On MSNBC's Tucker, radio host Michael Graham called Sen. Hillary Clinton “a b -- a witch”

On MSNBC's Tucker, Boston radio host Michael Graham asserted that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton “is not going to be elected president in 2008 under any circumstances, period,” because “the first woman elected president of the United States is not going to be a b -- a witch, and that's just the way it is.”

Video file

During a discussion with host Tucker Carlson and MSNBC contributor Flavia Colgan on the August 21 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, Boston radio host Michael Graham asserted that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) “is not going to be elected president in 2008 under any circumstances, period,” because “the first woman elected president of the United States is not going to be a b -- a witch, and that's just the way it is.” Colgan responded: “I have never supported Hillary Clinton on this program or any other for president. I think it's very sophomoric, with all of the points you could make about why not having Hillary, to say she's a witch.” For his part, Carlson compared Clinton with "[p]eople who have actually done something for their country," and called Clinton “one of the least experienced people in national life.”

As Media Matters for America noted, Carlson attacked Clinton on the August 4, 7, and 8 editions of Tucker. Discussing Clinton's 2006 U.S. Senate campaign on August 7, Carlson asked Rev. Al Sharpton if he would “turn your considerable cash and skills and cachet on defeating Mrs. Clinton, and do the rest of us a favor? Please.”

From the August 21 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:

CARLSON: I'm sorry, Michael I just want to -- if we don't get to Hillary Clinton, I'm going to overheat from immigration. Hillary Clinton calms me down. An amazing statistic for both of you: She has been on the cover of Time magazine 11 times. My question to you, Michael: Does this help her? Does this hurt her? In what is very obviously shaping up to be a campaign for the White House, this publicity?

GRAHAM: Just let me just say, I hope that the 12th comes out soon, because I want the whole calendar. And soon I'll have the whole Hillary calendar. I'm very excited about that. It doesn't matter at all. Hillary is going to do what she wants to do, and it's up to her. The nomination is hers if she wants it. This is meaningless. She'll be on the cover of Time, Newsweek, Home and Garden, Popular Mechanics. Doesn't matter. And it doesn't matter in 2008 either, because Hillary Clinton is not going to be elected president in 2008 under any circumstances, period. For one obvious reason -- the first woman elected president of the United States is not going to be a b -- a witch, and that's just the way it is. There's a certain --

CARLSON: Well, that's actually --

GRAHAM: America's not ready for it, that's it. And it's not fair, it's not unfair, it's just the way things are.

CARLSON: If you want a woman for president, what about [Sen.] Barbara Boxer [D-CA]? What about [Sen.] Dianne Feinstein [D-CA]? People who have actually done something for their country, have served in the Senate for infinitely longer than Mrs. Clinton has. Who actually have impressive records? I mean, why not them? I don't get that. Why is that, Flavia? If you want a woman for president, why one of the least experienced people in national life, Hillary Clinton?

COLGAN: Look, Tucker, I have never supported Hillary Clinton on this program or any other for president. I think it's very sophomoric, with all of the points you could make about why not having Hillary, to say she's a witch. I mean, absolutely there are other women who I think the country -- but one point I want to bring up: Time, I think it's absurd that she's been on the cover 11 times. I think it's absurd she's on the cover this month where 35 words are dedicated to the federal court opinion basically saying that the wireless tapping stuff was unconstitutional. I think this is ridiculous for her to be getting so much hype and I don't, as a Democrat, support her or think that she is a great candidate for us --

CARLSON: What about your liberal friends?

COLGAN: -- because I don't think she can win.