Bias Watch

Tucker Carlson snidely claims Pete Buttigieg took paternity leave to “figure out how to breastfeed”

Chasten (left) and Pete Buttigieg (right) holding their newborn children
The Buttigieg family Photo: Instagram

Fox host Tucker Carlson regularly spews blatantly homophobic and racist drivel during his time on air, but he may have hit a new low on last night’s program. The host claimed out Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had taken paternity leave to “figure out how to breastfeed.”

As part of a blatantly homophobic smear campaign, rightwing pundits and politicians have attacked Buttigieg’s decision to spend time with his husband, Chasten, and their newborn twins, Penelope Rose and Joseph August.

Related: Jen Psaki swats down reporter who suggested Joe Biden might start an insurrection like Trump

“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,” Carlson ranted during a piece on inflation and rising prices.

Fox News provides employees with six weeks of paternity leave – and encourages them to use it. Several of Tucker’s colleagues have praised the perk on-air.

Conservatives are blaming Buttigieg for supply chain issues and backups at the Port of Los Angeles. Now they’re including his children in the blame game and wrapping it all in a big homophobic bow.

“We have the biggest transportation crisis in years and PeteButtigieg is on maternity leave,” GOP House candidate Buzz Patterson tweeted.

“Did the biological woman who actually gave birth to the children of PeteButtigieg and Chasten get paid maternity leave, too?” pundit Todd Starnes asked.

People all over Twitter quickly rallied to Buttigieg’s defense, pointing out the base insult behind Carlson and his cohorts insults and insinuations.

“Pete Buttigieg is an American Hero,” one user wrote. “Tucker Carlson; a homophobic Zero.”

“I took two weeks paternity leave after the birth of each of my kids,” attorney Bradley Moss tweeted. “Not all of us were raised among the uber-wealthy who ship their kids off to boarding school. Some of us take time off to care for our kids.”

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