Tucker Carlson of Fox News interviewed Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello on statehood for Puerto Rico.
Carlson began by mentioning that Rossello had said publicly that “Puerto Rico’s colonial situation is what provoked the crisis.”
“Do you think that insulting the U.S. government is a good way to become a state?” Carlson asked.
It is not clear what part of Rossello’s comment seemed like an insult to Carlson. Perhaps he finds it offensive to suggest that Puerto Rico is in a “colonial situation” with the United States, though he later agreed with this point. Perhaps he feels that it is offensive to suggest that being a U.S. territory is bad for Puerto Rico’s economy. He didn’t specify.
ello “I am a very proud citizen of the United States,” Rossello said, “and I am shedding light on the last bastion of undemocratic behavior, which is having a colonial territory in the United States.”
“We want to move beyond that,” Rossello continued. “The vast majority of people in Puerto Rico love their citizenship and we want to become a state.”
Sticking with the insult theme, Carlson asked why it would “be good for America to absorb a third world country.” Carlson should know that Puerto Rico is not a country, third world or otherwise, and that it already belongs to the United States. “No offense,” he said after a few more insults.
“I think we need to start talking about this,” Rossello said, pointing out that Puerto Rico is a natural bridge between the United States and South America. He listed some of the changes his administration has already made and some of the characteristics that make Puerto Rico a natural “hub of Americas.”
Carlson asked whether English would be the official language in Puerto Rico. English is one of the national languages of Puerto Rico and the United States doesn’t have an official language, and Rossello pointed this out. “It’s not something that would be new,” he said.
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