January 6 Was a Riot, Tucker Carlson’s Story Doesn’t Change That Fact

I must confess to being thoroughly baffled by the proliferation of jubilant responses to Tucker Carlson’s carefully curated videos of the January 6 riot. Last night, in recherché tones, Carlson told his viewers that the previously unseen footage he was offering up had “overturned the story you’ve heard about January 6,” and insisted that America would henceforth be populated by two discrete sorts of people: those whose false “perception of the day’s events” had been remedied by his presentation, and those who wished to remain “easily manipulated” by the powers that be. In Carlson’s mind, at least, his pitch represented a watershed.

On the homepage, Noah Rothman explains at length why this “monumental allegation is not supported by the facts” — and, in particular, why Carlson’s claim that his recordings do “not show an insurrection or a riot in progress” is incorrect. To Noah’s thorough exposition, I have nothing to add but this question: Suppose Tucker were correct. What, exactly, would that prove?

About the Author

Charles C. W. Cooke

Charles C. W. Cooke is a senior editor at National Review and the host of The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast.

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I must confess to being thoroughly baffled by the proliferation of jubilant responses to Tucker Carlson’s carefully curated videos of the January 6 riot. Last night, in recherché tones, Carlson told his viewers that the previously unseen footage he was offering up had “overturned the story you’ve heard about January 6,” and insisted that America would henceforth be populated by two discrete sorts of people: those whose false “perception of the day’s events” had been remedied by his presentation, and those who wished to remain “easily manipulated” by the powers that be. In Carlson’s mind, at least, his pitch represented a watershed.

On the homepage, Noah Rothman explains at length why this “monumental allegation is not supported by the facts” — and, in particular, why Carlson’s claim that his recordings do “not show an insurrection or a riot in progress” is incorrect. To Noah’s thorough exposition, I have nothing to add but this question: Suppose Tucker were correct. What, exactly, would that prove?