Capehart: If I Wouldn’t Get Fired, I’d Curse Tucker Carlson for Wanting Jackson’s Test Score

On his MSNBC show Sunday morning, after playing a clip of Tucker Carlson calling for the release of the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) score of Ketanji Brown Jackson, Biden’s Supreme Court justice nominee, Jonathan Capehart said to his liberal Democrat guest: 

“Senator Hirono,Because it’s Sunday, I don’t want to curse and get fired. Can you speak about why? Tucker Carlson’s statement was so offensive! 

Capehart was not able to get a response from Hirono.She couldn’t/wouldn’t speculate on why Brown Jackson was asked for her LSAT score. She could only suggest that Carlson’s words “that enlighten anybody” were the best she could manage.

You might think that Hirono would have failed to understand why Carlson asked for it. But Capehart, like Hirono was unwilling or unable to do this.

That’s it. . . Just exactly what It isIs it wrong to ask for her LSAT scores? Were we to choose among doctors and ask them for their MCAT scores.  Capehart might interpret this as an indication that Jackson may be black and therefore unqualified. Capehart said that Jackson would be better qualified and more brilliant if she were black before she named her.

Hirono proposed that, instead of studying Brown Jackson’s LSAT score we should focus on her “experience.”

Brown Jackson’s LSAT Score [like Obama’s college transcripts]It will likely never be made public. In Supreme Court confirmations, it’s rare. We have to ask, however: Would Capehart’s MSNBC suit really have fired him if he cursed Carlson. His bosses and viewers would have cheered his actions, despite the fact that it seems likely that he was actually applauded by them. Joy Reid is an example of this: Joy Reid’s verbal outbursts did not lead to her being fired, but were instead rewarded by a promotion to a prime time show job.

Hirono was able to provide some humor, though it wasn’t intended. Contrary to Trump’s SCOTUS nominees, she claimed this. Brown Jackson will be “very evenly-handed.” 

Really? Brown Jackson was the most liberal potential candidate for Biden. A coalition of twelve liberal organizations wrote to Biden prior to his selection, telling him that Brown Jackson was the preferred choice. There is no doubt that Brown Jackson will vote on important issues like abortion, guns and affirmative action. Biden himself had made clear that he would appoint someone taking a liberal line on the issues. Biden even confirmed that he would apply a “litmus-test” to abortion.

Note: Capehart actually mentioned two factors preventing him from cursing Carlson. Capehart also mentioned that he was afraid of losing his job. Capehart often referred to, such as this, the fact that Capehart is a religious guy.

On his MSNBC Sunday show, Jonathan Capehart saying he’d like to “curse” Tucker Carlson for the “repugnant” suggestion the Biden SCOTUS nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s LSAT score should be released, was sponsored by Progressive, AT&T, Walgreens, Chase, and Hyundai.    

You can find the transcription here.

MSNBC
The Sunday Show
3/20/22
11:19 am ET

JONATHAN CAPEHART – Senator Hirono is speaking about how far they are now. What I am about to do for you is that this member of Congress does not belong there. It is not a senator. However, it’s someone who wields far greater power than any Republican colleague. Tucker Carlson. He said something about Judge Jackson that I will play and we’ll discuss it from the opposite side. 

TUCKER CARSON:Joe Biden might want to know the LSAT score of Ketanji Jackson. Which LSAT did she score? It would be a shame if he didn’t. It would be a definitive answer to the question whether she is the next Learned Help, a rare legal talent.

Although it would appear that Americans living in democracy should have the right to this information, we did not hear. 

CAPEHART – Senator Hirono It’s Sunday so I won’t curse, but I would get fired. You can talk, however, about the reasons Tucker Carlson said it is so disgusting. 

MAZIE HIRONO – Frankly Tucker Carlson’s words are not very enlightening. What are you waiting for?Judge Jackson’s past experience is what should we be paying attention toThis is evident in her support by police organisations and judges appointed by Republican presidents. Her support is broad. Why? Because She is very fairAnd that’s something I cannot say about Trump nominees. Because they are fair-minded, they weren’t being nominated. Because they have an ideology agenda and much of it from the Federalist Society, they were being nominated. They really do have — Republicans are having a difficult time dealing with them A judge who takes a fair approach when deciding cases.