Fox News' Tucker Carlson on Monday castigated the liberal "mob" that's currently attacking him over a Sunday report that resurfaced controversial comments Tucker made years ago.

The remarks included decade-old quotes about women, statutory rape, and other topics, which were dug up by liberal watchdog Media Matters. You can read more about his remarks and their context here.

After the story broke, Carlson released an initial statement that said:

Media Matters caught me saying something naughty on a radio show more than a decade ago. Rather than express the usual ritual contrition, how about this: I'm on television every weeknight live for an hour. If you want to know what I think, you can watch. Anyone who disagrees with my views is welcome to come on and explain why.

In response to the remarks, as well as his statement, many social media users called for a boycott of him and his Fox News show, "Tucker Carlson Tonight."

What are the details?



During his show Monday night, Carlson told his audience that he believed the original news release was "written by Democratic party operatives" and flat-out said he would refuse to engage the controversy further.

Carlson began his opening monologue by addressing the incident head-on.

"The great American outrage machine is a remarkable thing," he began, and went on to describe how events unfolded after he found out that the remarks had been resurfaced. Carlson told his audience that he believes it's simply pointless to explain how "words were spoken in jest" or, perhaps, taken out of context because "you are a sinner begging the forgiveness of Twitter."

Carlson added that Fox News has been a safe haven for "independent thoughts."

"One of the only places left in the United States where independent thoughts are allowed is right here, the opinion hours on this network, just a few hours in a sea of television programming," he said. "It's not much, relatively speaking. For the left, it's unacceptable. They demand total conformity. Since the day we went on the air, they've been working hard to kill this show."

What else?

Carlson revealed that Fox News is standing behind him despite the remarks but issued a warning to those who he believes are opposing and trying to silence him and the network.

"We haven't said much about it in public," he continued. "It seemed too self-referential. The point of this show has never been us, but now it's obvious to everybody. There's no pretending that it's not happening. It is happening. And so going forward, we'll be covering their efforts to make us be quiet."

"We've always apologized when we're wrong and will continue to do that," he said, "but we will never bow to the mob, ever, no matter what."

You can read Carlson's full monologue here.