Adam Kinzinger, the Republican representative for Illinois, called Fox News’s Tucker carlson a “manipulative son of a bitch,” after the host criticised Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg for taking paternity leave after his twins were born.
Buttigieg has been criticised for not being present enough during supply chain issues and backlogs at container ports, caused by the pandemic. “He created rage,” Mr Kinzinger said speaking to the Rolling Stone of Mr Carlson’s tactics to get people to keep watching his show.
He called the swipe at Mr Buttigieg a “cheap shot” and compared it to a “shot of heroin” adding that he had no doubt that the secretary of transport was diligent, even when he wasn’t required to be, as he was on paternity leave. “He has deputies, I’m sure he was in touch,” said Mr Kinzinger.
Tucker Carlson spoke about Buttigieg, who is a gay man with a husband, on his show in early October. “Pete Buttigieg has been on leave from his job since August after adopting a child. Paternity leave, they call it, trying to figure out how to breastfeed. No word on how that went,” said Mr Carlson.
“Talking about Pete Buttigieg learning how to breastfeed – like, c’mon man,” said Mr Kinzinger of Mr Carlson. “You’re a manipulative son of a bitch who abuses your viewers for your own personal profit,” continued Kinzinger.
Mr Buttigieg has called the attacks on his paternity leave “strange” and alien to Republican values, he said these views come from “a side of the aisle that used to claim the mantle of being pro-family.” He said that he feels “blessed” to have been able to take care of his newborns. “Which is, by the way, work. It’s a joyful work. It’s wonderful work, but it’s – it’s definitely work,” he said.
Responding to Tucker Carlson’s breastfeeding comment, “I guess he just doesn’t understand the concept of bottle feeding, let alone the concept of paternity leave,” said Mr Buttigieg.
