The Brett Cooper Show

Episode 87: Should Tucker Carlson Be Canceled?
Date: November 4, 2025
Host: Brett Cooper

Episode Overview

In this episode, Brett Cooper examines the escalating internal conflicts within the conservative movement, using the Republican Jewish Coalition Conference as a case study. The main focus is on the mounting backlash against Tucker Carlson from fellow conservatives—most notably from media figure Mark Levin and others like Lindsey Graham and Randy Fine—highlighting the hypocrisy and dangers of adopting cancellation tactics typically associated with the political left. Through pointed commentary and direct quotes from the conference, Brett questions the state of conservatism, the abandonment of core principles, and the broader generational and ideological shifts shaping the movement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The GOP Conference: An “Anti-Tucker” Event

• Brett opens by observing the irony and seriousness of conservative figures employing left-leaning tactics (00:00).
• The Republican Jewish Coalition Conference quickly morphs into an “Anti-Tucker Carlson Conference,” with participants holding signs stating, “Tucker is not MAGA.”
• Brett cautions that such aggressive posturing may ironically boost Tucker’s relevance and support among the base.

2. Mark Levin’s Speech: Hypocrisy on Free Speech and Cancel Culture

• Mark Levin directly and forcefully advocates for "canceling" and "deplatforming" those who platform controversial figures, referencing Tucker's interview with Nick Fuentes (02:14).

  • Quote: “You're damn right we're going to cancel them and de platform them. It's called the market system... No, Hitler admirer, Holocaust denier, platformer should be anybody's friend.”

• Brett points out Levin's inconsistency, citing Levin’s own previous writings championing free speech and opposing cancel culture.

  • Quote from Levin’s past work (read by Brett, 04:49):
    “Free speech is a requisite to all other freedoms. It is also how individuals and societies learn, reform, improve progress, et cetera. It is how governments are held to account or adjust to the will of the people.”
  • Quote from Levin’s show last month (05:22):
    “Free speech is crucial to countering the government and those in power. It is crucial to sharing information and making decisions as a people, as a collective... Every true patriot should believe in it and defend it, period.”

• Brett’s analysis:

  • Calls out Levin’s hypocrisy: “It would have been far more powerful...if you, Mark Levin, had gotten up on stage and said, look, I disagree with everything that Tucker is doing...But he also has a right to say and do everything he's doing.” (05:44)
  • Accuses conference speakers of blanket attacks not just on Tucker, but on his audience and anyone questioning U.S.-Israel relations.

3. Dismissive Rhetoric and Fear of Influence

• Mark Levin diminishes the potential of smaller media voices, exposing anxiety over changing power dynamics (08:55):
  • Quote: “You think your stupid little podcast, your stupid little subscription program, or your little TV show, or maybe you have a little radio show is going to change the world? Like hell it is.”
• Brett’s take:
  • Labels this “projection” and points to Tucker’s significant influence, comparing him favorably to Joe Rogan (09:09).
  • Suggests traditional media figures like Levin are fearful of losing influence to unorthodox voices.

4. Escalating Rhetoric: Lindsey Graham and Violent Language

• Lindsey Graham employs inflammatory language bordering on violent threats (10:21 & 11:02):
  • Quote: “We're killing all the right people” and “if you ever run for office as a Republican and you embrace this weird shit, we're gonna beat your brains out.”
• Brett draws stark comparisons to left-wing rhetoric previously condemned by conservatives, arguing for consistency and the rejection of violent language in politics (11:12).

5. Hyperbolic Accusations: Randy Fine and Nazi Comparisons

• Representative Randy Fine takes the attacks further by labeling Tucker Carlson as “the most dangerous anti-Semite in America” and associating him with the Hitler Youth (12:10):
  • Quote: “Today Tucker Carlson is the most dangerous anti Semite in America. He has chosen to take on the mantle of leader of a modern day Hitler Youth.”
• Brett denounces this as the same sort of reckless, extremist rhetoric Republicans have faced from the left, explicitly referencing the dangers of such language post-Charlie Kirk assassination.

6. Broader Generational Shifts in Conservative Attitudes

• Brett highlights recent polling:
  • March 2025 Pew Poll: 50% of GOP voters under 50 have a negative view of Israel, compared to 35% in 2022 (14:15).
  • August 2025 University of Maryland poll: Only 24% of Republicans aged 18-34 sympathize more with Israelis than with Palestinians.
• Emphasizes that establishment tactics risk alienating the party’s younger base and entrenching division (15:00).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |-----------|---------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:14 | Mark Levin | “You're damn right we're going to cancel them and de platform them. It's called the market system... You don't get to wrap your psychotic... bullsh*t around American patriotism.” | | 05:22 | Mark Levin | “Free speech is crucial to countering the government and those in power... Every true patriot should believe in it and defend it, period.” | | 08:55 | Mark Levin | “You think your stupid little podcast, your stupid little subscription program, or your little TV show, or maybe you have a little radio show is going to change the world? Like hell it is.”| | 10:21 | Lindsey Graham | “We're killing all the right people, and we're cutting your taxes.” | | 11:02 | Lindsey Graham | “If you ever run for office as a Republican and you embrace this weird shit, we're gonna beat your brains out.” | | 12:10 | Randy Fine | “Today Tucker Carlson is the most dangerous anti Semite in America. He has chosen to take on the mantle of leader of a modern day Hitler Youth.”| | 16:07 | Mark Levin | (In jest, singing) “Sweet Home Yerushalayim.” | | 16:10 | Brett Cooper | “I’m just looking at the state of conservatism. I’m like, this is not a serious movement right now. It is so full of division and finger pointing and anger.” |

Generational Divides & Practical Advice

• Brett emphasizes the importance of refusing to abandon principles due to anger or expediency (16:10 - 17:50):
  • “One of the hardest things in life is not compromising when things get hard... The ability to stand strong in your principles, even when times are hard, is what makes a great person.”
• Warns that the GOP establishment’s reactionary approach will only strengthen Tucker’s hand and push younger voters further away (17:45).
• Urges conservative leaders to focus on PR and substantive strategy over threats, cancellations, and “deplatforming” (18:10):
  • “If you are so worried about the influence of people like Tucker, you need better PR. You need a better strategy... Be better. Be a better leader.”

Episode Takeaways

• The conservative movement is facing a profound crisis of identity and principle, with establishment voices resorting to tactics they have long decried when confronted by rising alternative influences.
• Threats, cancel culture, and inflammatory rhetoric are increasingly prevalent on the right, threatening to alienate younger members and undermine vital conservative principles like free speech.
• Generational and ideological splits are stark, especially on topics like U.S.-Israel relations, and establishment intransigence risks deepening divides.
• Brett Cooper calls for a return to principled debate, strategic communication, and honest self-reflection to navigate these turbulent political times.

For listeners looking to understand current fissures on the American right, this episode offers a direct, sometimes biting, inside view—both scathing and genuinely concerned for the future of conservatism.