CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript Interview with Ted Lieu
Interview
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BURNETT: OUTFRONT now, the Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu of California. As you hear that exchange, Congressman, kung flu, is that a racist thing for President Trump to say?
REP. TED LIEU (D-CA): Yes. And thank you, Erin, for that question.
[19:20:00]
I see served on active duty in the United States Military to defend the right of any American to say stupid racist stuff. I just never imagined it would be the President of the United States saying it. And this is not the first time he's made a number of racist comments in three and a half years and even now, instead of trying to unify our country, he's trying to divide us and that's sad.
BURNETT: So you're very clear that it's a racist term. Is he a racist to use it? I mean, the one step further here, is it fair to say he's a racist?
LIEU: So there's a difference between saying this virus came from China and we certainly can't defend China's actions with this virus. They did suppress information about it. That's different than using terms like kung flu or using terms like Chinese virus, I'm not a virus. And we know that there have been an increased number of hate crimes against Asian-Americans across America, the Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council has been tracking this, we're now at about 1,900 hate Crimes across the country since the pandemic began.
And we're talking about not just harassment, but people being stabbed in Texas, an Asian-American 1920 [00:01:13] is stabbed because their perpetrator thought they were spreading this virus. So fueling this kind of hatred is something the President could not be doing.
BURNETT: Yes. I mean, there's been so many incidents, I know of people who've been spat at yelled at, I mean, really disturbing things. The White House Press Secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, who you heard there, she's trying to defend the President's use of the term and she did so in part by blaming the media. So let me play that exchange for you, Congressman, here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: The media has never called it the kung flu, calling it Chinese coronavirus and calling it a kung flu are very different things.
MCENANY: The media and your network specifically ...
COLLINS: CNN called it the kung flu?
MCENANY: The media and your network have repeatedly used the term 'China virus' and 'Wuhan virus' ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: So why doesn't that explanation add up? I mean, I know it sounds almost ridiculous to have to ask you this, but could you just explain why it is different to say kung flu than Wuhan virus or, as you said, they've also called it Chinese virus, which is also different?
LIEU: Sure. This virus has an official name, COVID-19, it has an unofficial name, coronavirus. So when you insert an ethnic identifier, it causes people to then increase their harassment and discrimination against Asian-Americans. But you don't just have to listen to what I think of it, you can listen to Kellyanne Conway, Trump's Senior White House Adviser who said that the term kung flu was wrong and highly offensive.
Now, the other thing I want to note is that Asian-Americans according to U.S. census with the fastest rising ethnic group in the last decade and there's enough Asian-Americans in swing votes across America, including 11 percent in Nevada, 5.5 percent in Texas and 4.7 percent new record in Georgia to be the margin of victory this November.
So Donald Trump wants to keep offending Asian-Americans with his racist rhetoric, you can go right ahead and then November is going to come.
BURNETT: So this is not the first time, I mean, obviously he's been using - talking about the virus like this. He also had this exchange with an American, CBS News reporter of Chinese descent last month, let me play that for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why is this a global competition to you if everyday Americans are still losing their lives and we're still seeing more cases every day?
TRUMP: Well, they're losing their lives everywhere in the world and maybe that's a question you should ask China. Don't ask me, ask China that question, OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sir, why are you saying that to me specifically, that I should ask China?
TRUMP: I'm telling you, I'm not saying it specifically to anybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: So Congressman, do you see a pattern with this president? I mean, is this purposeful?
LIEU: Absolutely. Donald Trump has been dividing this country since he was elected and it's also something that's not just Donald Trump. If you look at our nation's history, there has been racism against minorities and then Asian-Americans have had a particular kind of racism. We had the whole yellow peril hysteria. We had the Chinese Exclusion Act, the internment of Japanese-Americans at the murder of Vincent Chin, who folks thoughts he's taking away jobs.
And then what we see now is this blaming of Asian-Americans before a virus that knows a no race or geography or party registration puts everyone at risk. And I also note that the term kung flu by the way is also making fun of the situation and we shouldn't be making fun of pandemic that's killed over 120,000 Americans in four months.
BURNETT: Yes. No, and the other thing they turn to as we're just talking about before is to say something as a joke. All right, Congressman Lieu, I appreciate your time. Thank you, sir.
LIEU: Thank you, Erin.
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