The news media has taken part in a campaign to "delegitimize" 2020 Democratic hopeful Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Tulsi GabbardRepublicans call on DOJ to investigate Netflix over 'Cuties' film Hispanic Caucus campaign arm endorses slate of non-Hispanic candidates Gabbard says she 'was not invited to participate in any way' in Democratic convention MORE (D-Hawaii), left-leaning journalist Michael Tracey said in an interview that aired Friday on Hill.TV's “Rising.”

"The campaign to otherize and delegitimize Tulsi Gabbard is itself really disturbing," Tracey said to Buck Sexton and Krystal Ball on Wednesday.

"She's portrayed as a total crank, a weirdo, somebody who's been coddling dictators. She's been accused of being a member of a cult," he continued.

He compared the move to ones he says the media has made in the past to delegitimize other candidates.

"It really harkens back to how the media tried to otherize [former Republican presidential candidate] Ron Paul, [former Democratic candidate] Dennis Kucinich, other candidates in previous electoral cycles who were seen to be inconvenient or be too challenging of foreign policy consensus in particular," he said.

Gabbard has faced blowback for an unannounced 2017 visit with Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has been accused of human rights abuses against his own people in that country's ongoing civil war.

"This is what always happens when candidates forthrightly challenge foreign policy consensus. They are deemed to be out of their minds, and that's a really destructive and insidious dynamic," Tracey added.

"She never said one kind word about Assad," Tracey said. "She went on one diplomatic mission to Syria in January of 2017 with Dennis Kucinich where she met with Assad and Syrian opposition forces. She brought a Syrian opposition figure to the State of the Union a few weeks ago."

Gabbard, herself, pushed back on the notion that she was an "apologist" for Assad during an appearance this week on ABC's "The View."

"My point is that the reality we are facing here is that since the United States started waging a covert regime change war in Syria starting in 2011, the lives of the Syrian people have not been improved," Gabbard said.

Gabbard was an early entrant in the 2020 Democratic field and faces an uphill battle against bigger name candidates like Sens. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenHarris joins women's voter mobilization event also featuring Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda Judd Gregg: The Kamala threat — the Californiaization of America GOP set to release controversial Biden report MORE (D-Mass.), Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice First presidential debate to cover coronavirus, Supreme Court Harris joins women's voter mobilization event also featuring Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda MORE (D-Calif.) and Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Bernie Sanders warns of 'nightmare scenario' if Trump refuses election results Harris joins women's voter mobilization event also featuring Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda MORE (I-Vt.), who have all officially jumped in the race for the White House.

— Julia Manchester

This article was updated Feb. 23, 11:25 a.m.