Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) had an intense exchange with independent journalist Michael Tracey after being challenged on his continued belief in the debunked Trump-Russia collusion narrative. The confrontation occurred during a debate over Kamala Harris touting the endorsement of former Vice President Dick Cheney, a figure once strongly opposed by Democrats.
“Congressman, Kamala Harris tonight touted the endorsement of Dick Cheney. Did you find that at all bizarre? Is Dick Cheney someone who’s fit to judge the competence or character of a president?” Tracey asked. He reminded Lieu that Democrats once vilified Cheney for launching the Iraq War on false pretenses. Lieu responded by arguing that Cheney’s endorsement of Harris was driven by a single priority: “the preservation of our democracy.” He contended that, despite Cheney’s controversial past, he was qualified to make this judgment because, unlike Donald Trump, Harris is a staunch defender of democratic principles, the California Democrat added, without backing up his claim.
Elsewhere in the interview, Tracey pressed Lieu on why he still maintains that Trump’s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia, despite the Mueller investigation debunking the theory. The conversation heated up when Tracey directly asked, “Do you still think Donald Trump colluded with Russia?” Lieu responded, “His campaign actually did,” citing an incident where Trump’s former campaign manager shared polling data with a Russian national as justification for his stance.
However, the journalist quickly noted that the polling data in question wasn’t “private or sensitive,” arguing that it was publicly available information that could have been easily accessed online. “It was polling data, which was nonsensical,” Tracey said. The exchange intensified as Lieu stood by his claims, while Tracey countered by noting that the Mueller investigation did not result in any collusion-related criminal charges against Trump’s associates. “Why didn’t Mueller charge him?” Tracey pressed, to which Lieu struggled to provide a direct response. Instead, he shifted the focus to broader accusations, stating, “The Russians systematically interfered in the elections in a sweeping manner,” without addressing the lack of charges.
Tracey continued pressing for accountability and clarity, ultimately causing Lieu to back away from the interview. The conversation ended abruptly as Lieu, sounding frustrated, concluded with a dismissive, “I think I’ve given you a lot of time, so thank you,” before walking away.
WATCH:
Here’s my exchange with Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) about Kamala Harris touting the endorsement of Dick Cheney. We also revisit whether he still believes that Trump colluded with Russia pic.twitter.com/lqmKGPsxSR
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) September 12, 2024
“Donald Trump incited insurrection to try to stop the certification of the electoral college,” Lieu also falsely claimed. He further argued that Trump’s refusal to accept the 2020 election results disqualified him from holding the presidency, asserting that Cheney’s support for Harris was a vote for democracy itself. However, many critics found Lieu’s stance hypocritical, pointing out that Democrats had long vilified Cheney, only to now embrace his endorsement when it aligned with their political interests. This shift, they argued, highlighted the selective nature of political alliances. They also noted that Democrats have opposed election results when Republican nominees Trump and George W. Bush won. Also, they note that Trump willingly left office when his term expired.