Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) gave a surprisingly honest answer when asked whether he wants President Joe Biden to run for re-election in 2024.
Speaking on “The Chad Hartman Show” on Minneapolis radio station WCCO, Phillips said that he does not want Biden to run again. Phillips said he would much prefer that a “new generation” of Democrats stand up to take Biden’s place in 2024.
“Do you want Joe Biden to run in 2024?” host Chad Hartman asked. “Because the number of Democrats who don’t is staggeringly high.”
“I have respect for Joe Biden,” Phillips replied. “I think he has, despite some mistakes and some missteps, despite his age, I think he’s a man of decency, of good principle, of compassion, of empathy, and of strength. But to answer your question directly, which I know is quite rare, Chad, no, I don’t. I think the country would be well-served by a new generation of compelling, well-prepared, dynamic Democrats to step up.”
“Joe Biden has served our country admirably, with principal and with decency at a time when we surely needed it,” Phillips continued. “But, I’m part of a caucus here in Congress where our three top leaders are over 80 years old, where the president will be over 80 in the next election. And I think it’s time for a generational change. I’m not shy to say that. I do believe that most of my colleagues feel the same way.”
Phillips also blasted his members of his own party during the interview for helping to push out centrist Republicans from Congress, and called for a resurgence of “principle” and “competition” in politics.
“I hope we see a resurgence of the principled center-right Republican Party re-form,” Phillips said. “And that’s why I’m so upset about Democrats actually taking out the very types of Republicans that could help do so: the Anthony Gonzalez’s of the world, the Peter Meijer’s of the world, the Fred Upton’s of the world; good Republicans who either retired because the writing was on the wall, or who will, unfortunately, be facing primaries that are unwinnable. We need to have more principle in our politics, we need common sense, and I’m afraid that both parties are part of a significant problem that Americans should take heed of. And I do believe political competition would be healthy.”
Prominent Democrats have shied away from answering questions from media outlets about whether they want Biden to run for re-election. In June, New York Congresswoman and far-Left “Squad” member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) evaded a question from CNN’s Dana Bash about whether she would support Biden running for a second term in office. Earlier this week, one of AOC’s fellow “Squad” members, Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), cut an interview with a local news outlet short when an interviewer asked her whether she would back Biden in 2024.
In a Thursday interview with Chris Cuomo, moderate Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) seemed to dodge the question, instead saying that Americans should want to see the next president succeed regardless of party.