CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Andre Carson

Interview

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BURNETT: All right. Well, I should hope so. All right. Thank you very much, Kaitlan. And let's go now to Democratic Congressman Andre Carson, member of the Congressional Black Caucus. The second Muslim ever elected to Congress. Good to have you with me tonight. And I'm sorry to talk about something like this, but Congressman, I want to give you a chance to respond to the President tonight.

REP. ANDRE CARSON (D-IN): Well, I think his comments are consistent with what he's done. He obviously has a problem with strong women. That's evidence. He has a problem with diversity in this country and that's evidenced by his repeated comments against this country. Look, he's speaking to his base. These comments are tying right along the side of the announcement about the ICE raids and so I think it's strategic, but it's hurtful as well. And I think that he's showing who he really is.

BURNETT: So to that effect, I want to play an exchange the President had with a reporter about this earlier today. Here he is, Congressman.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does it concern you that many saw that tweet as racist and that white nationalist groups are finding common cause with you on that point?

TRUMP: It doesn't concern me because many people agree with me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: I mean, of course, what he wrote was racist. Congressman, did he do that because he's a racist or did he do it because he's a racist and he thought it would help him politically?

CARSON: Listen, I don't know his heart, but I can tell you this. It's walking like a duck, is quacking like a duck. It looks like a duck to me and so the fact that white supremacists are reaffirming his statements that says two things; one, he's speaking to that particular segment, that very toxic segment of our society. And secondly, he's throwing a hail Mary hoping that he can reassure his base. The same base that bond into this mythology, this mythical place that never existed in our country.

And so his remarks coming from the highest office in the land, they're destructive, they're hurtful, and dare I say they're anti-American?

BURNETT: Why do you think Republican leadership is so far failed to condemn the President publicly?

[19:10:02] CARSON: Well, I have friendships with many Republicans and quietly and privately they're embarrassed. I can't speak to leadership strategy on this but I'm disappointed. If they're truly concerned about the preservation of our Republic, the preservation of our democracy, as it were, they should condemn the President's remarks so we can move forward on important legislation like building our infrastructure.

BURNETT: Do you think the former president at any point, is it time for him to speak out, President Obama?

CARSON: I think President Obama has been very bold, I think we can make a mistake in putting too much on President Obama. We have a responsibility as legislators, as political leaders, as activists, as concerned citizens to speak up and condemn the president, and to do even more to make sure he is not reelected in 2020.

BURNETT: So the Republican Senator Tim Scott, the only black GOP senator said in a statement, quote, instead of sharing how the Democratic Party's far-left, pro socialist policies, not to mention the hateful language some of their members have used toward law enforcement and Jews, are wrong for the future of our nation, the President interjected with unacceptable personal attacks and racially offensive language.

He's calling up the President but he's also calling out Democrats for saying some pretty hateful and awful things. Is everybody guilty here?

CARSON: Well, Tim is a friend of mine. I have great respect for Tim. Kudos to Tim for being bold and calling out the President. I think both sides have made provocative statements. I'm not exempt from that but I think in a very real sense, those provocative statements could never outweigh the very hurtful, the very toxic, and the very destructive statements that the President of the United States keeps making.

BURNETT: I want to ask you one more question, when Marc short was on this network today, the Vice President's chief of staff, he said did not think the President's tweet was racist and here's his back and forth with a reporter today.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How is it not recist to tell women of color to back to their countries when most of them were born here anyway and they're all U.S. citizens?

MARC SHORT, CHIEF OF STAFF TO VP PENCE: Listen, he has Asian woman of color in his cabinet who came to the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But what does that have to do with lashing out at four women of color?

SHORT: Because I'm making the case that this is not a universal statement that he's. He's making it about the very specific, pretty much the individual member of Congress that I think has said most things that she's most unhappy bad about the United States of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: So he's referencing Elaine Chao as proof that the President is not a racist against women. Your response?

CARSON: Well, I think madam Chao has served in previous administrations and she could speak for herself. The focus is on President Trump and his comments that are destructive, that are racist, that are hateful, that are xenophobic, in many ways Islamophobic. And I think that the focus should be on President Trump.

President Trump has shown repeatedly that he cannot be trusted. He's shown that he's calculating and appealing to his base but those calculations, those miscalculations were proved to have been ineffective in 2020. That's my hope. BURNETT: Congressman Carson, I appreciate your time. Thanks tonight.

CARSON: Thank you.

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