Himes on Trump CNN Tweet: 'Dictators Attack the Media'

Rep. Jim Himes Monday compared President Donald Trump to a dictator because of his attacks on the media, including a weekend tweet of a doctored Wrestlemania video showing Trump jumping a man with CNN superimposed over his face.

"Every other president has understood that the First Amendment and freedom of the press is the First Amendment for a reason, which is that the media is an important thing," the Connecticut Democrat told CNN's "New Day" program. "Dictators attack the media."

Himes acknowledged the media is "tough sometimes, is unfair," but such attacks are leaving him wondering about the direction in which the country is heading.

"Does it have any leadership that has any idea what the real meaning of freedom and liberty is?" Himes said.

There were several calls for unity after Rep. Steve Scalise was shot in June during a baseball practice for a charity game, and Himes said those calls have not gone away in Congress.

"Remember, when the president put up his tweets criticizing Mika [Brzezinski] on "Morning Joe," you saw most Republicans saying that kind of language and that kind of disgusting personal attack has no place in our politics," said Himes. "Actually, Congress remains a sort of partisan and divided place, but when it comes to the basics, we're pretty united."

But Trump went shortly from calling for civility to attacking Brzezinski, said Himes, and then the wrestling video on Sunday made him "feel like I'm in a Roadrunner or Bugs Bunny cartoon, putting up that video."

Trump is "the most powerful person in the world, president of the United States, and this is what he's doing?" Himes continued. "I'll tell you that unites Congress more than divides it."

Himes also discussed Trump's upcoming appearance at the Group of 20 summit, but said he did not know if the president will discuss Russian meddling in the 2016 election when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Trying to predict President Trump is a fool's errand," said Himes. "I have to assume there will be a lot of discussion about Syria, which will be very important, referencing the situation in Ukraine, also pretty dire. I have very little confidence that the president will bring up the Russian attack on our voting system last November. He denies it, considers it, then blames it on Democrats."

If Trump doesn't bring up the meddling, that will show he has a "blindfold on when it comes to Russia," said Himes.

"He will criticize the cast of Hamilton, your show and other countries, but not Russia?" the lawmaker said. "This is a question many of us involved in the investigation have, why is there this blind spot?"

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