(Patriot Insider) – Last week, former Fox News host and legendary journalist Tucker Carlson conducted an epic interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He sat down with the controversial political figure, asking him a wide variety of questions over a two-hour period. Close to the end of the conversation, Carlson decided to go where most other journalists interviewing Putin would probably lack the spine to go. He asked him about an imprisoned U.S. journalist.
According to The Western Journal, “It appears that he saved the most contentious part of the interview — perhaps wisely — for last. About 15 minutes shy of the end of their meeting, Carlson started a new line of questioning, one that appeared to make the Russian strongman visibly uncomfortable, and he received a fair amount of praise on social media for doing it.”
“I appreciate all the time you’ve given us,” Carlson told Putin. “I just got to ask you one last question, and that’s about someone who’s very famous in the United States, probably not here: Evan Gershkovich, who’s the Wall Street Journal reporter. He’s 32 and he’s been in prison for almost a year.”
And then, Carlson went for broke, asking if the Russian president would release Gershkovich into his custody and return him to the United States, “as a sign of Putin’s decency.”
“We have done so many gestures of goodwill out of decency that I think we have run out of them,” Putin asserted, furrowing his brow and offering a heavy sigh.
Putin then made the claim that no other country in the world has released a Russian prisoner in similar fashion, going on to comment, “In theory, we can say that we can do that if our partners take reciprocal steps.”
“The Russian president said that ‘special services’ — i.e., intelligence and diplomatic personnel from both the U.S. and Russia — were already having discussions about repatriating Gershkovich and that he believed the two sides would eventually make a deal,” the WJ noted.
The response was not good enough for Carlson, who firmly declared that Gershkovich should be treated differently.
“He’s a kid,” Carlson added, “and maybe he was breaking your law in some way, but he’s not a super spy and everybody knows that. … So maybe he’s in a different category.”
This seemed to make Putin a little antsy as he shifted around in his seat. He then disagreed with the former Fox News host, saying Gershkovich had been caught “red-handed.”
Carlson proved he has mountains of intestinal fortitude by once again pressing the leader. Putin replied by first stating he wasn’t sure who the journalist had been working for, but then stated Gershkovich was working with U.S. intelligence.
“He’s not just a journalist, I reiterate,” Putin clarified. “He’s a journalist who was secretly given confidential information.”
The report divulged, “Putin insisted again that talks were already underway and that he expected them to be successful — and Carlson once again pressed him.”
“I hope you’ll let him out,” Carlson remarked. Putin seemingly laughed.
“I also want him to return to his homeland at last,” the Russian president proclaimed in reply. “I’m absolutely sincere.”
“The more public we render things of this nature, the more difficult it becomes to resolve them,” he warned Carlson, obviously referring to the repeated pressing of this matter.
You can see the full interview below:
Many users on social media heaped praise on Carlson for his efforts to try and get the journalist released and for having the guts to ask the question in the first place.
Tucker Carlson is a ROCK STAR!! BRAVO!! @TuckerCarlson
That took a lot of guts 💯Putin does not suffer fools. But I bet he has a HUGE respect for Tucker after this interview. https://t.co/YsmW9Ql3lx
— Proud CO Patriot 🦅Conservative 🇺🇲🇺🇲 FJB (@ProudPatriot60) February 9, 2024
Not only did Tucker press Putin for the release of the WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, which US pundits prematurely attacked him for not doing, the entire interview was actually way more adversarial — and tactfully so — than most of the pundits would ever be able to pull off
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) February 9, 2024
Good on you, Tucker. More than any other journalist has done for Evan Gershkovich https://t.co/MyGDp7p30q
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) February 9, 2024
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I personally feel that Tucker Carlson did an outstanding job with his personal interview with President Vladamir Putin. All of you that read this may not agree with me, but the truth in this fact; ” you get more with honey than with vinegar”! I believe that the interview revealed a great deal of information that most people were not aware of. Tucker diplomatically received a positive response to Putin where it did not offend him, but at least Putin did indicate he was willing to negotiate a peace in Ukraine. I think every down to earth American should congratulate Tucker Carlson. Of Course, the negative News media spins the interview in a negative way, by saying Tucker Carlson was to soft! That is typical reponses from the Leftist in our country. The Hungarian Prime Minister indicated that Donald Trump would bring Peace to the world ranther than violence and war. I personally congratulate Tucker Carlson for an outstanding job on his personal interview with Vladamir Putin.