"the narcissistic perfidy rampant in Republican politics"

May 23, 2023 5:38 AM

Well, looks like Tucker Carlson is not running for president (The Hill). The Draft Tucker PAC, launched four days ago, has shut down after a cease-and-desist from Carlson (The Hill). Chairman Chris Ekstrom (Twitter, content warnings) says the PAC will refund the $212 it's raised or donate it to charity.
posted by box (23 comments total)

I was sure that $212 was a typo and it was $212k or something.
posted by gauche at 5:58 AM on May 23, 2023 [9 favorites]

It warms my heart like a campfire.
posted by mhoye at 6:00 AM on May 23, 2023 [8 favorites]

Well, looks like Tucker Carlson is not running for president (The Hill).

Well, or at least won't have a PAC not controlled via a technically distant trusted friend/ally.
posted by jaduncan at 6:06 AM on May 23, 2023 [5 favorites]

Carlsen really sounded like he wanted to continue in media, not become a politician.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 6:06 AM on May 23, 2023

He seems like more of a petty tyrant than a tyrant.
posted by The Card Cheat at 6:07 AM on May 23, 2023 [7 favorites]

Carlsen really sounded like he wanted to continue in media, not become a politician.

You'll never convince me that Trump, Lake, et al who crossed over from media to politics are happier now, and Tucker is at least canny enough to understand that.
posted by Etrigan at 6:08 AM on May 23, 2023 [7 favorites]

Surprised they didn't wait until they had another $1276
posted by an octopus IRL at 6:13 AM on May 23, 2023 [25 favorites]

I mean the goal for a lot of “politicians” is to get a talk show on TV. Pay and adulation is a lot better and easier than begging people for money.
posted by Uncle at 6:15 AM on May 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

....accusing them of doing so “for your own benefit” to later sell donor lists...

That's the game right there. It's like when someone runs a petty telephone scam in order to build a list of people who are easily scammed. The real money is in selling that list to other scammers.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 6:24 AM on May 23, 2023 [7 favorites]

More of this quote from the article:
“I’d like to add that I am TOTALLY OPPOSED to SCAMPAC’s & have NEVER profited (unlike Harmeet) from my political activities,” Ekstrom, a former congressional candidate in Texas and GOP donor, said in a text message. “Indeed, I have spent a great deal of money exposing the narcissistic perfidy rampant in Republican politics. Especially at the so-called “top”; which, in reality is a abysmal SEWER of losers, weaklings & liars.”

Texted this, huh? Can’t tell if I love or hate this guy.
posted by amanda at 6:40 AM on May 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

> Texted this, huh? Can’t tell if I love or hate this guy.

I love it. it's like someone trained an AI exclusively on Donald Trump and Snidely Whiplash quotes
posted by Old Kentucky Shark at 6:58 AM on May 23, 2023 [17 favorites]

No kidding on that (CW) for Ekstrom's twitter, all he does is retweet rage-bait all day.
posted by subdee at 7:06 AM on May 23, 2023

Carlson really sounded like he wanted to continue in media, not become a politician.

Why be the puppet, when you can be the puppeteer?
posted by Thorzdad at 7:15 AM on May 23, 2023 [4 favorites]

> You'll never convince me that Trump, Lake, et al who crossed over from media to politics are happier now

The one tiny pinprick of comfort I retain in the face of Trump's continued ruination of everything and everyone he comes into contact with is the fact that he is miserable, has always been miserable, will always be miserable and is probably literally incapable of not being miserable.
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:52 AM on May 23, 2023 [24 favorites]

The Draft Tucker PAC, launched four days ago... will refund the $212 it's raised

This number, if real, is giving me such joy I cannot tell you.

The time I posted a GoFundMe to raise $1000 for surgery for my cat, it earned out in two days. My housecat, whose media presence was limited to his MetaChat account, his Facebook page, and his Flickr album, had more real fans and support than Tucker Carlson.
posted by orange swan at 8:44 AM on May 23, 2023 [23 favorites]

I, for one, welcome the candidacy of orange swan's cat. Where can we donate to CAT PAC
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 9:09 AM on May 23, 2023 [21 favorites]

In fairness, even the kinds of people who actually want to support Tucker Carlson understand the difference between Tucker saying "give me money" and some rando saying "I vaguely know Tucker, but if you send me your money a miracle will happen and I'll talk Tucker into doing something he's explicitly said he won't do."
posted by delfin at 9:31 AM on May 23, 2023 [7 favorites]

I've got $100 for the Let's Yeet Tucker Into the Goddam Sun PAC.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:47 AM on May 23, 2023 [10 favorites]

I, for one, welcome the candidacy of orange swan's cat. Where can we donate to CAT PAC

Further evidence that people love politicians who believe themselves superior to their governed subjects.
posted by Emmy Rae at 10:58 AM on May 23, 2023 [5 favorites]

I've got $100 for the Let's Yeet Tucker Into the Goddam Sun PAC.

That turns out to require like 17km/s of delta-v so yes let's do that but do all the acceleratin' in atmosphere
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 11:19 AM on May 23, 2023

Tuckers an evil buttlickin sycophantic toadie, but he's not stupid.
posted by symbioid at 11:45 AM on May 23, 2023

"“Indeed, I have spent a great deal of money exposing the narcissistic perfidy rampant in Republican politics."

Hear me out...

The Spiderman pointing at the other spiderman, but it's narcissus pointing at all the other narcissuses holding up mirrors.
posted by symbioid at 11:48 AM on May 23, 2023 [5 favorites]

Tuckers an evil buttlickin sycophantic toadie, but he's not stupid.

[why not both? gif]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:59 AM on May 23, 2023 [2 favorites]