One of Carlson’s key contributions to the right was, in fact, to act as a kind of talent scout. For many conservatives the opportunity to appear on his show was like being called upon to be one of the twelve Apostles. With his ability to turn on a dime from comedic to earnest host, Carlson, who emerged from the neocon world, was adept at taking ideas that may have initially appeared outlandish and mainstreaming them.

When I spoke with him on Tuesday, Scott McConnell, the former editor of the American Conservative, said that he wonders whether Carlson’s departure will, in fact, make it more difficult for heretical politicians such as Tulsi Gabbard who oppose intervention in Ukraine to win a hearing. He also speculated that Carlson’s firing may enable a neoconservative faction to mount a comeback in the GOP. Now that Rupert Murdoch has defrocked Carlson, a doctrinal struggle over the true conservative faith may well emerge.