Tucker Carlson: Bin Laden Getting 'Talking Points' from 'NY Times'

Editor and Publisher
Jan. 23, 2006

NEW YORK While much of the liberal blogosphere, and political figures such as Sen. John Kerry, remain inflamed over comments by MSNBC's Chris Matthews on "Hardball" on Thursday--in which he suggested that Osama bin Laden, in his latest video tape, sounded an awful lot like fillmmaker Michael Moore--The New York Times has also now been linked to Osama by another cable news pundit.

Later on Thursday night, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough weighed in on the subject, going beyond Moore to claim that bin Laden was also borrowing language or ideas from the likes of Howard Dean, Sen. Kerry and Sen. Ted Kennedy. His guest, Tucker Carlson, who has his own MSNBC show, then spread the net further, to include opinion columnists at The New York Times.

The exchange from the transcript follows.
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SCARBOROUGH: Now, of course, Tucker, I'm not comparing these Democrats to Osama bin Laden, but look.

First thing, Osama talks about how our troops are terrorizing women and children in Iraq. John Kerry said the same thing in front of Bob Schieffer on "Face the Nation."

Osama's saying that George Bush knows he can't win this war, something that Howard Dean said, and, also, that this was launched for political reasons, which of course Ted Kennedy said last year, that this was all dreamed up in Texas for political benefit.

CARLSON: By the merchants of war who financed Bush's presidential campaign, in the words of Osama bin Laden and many on the left. In other words, Halliburton is responsible for this war, every single talking point.

I hate to think of Osama bin Laden reclining in his cave in Waziristan, reading the op-ed page of "The New York Times."

But, clearly, he is. He's got every talking point. It's uncanny.

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Later, on his own MSNBC program, Carlson asked, referring to bin Laden: "How does he get The New York Times in his cave?"

Meanwhile, appearing on the Fox News show "Hannity & Colmes," former Rep. Newt Gingrich said, "I think it's quite clear as you point out, Sean [Hannity], that from this tape, that bin Laden and his lieutenants are monitoring the American news media, they're monitoring public opinion polling, and I suspect they take a great deal of comfort when they see people attacking United States policies."

Sen. Kerry, posting at the popular blog DailyKos, responded to the latest commentary: "Here's a subject suited for true hard ball, on 'Hardball': four years of failure-- enough is enough-- why hasn't Osama Bin Laden been captured or killed, and how will he be destroyed before he next appears on tape to spread his disgusting message? That discussion -- rather than criticizing American citizens who exercise their right to free speech and express dissenting opinions -- is the discussion that America needs. That would be the kind of debate on 'Hardball' to which we should all tune in."

The latest Gallup poll shows that about 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of President Bush's handling of the Iraq war, with roughly half calling for a U.S. withdrawal--28% wanting this within six months.