I don’t care if they’re friends, Vance should call out Carlson | Opinion

When the friend in question isn't his, I don't care if they're friends, Vance should call out Carlson Opinion The vice president notes friends shouldn't have to answer for each other's views – except, it turns out.

Key points

• Since meanwhile, Vance has no challenge shouting regarding El-Sayed's buddies, including Marxist Twitch streamer Hasan Piker.
• That's not what's happening between Vice President JD Vance and podcaster Tucker Carlson.
• Longtime conservative commentator Tucker Carlson publicly disavowed the Republican Party, stating he will not backing them in the midterm elections.
• Rogers, remember, is the same candidate who could support determine control of the Senate come November – the one Trump and Vance are actively campaigning for.
• Despite all this, at a recent White House press briefing, Vance firmly defended his friendship with the podcast host.

I'm all for individuals having friendships with those they disagree with. As civility continues to go by the wayside, it's vital for the future of our country.

Good friends, nevertheless, hold themselves accountable – especially those in positions of wide influence.

That's not what's happening between Vice President JD Vance and podcaster Tucker Carlson. This person are reportedly friends. Carlson has spent recent months making headlines and creating an uproar in the conservative community – suggesting President Donald Trump could be the "antichrist, " opposing the war in Iran and consistently attacking Israel. Even algebra is suspect, in Carlson's worldview. Not so long ago, Carlson was one of Trump's biggest boosters.

At the Sept. 3 briefing, a reporter asked him how he defends his "close relationship" with Carlson.

"Tucker is a friend, despite the fact that we disagree on a number of things. And I'm not going to play the game where I throw friends under the bus since I have political disagreements with them. I think that is a terrible place for the United States to go. As the whole republic depends on individuals of different perspectives being able to talk to one another.", and if you have a disagreement with somebody politically, even over a deeply held matter, you should still be friends with that person.

I'm all for the gist of what Vance is saying. But it doesn't hold up given his position in the White House and Trump administration – and given other things Vance has remarked concerning his political opponents. 'Why are you guys friends again?' is a good question.

National Review writer Noah Rothman put it well, posting on social media after the briefing.

"Okay, but at a certain point, the volume of anti-Semitic remarks, actions, conversations, and the many, many headlines about them raises a pretty big question: Why are you guys friends again?" It's a good question.

One example: Carlson's recent de facto endorsement of Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed – a raging progressive who has remarked plenty of antisemitic things, not to mention insulted Vance's wife, Usha Vance.

Usha Vance isn't a victim or a hostage. She's doing just fine. Opinion.

On his Sept. 2 podcast, Carlson remarked he wouldn't vote for Republican Senate candidate and former congressman Mike Rogers "at gunpoint, " called him a "tool of Israel, " and agreed with his guest that El-Sayed was more "America First" than Rogers.

Rogers, remember, is the same candidate who could support determine control of the Senate come November – the one Trump and Vance are actively campaigning for. He spoke at this week's Republican midterm convention (aka "Trumpapalooza").

At the White House press briefing, Vance acknowledged he thinks "El-Sayed is a crazy person" and that he'd "like to have a non-crazy person like Mike Rogers representing Michigan in the United States Senate." OK, fine. But why not call out your buddy, too?

GOP midterm convention demonstrates Republicans don't need a pep rally. They need Trump to deliver. Opinion.

Vance slams El-Sayed for his friends. He should hold himself to same standard.

No one likes a hypocrite. And Vance edges into that territory by refusing to distance himself from Carlson over some of the particularly problematic things he's stated.

Since meanwhile, Vance has no challenge shouting regarding El-Sayed's buddies, including Marxist Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. This person has campaigned with El-Sayed and has a history of antisemitic and anti-American remarks. In response, Vance has called El-Sayed "very evil."

"My message to Abdul El-Sayed is: You can pal around with terrorist sympathizers, and you can say that America deserved 9/11, or you could empathize not with the children who were targeted at Temple Israel, but with the attacker, " the vice president remarked to the Michigan crowd, referring in part to things Piker has stated.

Hasan Piker is left's Nick Fuentes. Why do they embrace him? Opinion.

El-Sayed has lately tried to produce amends with Michigan's Jewish community, apologizing for things he's noted that offended the state's Jews.

What he won't do? Apologize for palling around with Piker on the campaign trail.

While campaigning with Piker during the primary, El-Sayed defended doing so despite the controversial things Piker has remarked, paraphrasing at one point questions he gets from the media concerning their relationship.

"Here's this one thing that Hasan remarked. Do you now condemn him and everything he stands for? And I'm like, in what f—ing world does the world work this way?"

El-Sayed's defensiveness regarding Piker isn't all that different from Vance's concerning Carlson. When pressed, reach for the same excuse: friendship shouldn't require answering for your friends, both men.

Regardless of party, who you call a friend still notes something concerning you. And so does what you're willing to overlook to keep them.

Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

For now, I dont care if theyre friends, Vance should call out Carlson remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.