Okay, so here we go again. Another day, another Republican trying to tiptoe through the antisemitism minefield. This time it's Rick Santorum, bless his heart, trying to walk back Kevin Roberts' idiotic defense of Tucker Carlson platforming Nick Fuentes. Seriously, give me a break.
Damage Control: GOP Edition
Santorum's on Newsmax, of all places, telling Rob Schmitt that Roberts "sort of missed it a little bit." Missed it? Missed it? It's like saying the Titanic "sort of" had a rough night. Roberts didn't just miss the boat; he jumped off the dock and swam in the opposite direction.
The quote that's sticking in my craw is Fuentes claiming the "big challenge to unifying the country was organized Jewry in America." And Carlson just let him spew that garbage unchallenged? What the hell?
Santorum's trying to play the reasonable guy, saying the issue isn't about "canceling" Fuentes (nobody's talking about that, Rick, you're inventing a strawman) but about Carlson "platforming and lifting up" a known antisemite. And he's right, offcourse. But it's too little, too late.
He even calls Carlson's interview a "pretty softball interview for almost two hours" where Fuentes got to "do whatever he wanted to do." No kidding, Rick. It's like giving a toddler a loaded weapon and then acting surprised when someone gets hurt.
The Real Problem: Cowardice
Look, let's be real: the problem isn't just Carlson, or Roberts, or even Fuentes. It's the cowardice of the entire Republican establishment. They're so afraid of alienating their base – the same base that apparently laps up this antisemitic garbage – that they can't bring themselves to condemn it unequivocally.
Santorum's trying to thread the needle, criticizing Carlson while still praising Roberts as a "great guy." It's pathetic. It's like trying to put out a fire with a squirt gun.
And let's not forget the Heritage Foundation. They're supposed to be a serious conservative think tank, but they're perfectly happy to let their president defend a guy who gives a platform to a white supremacist. What kind of message does that send? Are we supposed to believe they don't know what Fuentes is about?
I mean, seriously, what are we even doing here? Are we really still debating whether antisemitism is bad? It's 2024, people. This shouldn't even be a conversation.
Then again, maybe I'm the crazy one here. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a political party that seems to be actively courting the support of bigots and conspiracy theorists.
The Inevitable "Free Speech" Defense
Of course, the go-to defense is always "free speech." "He has a right to say what he wants!" Yeah, he does. And we have a right to call him out on his bullshit. Free speech doesn't mean freedom from consequences. It doesn't mean you get a free pass to spread hate without being challenged.
And it certainly doesn't mean Tucker Carlson has to give him a primetime slot to do it.
So, What's the Real Story?
It's simple: the Republican Party has a problem. A big, ugly, antisemitism-adjacent problem. And until they're willing to confront it head-on, instead of trying to spin it and downplay it, they're going to continue to alienate anyone with a shred of decency. Santorum's pathetic cleanup attempt just proves it. Newsmax's Rick Santorum says Kevin Roberts "just sort of missed it a little bit" in his response to Tucker Carlson's interview with Nick Fuentes
