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Fox News Anchor Tucker Carlson's 2009 Remarks Spark Backlash

Editor-in-Chief Orlando Angelone

(Duke's Dispatch) - Host of Tucker Carlson Tonight Tucker Carlson has been in hot water over the last week after audio of him defending arranged marriage surfaced from 2009 on the "Bubba the Love Sponge." Show.

During the interview the topic of the age of consent in the several states came up, and this led to the issue of underaged marriage, when Carlson said, "I just don't think it's the same thing exactly as pulling a child from a bus stop and sexually assaulting that child." Host of the Show Bubba the love sponge responded to Carlson's comments by saying that, "Yeah, it should be almost -- you almost should put a premeditation."

Tucker Carlson responded to Bubba by saying, "Wait, wait! Hold on a second. The rapist, in this case, has made a lifelong commitment to live and take care of the person, so it is a little different. I mean, let's be honest about it."

The Co-Host of the show retorted Carson's comments by saying, "That's twisted."

Carlson then tried to clear up his statements by responding with, " I'm sorry, I don't know how I, got myself in a position that seem like I'm defending it, because I am against that."

Bubba the Love Sponge and Carlson then got into a conversation about Convicted Child Predator Warren Jeffs, when Carlson said that the charges against his where, "Bullsh*t" and “arranging a marriage between a 16-year-old and a 27-year-old is not the same as pulling a stranger off the street and raping her.”

Jeffs was convicted arranging marriages of children and adults, polygamy, as well as sexually assaulting 12 and 15 year old girls.

Bubba then said that, "You know, I've asked everybody in this show, because we mostly agree with you, but I have not found one person that's on TV, a journalist, in paper -- I've not been able to find anybody that has the same stance as you."

Carlson responded with, "Well that's because nobody has the b*lls to articulate it because everyone is afraid of what people are going to say. I'm not endorsing polygamy. My -- here's my point: If a guy wants to be polygamist, that's kind of his business."

Bubba retorted with, "But where I think you've gone wrong is how you've downplayed how much of a crime this is, and how you've tried, I mean--"

Carlson vigorously responded, "Wait, what? Crime is what? Do you know what the guy’s been charged with? I actually do know, because I got the subpoena. I got the indictment."

The rather silent Co-Host of the show then interjected with, "Felony rape."

After some inaudible crosstalk, Carlson can be heard saying, "He's not accused of touching anybody; he is accused of facilitating a marriage between a 16-year-old girl and a 27-year-old man. That's the accusation. That's what they're calling felony rape. [crosstalk] That's bullsh*t. I'm sorry. Now this guy may be [crosstalk], may be a child rapist. I'm just telling you that arranging a marriage between a 16-year-old and a 27-year-old is not the same as pulling a stranger off the street and raping her. That's bullsh*t."

After this audio surfaced in a report by Media Matters, many quickly called for Carlson to apologize, whilst others called on Fox to fire him. As of now, Fox Media has not done anything to reprimand Tucker Carlson, and his advertisers have not left his side.

Tucker Carlson has been defiant, portraying himself as a victim of the situation, saying that those against him are a "Mob" and "We will never bow to the mob. Ever. No matter what,"

Carlson also said that, "they've been working hard to kill this show" and that, "We're going to fight it."