The text message that (maybe) got Tucker Carlson fired

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     May 3, 2023 Is this really the text message that did Tucker Carlson in? According to the New York Times, Carlson's abrupt firing came after Fox News executives learned of a [racist text message]( in which Carlson described to a colleague a fleeting desire to kill an "Antifa kid." The text, [which you can read here in the Times]( report, is indeed hideous; I felt especially nauseous reading Carlson's eerie notes of false self-reflection. But personally, I'm struggling a bit to see how this text message is any more alarming than the repulsive things Carlson espoused night after night as one of the most powerful men in media. Perhaps there's more we'll learn soon. After all, [Dominion Voting Systems officials]( recently hinted at more damaging information lying in the pretrial discovery material. But regardless of any new context we may become privy to, keep in mind [these points from my colleague]( David Corn: We don’t yet know all the details of what led Fox to toss cash-cow Carlson to the curb. But one thing is certain: It wasn’t for his perversion and poisoning of the national political discourse. That was his raison d’etre at Fox. He was no truth-teller. He was a pro-MAGA, for-mega-profit propagandist. Carlson’s personal journey is a tale of the Trump era. Like the GOP, he was already on the path to right-wing demagoguery before Trump oozed down that escalator. As those dark political winds grew stronger, he eagerly raised the sails and exploited the Trumpification of the Republican Party and the conservative movement. But by ending up a Fox cast-off whose phoniness has been thoroughly exposed, Carlson has finally provided something of a public service. As David recently said, I'm beginning to feel tuckered out from all this garbage. —Inae Oh Advertisement [House Store Ad]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [“How White Men Fight”]( If this was the text that got Tucker Carlson fired, it's fitting. BY TIM MURPHY SPONSORED CONTENT BY HEIFER INTERNATIONAL   Free Friends Tote with Your Monthly Gift Sign up as a monthly donor to Heifer International and receive a free tote bag as a token of our appreciation. The bag is durable and spacious, making it ideal for carrying essentials and showing off your commitment to ending world hunger. [Join now and impact lives for a lifetime.]( [Trending] [Bolsonaro allegedly falsified his vaccination status to enter the US]( BY ISABELA DIAS   [I don't think someone "ranting" on the subway means they deserved to die]( BY ABIGAIL WEINBERG   [Lampreys, like Rodney Dangerfield, deserve a little respect]( BY TED WILLIAMS   [The Dobbs leak didn't wreck the Supreme Court—the justices' scandals did]( BY PEMA LEVY Advertisement [House Donations Ad]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [Tucker Carlson’s Long Con]( Was his long, strange trip a put-up job? BY DAVID CORN [Fiercely Independent] Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755