LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Representative Debbie Dingell has been listening along with us. She's a Democrat representing Michigan's 6th Congressional District. Good morning, Congresswoman, and welcome back to the program.
DEBBIE DINGELL: Good morning. And it is great to be with all of you.
FADEL: Now, I know you're struggling with your voice this morning with all the rallies in the final days of campaigning, so we appreciate you joining us. Now, you were among the Democrats trying to organize what was supposed to be a joint appearance, maybe even a reconciliation Sunday morning with El-Sayed and Stevens. What happened?
DINGELL: You know, first of all, I'm somebody that believes in trying to bring people together. And Haley had been saying that she wanted Abdul to win. She knew what it would mean if we did not have somebody that was - that if we had somebody that was a rubber stamp for Donald Trump. And I also think she's a woman with - she's a human being that's had a lot of feelings and emotions. And so I talked to her a lot all of last week. By the end of the week, it was just very clear to me that this whole thing had become a distraction. I had told her that. I had been talking with others about many of these things. I was shocked when I saw what happened on Sunday because I had been talking to her multiple times all week.
FADEL: Had you told her not to come to the event or...
DINGELL: I did.
FADEL: You did?
DINGELL: On Friday night, I said this has become a distraction. Instead of being focused on the issues that people are really worried about, like how they're going to pay for their food, can they go to the doctor? And I told her that.
FADEL: Have you spoken to her since she endorsed Rogers? You said you were shocked.
DINGELL: No, I have not. I had talked to her multiple times...
FADEL: Does she still have a place in the Democratic Party?
DINGELL: I fear that she does not right now. People are - I'm worried for her. I was very sad to watch her interview last night. But she has...
FADEL: And you're referring to her interview on CNN?
DINGELL: Yes, there was an interview on CNN. And I think people are very angry now. There is a point I'd like to talk about, though, which is the ad that she talked about, although it was never played on television.
FADEL: Now, this was an ad in which two people are shopping at a grocery store and basically say, well, we have to put the eggs back because we need that money to send to Israel.
DINGELL: It was...
FADEL: Something like that.
DINGELL: ...Not a good ad. It was disgusting. We criticized it. But do you know how negative the ads have been in Michigan on all sides? I've talked to many people in the Jewish community. They are very worried about the rise of antisemitism. And I feel their fear. But I had lunch in the Arab American community. And the ads that - there are multiple ads, multiple different hate ads that have been put up against the Arab American community, the Muslim community that has made them feel very scared. They're worried after the election if there could be violence on their community.
And I was in many places yesterday with members of the Black community. And they're worried about the rise of racism. I all think we should be worried about the tone of all of the ads. We should be denouncing all of the ads by all sides that have contributed and put kerosene on this hate. And I think, coming out of this election, we've got to figure out how we're going to deal with this hate, period.
FADEL: I want to add, do you see that as all interconnected, the rise in hate against Jewish people, Arabs, Muslims, Black people?
DINGELL: I think that the ads in Michigan have significantly contributed to the unease and the fear of people in Michigan right now. But I think it emulates from the top. And I believe that the job of the president of the United States is to unite us. United we stand, divided we fall. And you have not seen a unification or people trying to bring us together as Americans.
FADEL: I want to ask a little more about that. I mean, Stevens' statement was that she saw, quote, "hate" coming from Abdul El-Sayed's campaign. And you reference that ad. But there's been this barrage from the Rogers campaign against the religion and ethnicity of Abdul El-Sayed as an Arab American and Muslim, implying he's a terrorist. The president called him a Jihadist lunatic. Do you see this race in Michigan as a litmus test on whether bigoted attacks like that work?
DINGELL: I think that it's something that we all have to look at. And I want to be very clear. The ad that she wanted him to condemn, he did condemn on Friday or Saturday. But also, it wasn't one done by his campaign. The many - some of the ones that we've seen in Michigan and seen the president of the United States do have been direct by principles.
Yes, it's been - I think there are just a lot of people in this who are Michiganders. They love their state, they love their country and they don't like what they've watched. And all of us can't wait for this election to be over. This rise of hate is dangerous to our democracy and our communities.
FADEL: Now, Senator Schumer called Representative Stevens' about-face a, quote, "despicable betrayal." Do you see it the same way?
DINGELL: I'm very sad by it. What I watched last night on CNN left me deeply concerned. I'm not going to join many of the name-calling and horrible words that are being used by people on all kinds of things. I do believe Haley has seriously hurt herself in the Democratic Party and probably there is not a place for her right now.
FADEL: Sunday was supposed to be a display of unity in your party in Michigan. Instead, there was this very public spat. Does this point to a larger fracturing in your party around Israel, around progressive versus centrist?
DINGELL: I think that there are many people that are hoping that the Democratic Party - I do believe we'll get the House - that we're all going to be at each other's throats and act like the Republicans did. I'm telling you that from the Red to Blue candidates, the New Dems, the CPC, the democratic socialists, they know that we've got a job to do, which is to deliver for the American people who are hurting and they don't like what they see. And we are going to have to come together united to get work done that's actually going to deliver.
FADEL: And given what we saw yesterday - the election is tomorrow; many people have already voted - do you think this will impact what we see come Tuesday?
DINGELL: I am a gut politician, as you know, elected leader. I was out many places after this occurred yesterday. And I saw it increasing, I'm going to the poll to vote - my vote matters. Abdul raised more than $1.2 million in a few hours. I think it's had a reverse impact.
FADEL: All right. Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell of Michigan, thank you for your time.
DINGELL: Thank you.
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