On Thursday, CBS Mornings co-host Natalie Morales aired a segment of her hiking with California Representative and Senate candidate Adam Schiff in a field of blooming wildflowers. During their walk, which took place well before the presidential debate, they described Donald Trump as “gregarious” and a “dictator.”
Morales began the segment by explaining Schiff is not only campaigning against Republican Steve Garvey, but also “focused on another opponent,” that opponent, unsurprisingly, being Trump. She shared that “his opposition to Donald Trump is a large part of his campaign.” According to Morales, Schiff’s “spearheading Trump’s first impeachment trial” was the beginning of his “prominence.”
As their hike began, Schiff exclaimed that “if we don't preserve these spaces, there won't be any mountain lions left here, there won't be any bears left here,” adding that he wants to “take on the big fights for our economy, for our democracy, and for our planet.”
According to Morales, Schiff’s claim to fame was when he worked as lead manager during Trump's first impeachment trial. He also “played a key role in the January 6th Select Committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol.”
Morales described that Schiff's “resistance” to Trump put him in the “national spotlight and put a target on his back.” She conveniently left out Schiff’s history of lying.
Morales asked Schiff if he was a “nemesis” of Trump. Attempting to appear stoic, he declared, “I am proud to stand up to him.” He wasn’t finished, as he continued, “I think he is a dangerous demagogue. I think he's done unprecedented damage to the country, and if he got another chance it would be even worse.”
When Morales wondered what would happen if a “convicted Donald Trump” were to be elected, Schiff responded, “We have to take him at his word that on day one he intends to be a dictator.” On a roll, he described Trump as a “uniquely gifted grifter.”
As the segment concluded, Morales discussed Schiff’s work on the “climate crisis” and how “he's also deeply concerned about the war in Gaza as it continues triggering protests and anti-Semitism on college campuses.”
However, he blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, not Hamas, claiming his “approach to the war has been horribly wrong-headed” and his “leadership has been catastrophic.”
Click "Expand" to view the transcript:
CBS Mornings
7/11/2024
8:11:23 – 8:16:39 AM EDT
NATALIE MORALES: California Democrat Adam Schiff is just one House member raising concerns about President Biden's age and ability to beat Donald Trump. And Schiff has an important race of his own, as well. He's facing off against Republican Steve Garvey to be California's next U.S. senator.
But the way Schiff talks, it's almost as if he's focused on another opponent. His opposition to Donald Trump is a large part of his campaign. In fact, he rose to prominence spearheading Trump's first impeachment trial and I recently went on a hike with the Congressman for insight into his passions and politics.
[Cut to video]
ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Little bit hazy but otherwise pretty gorgeous.
MORALES: Congressman Adam Schiff is a lifelong hiker.
SCHIFF: One of the things I really like about hiking –
MORALES: Yeah –
SCHIFF: -- Is kinda getting away from it all.
MORALES: I’m sure.
On a windy day with wildflowers blooming, Schiff enjoys the fruits of his labor, pushing legislation to protect and preserve wilderness areas surrounding Los Angeles.
SCHIFF: You've got mountain lions in your backyard, and you got coyotes and if we don't preserve these spaces, there won't be any mountain lions left here, there won't be any bears left here. There won't be hiking trails for people. It will be gone.
MORALES: These days, Schiff is more often on the campaign trail.
SCHIFF: And create millions of new green jobs, a green new deal.
MORALES: After 23 years in the U.S. House, he's working to become California's next senator.
SCHIFF: To take on the big fights for our economy, for our democracy, and for our planet.
It's challenging work, but it's enormously interesting every day. You get to make a positive difference in people's lives. These days it's more difficult than ever, more ugly than ever. But I feel like if I left now I would be abandoning the ship during a storm.
MORALES: Schiff spearheaded President Trump's first impeachment trial in the House and also played a key role in the January 6th Select Committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol. His resistance to the former president landed him in the national spotlight and put a target on his back.
Donald Trump has made you out to be one of his nemeses. Are you a nemesis of his?
SCHIFF: I am proud to stand up to him. I think he is a dangerous demagogue. I think he's done unprecedented damage to the country, and if he got another chance it would be even worse.
DONALD TRUMP: Little pencil neck Adam Schiff [Transition] Little Adam Schiff. How about that beauty? Little Adam Schiff.
MORALES: Yet Congressman Schiff has maintained his sense of humor.
SCHIFF: I was in New York with my daughter and walking down the street, and someone asked my daughter to hold their beer while we took a photo together. She's like, what am I now the beer holder? And I said, Alexa, I'm just shocked that anybody can even recognize me. And she said without missing a beat, well you know, dad, it's the pencil neck.
[Laughter]
MORALES: Through it all he has the full support of his family, including his wife Eve. Yes, Adam and Eve have been married for nearly 30 years. But he says his wife and kids have gotten death threats.
SCHIFF: She said I just can't stand how millions of people just hate you. They just hate you. And I realized that either accept it or find another job. But sometimes I think for your family, it's not so easy.
MORALES: We spoke with Schiff shortly after a jury unanimously convicted former President Trump of 34 felony counts relating to a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election.
TRUMP: This is a scam. This is a rigged trial.
MORALES: What if a convicted Donald Trump does get elected?
SCHIFF: We have to take him at his word that on day one he intends to be a dictator. I never had a president in my lifetime who seemed so determined every day to find new and inventive ways to divide people. Once he has left the stage for good, which I hope will be this November, there will undoubtedly be Trump imitators. But he is a uniquely gifted grifter.
MORALES: In November, Schiff faces off against Republican Steve Garvey. The baseball legend is a first-time candidate. Schiff has a comfortable lead in the polls and remains focused on his work. That includes spearheading a bill addressing the climate crisis to help victims of extreme weather events get re-insured.
SCHIFF: And make sure that insurance companies have to cover fire and flood and other natural disasters, and it's a rising crisis in the state and around the country.
MORALES: He's also deeply concerned about the war in Gaza as it continues triggering protests and anti-Semitism on college campuses.
SCHIFF: In terms of Netanyahu, I think his approach to the war has been horribly wrong-headed. And I think that his leadership has been catastrophic. I want to see Israel recognize a Palestinian state and if we want to have a permanent peace, we need to get to two states.
MORALES: Schiff hopes becoming a senator will afford him more opportunities to reach across party lines. Teaming up for the good of the country.
SCHIFF: You know, my north star has always been my two kids. I want my kids to be proud of what their dad did when he had a chance to serve. If you're not going to try to do the right thing, then what the hell are you there for?
