Add CBS host John Dickerson to the list of journalists who have apparently not felt the need to press Maryland Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings when he claims that millions of Americans have been "denied their right to vote" because of alleged "voter suppression" perpetrated by Republicans.
Reminiscent of ABC's George Stephanopoulos from last week's This Week, on yesterday's Face the Nation, Dickerson did not challenge Rep. Cummings on the issue, but, on December 4, the CBS host did repeatedly press then-White House chief of staff-designate Reince Priebus about whether he believed Donald Trump's claims that millions voted illegally in the presidential election. And on her MSNBC show, Andrea Mitchell Reports, NBC correspondent Mitchell also did not find his claim questionable.
Addressing Priebus in December, the CBS host brought up the subject: "Let me ask you, as an incoming chief of staff, what do you do when he says something like millions of voters voted illegally in California when you know that that's not true?"
He then followed up: "But you think millions of people -- you think millions of people voted illegally?"
After Priebus responded that it was "possible," Dickerson pressed again: "There is no evidence that it happened in millions of votes in California. I guess the question is: When you're President, can you just offer a theory that has no evidence behind it? Or does he have to tighten up his standards of proof?"
On yesterday's show, during a discussion of Cummings's upcoming meeting with President Trump, the Democratic congressman brought up the issue:
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I've got to talk to him about voting rights. You know, he talks about this voting fraud which is nonexistent, but he doesn't talk about all of the millions of people who have been denied their right to vote because of suppression. So I want to talk about things like that also.
Dickerson apparently did not notice that Cummings offered no proof of his claim as the CBS host responded: "And what about an agenda for the urban communities?"
Dickerson did not return to the issue as the next two follow-ups raised the issue of whether Democratic activists would tolerate Democratic members of Congress working with President Trump.
Relevant transcripts follow from CBS's Face the Nation:
December 4, 2016:
JOHN DICKERSON: Let me ask you, as an incoming chief of staff, what do you do when he says something like millions of voters voted illegally in California when you know that that's not true?
[REINCE PRIEBUS, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF-DESIGNATE]
DICKERSON: But you think millions of people -- you think millions of people voted illegally?
REINCE PRIEBUS: It's possible.
DICKERSON: There is no evidence that it happened in millions of votes in California. I guess the question is: When you're President, can you just offer a theory that has no evidence behind it? Or does he have to tighten up his standards of proof?
FEBRUARY 19, 2017:
REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D-MD): I'm also going to, John, I've got to talk to him about voting rights. You know, he talks about this voting fraud which is nonexistent, but he doesn't talk about all of the millions of people who have been denied their right to vote because of suppression. So I want to talk about things like that also.
JOHN DICKERSON: And what about an agenda for the urban communities?
CUMMINGS; Definitely. I understand that he will be -- you know, the Congressional Black Caucus wrote him on January 19 -- he never answered the letter until a day or so ago. But they have laid out an agenda where they'll be meeting with him and trying to resolve some urban issues and issues throughout the country.
DICKERSON: And do you think you can work with him?
[CUMMINGS]
DICKERSON: There is a feeling among Democrats that I talk to -- lawmakers in the grassroots -- that there is a feeling that no Democrat can work with this President because the grassroots will say you're working with the enemy. The passion against this President is so hard in Democrats. Is it really realistic that Democrats are going to work with this President?
