Newsmax guest John Bolton says Tucker Carlson is “being used by the Kremlin for their own purposes”
Bolton: “Lenin's famous phrase about people in the West who do the communists bidding, he called them useful idiots. And I have to say that phrase comes to mind here.”
Published
Citation From the February 7, 2024, edition of Newsmax's Eric Bolling: The Balance
ERIC BOLLING (HOST): Turn to some other news the last couple of days and I think it's really important to talk about -- Tucker Carlson, former Fox host goes over and, apparently, is having an interview -- had an interview already with Vladimir Putin. Tell us what your thoughts of this are. Is it stabilizing or destabilizing? Why and what -- break this down for us a little bit.
JOHN BOLTON (GUEST): Well, I can't wait to watch this interview. I have to say that. It should be a treat. But Tucker's being used by the Kremlin for their own purposes. You know, they've got one American journalist in jail over there for being a journalist, and yet they're giving an interview to him. So, you know, it's not a communist government in Moscow anymore but Lenin's famous phrase about people in the West who do the communists bidding, he called them useful idiots. And I have to say that phrase comes to mind here.
BOLLING: What if he's tough on him? What if he holds him, you know, accountable for all the death and destruction that's going on? And, you know, the hundreds of thousands of lives on both sides, really, holds him accountable, would it help? I mean, I don't think it hurts. You know, I'm a journalist. Let me call you -- I'm a media person. Let's correct that. I didn't go to journalism school. I'm a media person. And I think shining a light, maybe even looking into the mind of some, you know, dictators like, psychopaths like Putin is good for everyone. Do you think it's a mistake for Tucker to do this?
BOLTON: Well, I think, you know, to have a real judgment we've got to see what the interview looks like. But I don't think Putin agreed to this interview after dissing plenty of other Americans over the years unless he thought he was going to get -- get favorable coverage. But, you know, we'll know soon enough, I think.