Minnesota third district Congressman Dean Phillips, who has announced he is running for the Democratic nomination for president against Joe Biden, issued some of his strongest statements yet regarding the sitting president.
Talking with Vineeta Sawkar on the WCCO Morning News Wednesday, Phillips says the country needs more alternatives in the race, and that the country is in great crisis.
"President Biden I respect, but he has failed in achieving what the country needs more than anything else right now," explained Phillips. "He has failed to put away the extremism. He has failed to make life better for people who are desperate right now. He has failed in the most important work this country needs which is the repair of our nation. Extremism is taking over. It's taking over on the far right and it's now manifesting itself on the far left."
Phillips is campaigning ahead of the New Hampshire primary, which Biden will not participate in while waiting for South Carolina.
Meanwhile, President Biden is coming to a Northfield, Minnesota farm on Wednesday as part of his announcement that the Administration is investing more than $5 billion in rural America. The White House has said the president's visit to Minnesota has nothing to do with the Phillips' announcement, and Biden's visit was scheduled well before his involvement in the race for the nomination.
"I don't think it's coincidence but I'm thrilled the president is in Minnesota," Phillips said. "The President of the United States coming to our state to visit a farm and to actually spend time with people, hopefully meeting people that are really struggling, which are the people I'm meeting with just about every single day, and every single hour right now? I'm glad about that. Of course it's not a coincidence, but you know my motto. Everyone's invited."
Phillips announced on WCCO radio on the Chad Hartman Show last year that Biden's age is a reason for him not to run for reelection, and that Democrats should have a choice when it comes to deciding on a presidential nominee.
Several prominent Democrats in Minnesota have said Phillips is making a mistake in running against Biden, including Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.