CNN’s John Berman launched a tirade against Fox News host and Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson on Tuesday over what he called “misinformation and possible malevolence” concerning the coronavirus vaccine.
During the opening segment of “New Day,” Berman called Carlson a “television character” and rhetorically questioned him over his views of the vaccine, including asking “does Tucker Carlson really want his viewers to live?” (RELATED: Tucker Carlson Mocks Pentagon: ‘If The Woke Generals Treat Us Like They’ve Treated The Taliban, We’ll Be Fine’)
Berman opened the segment by saying that CDC Director Rochelle Walensky is “practically begging” people to keep up coronavirus precautions and that Dr. Anthony Fauci is warning that the surge in cases Europe is experiencing “could happen here.” He added that President Joe Biden is asking local and religious leaders to help push Americans to get vaccinated, but that “standing in the way of this message is a mountain of misinformation and possible malevolence.”
He then played a video clip of Carlson speaking during a Monday segment from his show “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
“There are things we don’t know about the effects of this vaccine,” Carlson said. No other context was given surrounding the approximately 12 second clip, besides Berman saying “and he went on, and on, and on.”
“So why would this television character spend so much time on his show throwing shade at vaccines, feeding the fears of half of Republican men who say they do not plan to take it?” Berman continued. “This television character likes to say he’s just asking questions, so here are some questions. Does this character think it’s important to slow the spread of the virus? Just asking. Does this character care if the country reaches herd immunity to return to life and work safely? Hey, it’s a question.”
“Does Tucker Carlson really want his viewers to live? Look, this guy bemoans so-called cancel culture more than anyone on Earth, but he should look in the mirror, because you can’t get any more cancelled than dead,” he concluded.
In the full segment of his show, Carlson discussed the need for officials to address the concerns that people have about the vaccine, rather than demanding “you shut up and take the shot” if you “want to see your grandparents ever again.” He also discussed the halt in use of the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine in several European and Asian countries over blood clot worries, something CNN also reported on Monday.
Watch Carlson’s Full Comments On The Vaccine Here:
Carlson was one of the earliest media figures to warn about the potential disaster the coronavirus could cause in the U.S. In March 2020 he flew to Mar-a-Lago to discuss the seriousness of the virus with then-president Donald Trump.