Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard laid into CNN and the New York Times, saying Wednesday that when outlets accused her of treason they were making the same accusations against other veterans.
Gabbard joined Fox News host Tucker Carlson to discuss media attacks against her, particularly with regard to her support for the withdrawal of troops in Syria. (RELATED: Gabbard Strikes Back As Biden And Buttigieg Fudge Facts To Blame Trump For Escalation In Syria)
WATCH:
Carlson asked Gabbard to respond to an undercover video, released by Project Veritas, that showed a CNN employee claiming that the network did not like her.
“Here is a CNN employee saying that for taking an unconventional foreign policy position, you are the one Democratic candidate that CNN doesn’t like. Does that surprise you?” Carlson asked.
“It doesn’t. You know, I think it’s kind of absurd actually that as we saw in the days leading up to the debate last night, both the New York Times and CNN both ran hit pieces. Today, the day after the debate, we see more of these hit pieces coming out,” Gabbard replied. “For them to sit there and try to portray themselves as neutral arbiters, as objective and independent entities working with the DNC to carry out a legitimate debate is frankly just a joke.”
Gabbard explained that she had been calling for nonprofit organizations to step up and host the debates, arguing that they might be more interested in serving the people than a profit margin.
Carlson went on to clarify what he meant when he said that Gabbard had been under attack by certain media outlets. “So just for our viewers who maybe haven’t followed this, when we say you’ve been attacked by the New York Times and CNN, it’s not attacks like they are saying your health care plan is too expensive,” he said. “They are saying that you are working for a foreign power against America’s interests, that you are a traitor to the country. The New York Times piece essentially said that. What is this about?”
Gabbard said that the attacks stemmed from her position on military intervention. “This is exactly what happens to those like myself who are trying to end this regime change war in Syria, who are calling for an end to our country’s policy of being the world police, bring about an end to these regime change wars,” she said.
But then Gabbard took it a step farther, saying that when outlets called her a traitor they were really saying the same things about other veterans who felt the same way that she did. “This is something that’s not just happening to me. You know, when they are issuing these smear attacks, really what they are doing is smearing anyone who is calling for an end to these regime change wars, including veterans who I meet almost every day all across this country who are not pacifists. They understand and know firsthand the cost of war and who are strongly, strongly calling for our country to put an end to these counterproductive regime change wars.”
“So when they are issuing these smears and calling me a traitor to my country, they are essentially issuing these smears and attacks to every veteran who has been willing to lay their lives down in service to our country,” Gabbard concluded.