Howard Kurtz: 'Smart politics' by Sen. Hawley by promoting idea he's been unfairly punished
'MediaBuzz' host Howard Kurtz reacts to Josh Hawley's op-ed where the Missouri senator addresses cancel culture.
"MediaBuzz" host Howard Kurtz on Monday said Sen. Josh Hawley’s promotion of the idea that he has been unfairly punished is "smart politics."
Kurtz made the comments on "America Reports" on Monday reacting to an op-ed the Missouri Republican senator published in the New York Post the day before where he slammed cancel culture.
In the op-ed titled, "It’s time to stand up against the muzzling of America," Hawley warned that the United States could end up like communist China unless conservatives unite against the growing trend.
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"Everyone knows what a credit score is. But social credit scores are new," Hawley wrote. "They’re the latest corporate import from Communist China, where government and big business monitor every citizen’s social views and statements."
Hawley on Jan. 6 joined a House member's objection to the Pennsylvania Electoral College votes, triggering two hours of debate in each chamber over the validity of the slate and votes on whether Congress should reject them.
Democratic senators filed an ethics complaint against him and Sen. Ted Cruz over their Electoral College objections. Cruz objected to Arizona's electors.
"I don't like cancel culture and I understand why Josh Hawley is ticked off," Kurtz said, citing the fact that Simon & Schuster decided not to publish an upcoming book from Hawley following the pro-Trump riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Kurtz also pointed out that a planned February fundraiser in Florida for Hawley was canceled earlier this month as hotel chain Loews Hotels decided to pull out of the event following the riot at the Capitol.
"I for one am not going to back down," Hawley wrote in Sunday’s op-ed. "My book will be published, and I will continue to represent the people of my state without fear or favor, whatever the left or the corporations say."
Hawley’s book "The Tyranny of Big Tech" will now be published through conservative Regnery Publishing, the company announced last week.
Kurtz noted that "as a United States senator, Josh Hawley has not exactly been canceled."
"His book has been picked up by Regnery Publishing, he just had this op-ed [in] one of America's biggest newspapers, he's got a Twitter account, he can speak out on the floor and he can give interviews and he can hold news conferences," Kurtz said.
He added that "corporations are private companies that have the right to support or not support anybody in public life."
"This is smart politics from Josh Hawley," Kurtz added.
"He wasn't that well known, he’s said to be eyeing a White House run in 2024 and he energizes his Republican base by promoting the idea that he’s being unfairly punished for fighting with Donald Trump against President Biden being formally accepted as the 46th president and that is good politics in a Republican Party where Trump still holds considerable sway."
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Fox News’ Tyler Olson and Evie Fordham contributed to this report.
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