Kyle Rittenhouse tells Tucker Carlson he hopes for a peaceful and normal life
'Tucker Carlson Tonight' host speaks to Kyle Rittenhouse about his plans for the future.
Fox News Channel’s "Tucker Carlson Tonight" averaged nearly five million viewers on Monday during the news-making, exclusive first interview with Kyle Rittenhouse, dominating cable news and outdrawing CNN and MSNBC combined.
"Tucker Carlson Tonight" averaged 4.9 million viewers from 8-9 p.m. ET, compared to only 1.2 million for MSNBC and a dismal 762,000 for struggling CNN during the same time period. It was the second-highest rated episode of "Tucker" this year and outdrew CNN by 549%.
"Tucker" also crushed competitors among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults age 25-54, averaging a staggering 891,000 demo viewers compared to 180,000 for CNN and only 150,000 for MSNBC.
Fox News Channel’s "Tucker Carlson Tonight" averaged nearly five million viewers on Monday during the exclusive first interview with Kyle Rittenhouse. (Fox News)
Rittenhouse, 18, was acquitted Iast week in the shooting deaths of two men, Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum, as well as the wounding of Gaige Grosskreutz, whom he shot through the right bicep after the protester pointed a pistol at him during Kenosha riots in 2020.
In the news-making, exclusive interview, Rittenhouse told Tucker Carlson about the night that led to his arrest, as well as his eventual acquittal by jury and the angry reaction of the mainstream media and Democrats, including President Biden.
"I’m not a racist person. I support the BLM movement. I support peacefully demonstrating. I believe there needs to be change. I believe there’s a lot of prosecutorial misconduct, not just in my case but in other cases. It’s just amazing to see how much a prosecutor can take advantage of someone," Rittenhouse told Carlson in a portion of the exclusive interview.
Rittenhouse also told Carlson that he was staying at the home of a friend during the Kenosha riots and was mystified and troubled by the lack of resources provided to the police force in trying to quell the violence after the shooting of Jacob Blake.
"I'm not really sure [where the police presence was], because they have a hard job – but I didn't really think they got the support they needed," Rittenhouse said. "The governor, Tony Evers, failed the community and there should have been a lot more resources to help with that."
During the exclusive interview with Carlson, Rittenhouse condemned Biden for prejudging him as a "White supremacist" in a 2020 campaign ad.
"Mr. President, if I could say one thing to you, I would urge you to go back and watch the trial, and understand the facts before you make a statement," Rittenhouse said. "It’s actual malice; defaming my character for him to say something like that."
Carlson’s news-making sit down with Rittenhouse also helped Fox News top cable news competition for the duration of primetime.
Fox News Channel averaged 3.5 million viewers from 8-11 p.m. ET, compared to 1.5 million for MSNBC and only 705,000 for CNN.
All data courtesy of early Nielsen Media Research.
Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
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