Tucker Carlson called former President Barack Obama “one of the sleaziest and most dishonest figures in the history of American politics” after Obama’s speech at John Lewis’s funeral on Thursday.

On his Fox News show, Carlson played a clip of Obama’s eulogy at Lewis’s funeral earlier that day and attacked his remarks in the speech saying he was “desecrating a funeral with campaign slogans.”

Barack Obama, one of the sleaziest and most dishonest figures in the history of American politics, used George Floyd’s death at a funeral to attack the police,” Carlson said.

At Lewis’ funeral, Obama gave a long speech, addressing police violence in light of recent anti-racism protests and advocated for Congress to pass a new Voting Rights Act, an initiative supported by Lewis.

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“Bull Connor may be gone, but today we witness with our own eyes police officers kneeling on the necks of Black Americans,” Obama said. “George Wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators.”

Obama compared the recent use of force on anti-racism protestors with Connor’s tactics. Connor was the commissioner of public safety in Birmingham, Alabama, in the 1960s. During civil rights marches, he used dogs and fire hoses on demonstrators.

Carlson attacked Obama for bringing up police brutality issues at the civil rights icon’s funeral.

“Imagine if some greasy politician showed up at your loved one’s funeral and started throwing around stupid partisan talking points about Senate procedure. Can you imagine that?” Carlson said of Obama’s speech.

He added: “The country falling apart, riven by racial strife and tribalism, and one of the most respected people in the whole country decides to pour gasoline on that and compare the police to Bull Connor? As if America or Minneapolis is like Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963? It’s insane. It’s reckless.”

Lewis, meanwhile, made remarks similar to Obama’s in his op-ed to The New York Times, talking about George Floyd’s death and police violence. The op-ed was published posthumously, on the day of Lewis’ funeral on Thursday.

“You must do something. Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself,” Lewis said in the op-ed, talking about civil rights activism.

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