According to The Wrap, Carlson started the interview by asking if it would be OK for him to, hypothetically, release unverified details of a hypothetical sex crime committed by Smith, saying, “Of course I would never publish that because it would be unfair. How is this different?”
Smith points out that the dossier was already circulating around the media elite and government officials and felt CNN reporting that the document existed led him to want to show the public “the thing that is being referred to.” Smith went on to compare what BuzzFeed did to Matt Drudge’s decision to break the Monica Lewinsky scandal back in the 1990s.
“Here is what bothers me about your explanation. I think you make some smart points,” Carlson said. “I’m for openness. I’m for transparency. But by setting yourself up as a champion of press freedom, you’re being slightly disingenuous because there is a political component here.”
Carlson said that BuzzFeed News has a political agenda “masquerading as journalism,” and accused Smith of “hiding” behind journalism standards when they’re actual political imperatives.
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