Wednesday night, Tucker Carlson addressed a column written by Mediaite editor Justin Baragona which accused the Fox News host of having “white nationalist leanings.”

“It wasn’t that long ago when calling someone ‘racist’ was a big deal,” Carlson said. “It was a devastating attack on a person’s character, if not blood libel.”

Carlson then said the portion of Tucker Carlson Tonight last week that Baragona focused on was how Democrats were “openly encouraging illegal immigration” and how they have “given up on the American middle class.” The Fox News host defended his not invoking race in that segment.

“We didn’t mention race at all because it was irrelevant.” Carlson said. “Stagnant blue collar wages hurt black Americans in St. Louis every bit as much as they hurt white Americans in Des Moines. So how exactly does that qualify as white nationalism?”

The Fox News host ripped Baragona for declining an invitation to appear on Tucker Carlson Tonight.

“Like a lot of name-callers, he’s a coward,” Carlson said. He added, “Too bad. It would’ve been interesting to hear someone tell us exactly what a ‘white nationalist’ is and how we qualify.”

When reached by Mediaite to explain why he turned down a chance to be berated on air by Tucker Carlson, Baragona simply said “no comment.”

Carlson then stated his belief that “skin color isn’t the most important thing about a person,” and how you live and the choices you make are what matters most. The host contends this philosophy is “at odds” with the modern left because they “classify people first and foremost by their race.”

Watch the clip above, via Fox News.

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