Tucker Carlson took the stage in Reading, PA on Monday night to massive applause, cheers and a standing ovation. His mission on his 16-city live tour is to remind Americans that our country doesn't suck, and the people of Reading and the Keystone State were here for it.
The energy of the crowd was palpable and so was the pride of Pennsylvanians in their state and their nation, despite the troubles and difficulties Carlson pointed out, with which the crowd agreed. PA Governor Josh Shapiro came under fire from Carlson after the Democrat leader hosted Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at a Scranton ammunition factory on Sunday. Carlson pointed out that the state has plenty of problems to solve without Shapiro attempting to cover the problems of another nation over the issues concerning his own citizens.
Reading is a beautiful city, and Carlson pointed this out. The architecture of the downtown area is intentional and the Victorian-era houses with their glorious wrap-around porches and stained glass windows show the care that went into making this city. Like nearby Philadelphia, which has so much cultural and historical significance, it is a city verging on disaster. Homelessness, addiction, and poor governance have demeaned the citizens of these towns and lead the city centers to ruin. Carlson said he hadn't intended to give a speech like this, but that the image of Shapiro touring around with Zelensky infuriated him. "They love violence," he said, going on to say that they love violence "because it makes them feel like God."
"When was the last time someone built something beautiful and useful in Reading?" Carlson asked. The crowd answered the question, clearly it had been a long time. "Do not allow the most useless people this country has produced… to occupy the moral high ground," he said, indicating that Tim Walz and Kamala Harris are exactly these kinds of useless people. "They know how inadequate they are, they know how guilty they are, they know how Jeffrey Epstein died and they're terrified you'll find out," he said.