I watched a significant portion but not all of the Tucker Carlson interview of Putin. Partial transcript below.
If you don’t have two hours, I suggest starting at the 40 minute mark for at least for 40 minutes or so.
Partial Transcript
Tucker 1:06: From the outside it seems this could evolve into something that brings the entire world into conflict and could initiate a nuclear launch. So why don’t you just call Biden and say let’s work this out?
Putin: What’s there to work out? Why would I call him? What should I talk to him about? You’re going to deliver such and such weapons to Ukraine. Oh, I’m afraid, please don’t. What is there to talk about?
Tucker: Do you think NATO is worried about this becoming a global war or a nuclear conflict?
Putin: At least that’s what they are talking about. And they are trying to intimidate their own population with an imaginary Russian threat. This is an obvious fact. And thinking people, not philistines, those who are engaged in real politics, just smart people, understand perfectly well that this is a fake. They are trying to fuel the Russian threat.
Tucker: The threat I think you are referring to is a Russian invasion of Poland, Latvia, expansion.
Putin: We have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else. Why would we do that [invade Poland]? We simply don’t have any interest. It’s just threat mongering.
Tucker: Well, the argument, and I know you know this, is, well he invaded Ukraine, he has territorial aims across the continent, and you are saying unequivocally you don’t.
Putin: It is absolutely out of the question. You don’t have to be any kind of analyst, it goes against common sense to get involved in some kind of global war. And a global war would bring all of humanity to the brink of destruction. It’s obvious. They have been scaring everyone with us, all along. Tomorrow Russia will use tactical nuclear weapons, tomorrow Russia will use that. No, the day after tomorrow. So what? In order to extort additional money from US taxpayers and European taxpayers in the confrontation with Russia.
Tucker: Chuck Schumer, said yesterday, that we have to continue funding the Ukrainian effort or US soldiers could wind up fighting there. How do you assess that?
Putin: This is a provocation, and a cheap provocation at that. I do not understand why American soldiers should fight in Ukraine. There are mercenaries from the United States there. The bigger number of mercenaries comes from Poland. Does the United States need this? What for? Thousands of miles away from your national territory. Don’t you have anything better to do? You have issues on the border, issues on migration, issues with the national debt, more than $33 trillion dollars. You have nothing better to do so you fight in Ukraine … realizing Russia will fight for its interests until the end.
End Transcript
That snip ends at the 1:11:39 mark. At roughly the 40 minute mark or so, Putin blasted Ukraine and the West for not honoring the Minsk agreement and agreements to keep Ukraine neutral and out of NATO.
I played from the 40 minute mark until a bit after the 1:12 mark.
Who Blew Up Nordstream?
Tucker askes that shortly after the 1:11:39 mark. It was the funniest portion of the interview.
Putin responded “You did”. That had me laughing. It may have been a prepared remark but it was a very clever one.
Putin went on to blame the CIA. Is that possible? All kinds of things are “possible” including Russia doing it, but most of what’s possible is not very plausible.
It makes no sense for Russia to blow up its own pipeline. And what we know about the boat with traces of explosives suggests Ukrainians or Russian dissidents did the deed. Did the US assist in any way is a possible question.
Later in the interview, Tucker tried to get Putin to release US journalists held by Russia.
Fluff Interview?
The mainstream jealous media attacks Tucker for doing a fluff interview.
Here’s a fluff interview, if not outright propaganda.
The EU Threatens Tucker Carlson With Sanctions for Putin Interview
“This is not about Putin. This is about freedom to say what you believe in.“
On February 7, I noted The EU Threatens Tucker Carlson With Sanctions for Putin Interview
Irony of the Day
This post will get me branded as a “Putin lover” simply for standing up for the right of journalists to do interviews.
The irony of the day is propagandists at the WSJ, CNN, the Atlantic, and the Guardian accuse Tucker of propaganda.
Worse yet, they want to silence him. Journalists now want to sanction other journalists because they disagree.
I encourage everyone to play the interview with a bit of an open mind on what Putin said that makes sense and what doesn’t.
