
Tucker’s ‘Breastfeeding’ Joke About Gay Biden Official Has Everyone Mad for Different Reasons
Commentators across the political spectrum have found their own reasons to oppose Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s one-liner about Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg taking paternity leave.
SO WHAT
To be determined: Whether Tucker’s is right that a political revolution is about to make these kinds of scandals irrelevant.
WHAT HAPPENED
During his opening monologue on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” Thursday, Carlson quipped that Buttigieg has been “trying to figure out how to breastfeed” while on paternity leave to spend time with his husband and their newborn adopted twins.
Tucker Carlson mocks Pete Buttigieg for taking paternity leave: "Paternity leave, they call it, trying to figure out how to breastfeed, no word on how that went." pic.twitter.com/zFnp6uSser
— nikki mccann screamírez 👻 (@NikkiMcR) October 15, 2021
Carlson’s larger point was that Buttigieg’s unannounced two-month absence amid national transportation-related economic problems illustrated the Biden administration’s failure to take seriously the needs of everyday Americans.
- “These are measurable declines in your family’s standard of living, and they have consequences,” Carlson said. “If economic decline continues, and it seems likely to continue, you will see a profound political reset in this country.”
- When America becomes poorer, Carlson predicted, the public will stop tolerating Democrats’ “endless woke garbage” and start demanding competent “America First” governance.
THE REACTION
Journalists and pundits from across the political establishment largely ignored Carlson’s economic critique and focused on his joke about Buttigieg.
On the left: Progressives on Twitter Thursday accused Carlson of homophobia, with many calling for him to be “canceled.”
Tucker Carlson mocked Pete Buttigieg for being a gay parent. Any remaining Fox News advertisers should be destroyed for their embrace homophobia. https://t.co/JXQQjwvMEt
— John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳️🌈 (@aravosis) October 15, 2021
Some added that Carlson was sexist for suggesting parenting an infant is woman’s work.
Tucker Carlson slammed @PeteButtigieg's paternity leave to care for twin infants. So? Carlson is homophobic jerk, this is not news.
But tons of American men, not just #gay men, feel trapped by #sexist #parenting customs. Maybe we #LGBTQ folks can help! https://t.co/bUp5qWZvtz
— James Finn (@jfinn6511) October 15, 2021
Others condemned Politico in similar terms because the news site reported Thursday — following Republican backlash over Buttigieg’s absence — the reason the transportation secretary “has been MIA.”
On the right: Fox News meteorologist Janice Deen was among a number of prominent conservatives who also came to the defense of paternity leave.
I think paternity leave is wonderful, and all companies should offer it to employees.
— Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) October 15, 2021
Some populist sympathizers, like libertarian journalist Brad Polumbo, said Carlson’s belittling of the policy contradicted his own pro-family principles.
"Paternity leave is bad when it's a gay Biden official" is a pretty fricking cringe & terrible take from supposedly pro-family tradcons, to be honest.
— Brad Polumbo 🇺🇸⚽️ 🏳️🌈 (@brad_polumbo) October 15, 2021
MEANWHILE
Polumbo, who is gay, and evangelical Christian radio host Erick Erickson led a small contingent of commentators on the right in rejecting “homophobia” as a blanket defense of Buttigieg’s job performance.
Get ready — Mayor Pete's team is going to make him the victim here claiming a Cabinet secretary should be able to sit out for over a month as a crisis builds because of paternity leave. They'll say you're hateful or anti-family for suggesting he should be on the job during crisis
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) October 15, 2021
Erickson, echoing Carlson, suggested woke concerns about “punching down” were trumped by the duty of elected officials to serve the American people.
"OMG you just don't think a gay man should take paternity leave," is the predictable deflection of those who don't want to defend the SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA bailing on his duties for TWO MONTHS during a supply chain crisis.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) October 15, 2021