Rep. Dean Phillips has begun signaling to fellow House members that he plans to launch a challenge to President Joe Biden.
Two people familiar with the
discussions said that the Minnesota Democrat has told some colleagues of
his intent to run, though a third person who has talked to Phillips
recently said he had demurred when asked. That person said Phillips was
clearly considering it but when asked point blank whether he was
running, replied: “We’ll see.”
Phillips has [...] taken several steps in recent weeks toward launching a presidential run, including calling New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley last week and reaching out to several potential staffers about working in New Hampshire.
Among those he’s approached are Steve
Schmidt, a former Republican consultant, and Bill Fletcher, a
Tennessee-based Democratic consultant, according to a person familiar
with the nascent campaign. Schmidt and Fletcher did not immediately
respond to requests for comment. The Messenger first reported Phillips’ outreach to Schmidt.
Phillips and a spokesperson also did not respond to a request for comment.
A Phillips bid would face steep
challenges. He’s a three-term congressman squaring off against Biden,
who is sitting on more than $91 million in cash and supported by the
entire party machinery. [...]
Phillips, [... has] struggled to hire staffers. Bill Burton, a
longtime Democratic consultant and Barack Obama campaign veteran, said on X
that “someone” approached him “for a conversation” about Phillips, but
it was “not something I took seriously even for a second.”
Should Phillips go through with
announcing, he will need to quickly get himself on the ballot in key
states. He’s already missed the deadline to appear on the ballot in
Nevada, the second presidential nominating state for Democrats. South
Carolina, the first nominating state in the new calendar, has a
balloting deadline of Nov. 10.
Dean of the maybe, maybe not dance, with the clock running while hoping somebody takes him seriously.
If he runs, Kennedy will get more votes than Phillips. Marianne Williamson would be another candidate to top Phillips' charm and appeal, while likely better on policy.
As President, in the years leading up to this I would have been far
more active on behalf of an effort to broker peace between Israel and
the Palestinians. Supporting Israel militarily yet not playing an active
role in emphasizing the need for Palestinian justice was a failure of
American leadership and a transgression against our own values. Once
Trump was out of office, I would have moved the U.S. Embassy back to Tel
Aviv. I would not have allowed the Abraham Accords to minimize the
cause of justice for Palestinians. I would have demanded justice for
Shireen Abu Akleh. I would have demanded that no military assistance
provided to Israel – created by a Congressional Memorandum of
Understanding that extends until 2028 — be used in a way that supports
the occupation of the West Bank, the settlements, or the blockade of
Gaza. I would have stated my opposition to all three. I would have
worked assiduously with Middle East peace builders both there and here. I
would have supported all efforts to create the resurrection of plans
for a two-state solution. I would have used American power to side with
our highest ally: humanity itself.
I do appreciate the moral clarity of President Biden’s speech on
Tuesday. It was clearly from his heart. My clarity and compassion would
have been more universal, however. I would have emphasized to the
American people that Hamas is not the Palestinian people, and the
Palestinian people are not Hamas. Palestinian Americans, just like
Jewish Americans, would have heard in my speech both respect and
support. As an American, and as a Jew, I stand with Israel. But I stand
no less for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.
On Wednesday the President met with Jewish American leaders, which I
would have done as well. But I would also have met with Arab-American
leaders, particularly Palestinian, to begin a deeper dialogue on how the
world will go forward from here — specifically, what role America can
play in trying to pick up the pieces at the end of all this. As
President, I will dedicate the power of the U.S. government to creating a
phoenix of peace arising from the ashes of this war. Peacebuilding will
be a cornerstone of my Presidency, and the peacebuilders of the world
will always have my ear. People have asked me what my Department of
Peace would do in this situation? The point is that a Department of
Peace could have helped prevent it.
In the meantime, President Biden is correct to have warned that other
nations – clearly, I assume, a reference to Iran – should be very
careful not to interfere. The President is right to be concerned about
Iran’s involvement; I share that concern. The President of the United
States must always be on heightened alert to protect America’s homeland
as well as our interests abroad, and no American law enforcement,
military or intelligence agency should blithely assume that this
situation couldn’t have repercussions for us as well. I am sure that
they do not.
The day after the invasion, I was sitting at an airport bar in Reno,
Nevada, when I struck up a conversation with a gentleman sitting next to
me. We talked and enjoyed each other’s company, and after a while he
told me he’s a Palestinian-American and I told him I’m a Jew. The irony
was lost on neither of us. Both of us were reminded of the world as it
should be, for we were experiencing it together. It is to the
achievement of that world – for every Palestinian and for every Jew,
indeed for every citizen of the world – that I dedicate my life, and
would dedicate my presidency.
Wordy perhaps. But clear in advancing Two-State peace as the proper ultimate goal. With Phillips doing a straddle, he has scant policy statements online facing grave national issues. There is this. Beyond that level, we might only guess.
Williamson is real. There. Upfront. Committed.
___________FURTHER UPDATE___________
While hating tweets, Crabgrass is not above using one now and again:
View that in context, Alpha News, in part (which Crabgrass hates to cite):
How Phillips differentiates himself from Biden on a policy level remains to be seen, since, as of January, he had voted in line with the president’s agenda 100% of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight.
Westlin’s comments came in response to images of a “Phillips for
President” bus that was spotted traveling through Ohio Tuesday, which
seemed to confirm reports that Phillips will launch a presidential bid Friday in New Hampshire.
It appears Dean will do it. I like Williamson better.
