Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), who ran for the Democratic presidential nominee earlier this year, saying that President Biden wasn’t the best option for the party, is now speaking out about how he was “ignored.”
“My voice, yes, was ignored, but tens of millions of Americans’ voices were ignored and suppressed and disenfranchised,” Phillips said during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” when asked if he felt he was overlooked.
The Minnesota Democrat was one of a handful of voices who spoke out about Biden after he announced his plans to run for a second term, despite his vow to only serve one in 2020.
Phillips had said at the time that Biden should let a new, younger generation step up and that he should step aside. However, he also said that he wasn’t the only one.
“I was not the only one that recognized what was likely to happen last week. I was the only one that was willing to say it live, and I think it is that culture of silence and pervasive incentives in our political system that is really costing our country, and it’s not unique to one party or the other,” he said.
Phillips didn’t hold his criticism to just his party, as he also called for more competition amongst Republicans. Despite this, his calls fell on deaf ears, as the Democrats did not hold a normal primary.
“No party has a monopoly on ideas, and I’m one of those getting sick and tired of it, trying to represent what I call the exhausted majority, center-right, center-left Americans who deserve better,” he said.
Still, Phillips says that the issue isn’t with any one party or branch of the US government.
“But Congress can’t fix this, President Trump, President Biden cannot fix this. We got to start setting aside the nonsense, coming back together, and elevating people of competence, decency, and integrity so we can get our act together because time is short, and the needs are significant,” Phillips said.