CNN's Chris Cuomo says Trump's 'victory lap' gave Democrats all the damning ammunition Mueller didn't

Chris Cuomo has some post-Mueller advice for Democrats

(Image credit: Screenshots/YouTube/CNN)

last updated 25 July 2019

"Believe it because it's true: Russia did us dirty, and they will do it again, and this president and his people did things that were wrong and lied about what they did," CNN's Chris Cuomo said Wednesday night, following former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's six hours of House testimony. "So now what?" First, Republicans have to get serious about protecting U.S. elections from foreign interference — Trump rails against it, but "let him deal with protecting himself, that's what he does best," Cuomo said. "Second, what to do about all the wrongdoing by this president and those around him?"

Democrats could launch impeachment proceedings against Trump, as Mueller seemed to suggest doing. But "if Democrats don't want to go down that road, then get off the road and make this election about what we know and what voters want from their government and the Congress and their presidency," Cuomo said. "Mr. Mueller did not give them a tailwind today — he already said what he could say in the report," but "the president gave you all the ammunition you need today in his victory lap, of all ironies."

Cuomo played some clips from Trump's pugilistic post-hearings interactions with reporters, highlighting Trump's "flat-out lies" and his "self-serving contractions." However, he added, "the most powerful charge is that this president has made this entire situation all about staying in power, and to do that he has laid waste to any institution, priority, or person who stands in the way." If Democrats won't impeach, they need to "make their case to the American people" that they can do better than Trump, Cuomo said, and "that case can't begin soon enough." Watch below. Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.