood by faking a Russian invasion to get lots of foreign aid. Fortunately, MAGA World saw right through that. Get with the MAGA program, “Tuckie”!

We forgave Jane Fonda when North Vietnam used her as a propaganda tool. We will likely forgive Tucker Carlson for acting as a Russian propaganda tool. In fact, “tool” is an accurate adjective for “Tuckie”.

By Ed Dufton