Biden Rival Comically Backtracks When Confronted On CNN For Attacking VP Kamala Harris: ‘I Don’t Recall Saying Those Words’

Congressman and longshot Biden presidential rival Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) did a comical bit of backpedaling when CNN anchor Abby Phillip confronted him for attacking Vice President Kamala Harris in another interview.

Rep. Phillips — who is polling at or below the margin of error in most polls since launching a primary challenge against Biden — lobbed a series of attacks at the VP in an Atlantic interview, couched as repetitions of criticisms from unnamed others:

“Is Kamala Harris prepared to step in if something happened to Biden?” I asked Phillips.

“I think that Americans have made the decision that she’s not,” he said.

I replied that I was interested in the decision of one specific American, Dean Phillips.

“That is not my opinion,” Phillips clarified. He said that every interaction he’s had with the vice president has been “thoughtful” and that “I’ve enjoyed them.”

“That said …” Phillips paused, and I braced for the vibe shift.

“I hear from others who know her a lot better than I do that many think she’s not well positioned,” he said of Harris. “She is not well prepared, doesn’t have the right disposition and the right competencies to execute that office.”

Phillips also noted that Harris’s approval numbers are even worse than Biden’s: “It’s pretty clear that she’s not somebody people have faith in.”

But again, Phillips is not one of those people: “From my personal experiences, I’ve not seen those deficiencies.”

The exchange even nonplussed the interviewer, Mark Leibovich, who compared it to “Trumplike ‘many people are saying’ attributions.”

Phillips responded to backlash from the comments on Twitter, but several hours later on Tuesday night’s edition of CNN NewsNight, he ended up backtracking at warp speed when Phillip pressed him hard — eventually claiming he didn’t remember saying what he’d said:

PHILLIP: I understand that you, of course, are running for president. So, that is definitely your position.

I want to ask you about an interview that you recently did that was released today in The Atlantic. You said in this interview that other people have told you this about Vice President Kamala Harris that she is not well-prepared, doesn’t have the right disposition and the right competencies to execute that office.

You’ve actually been around her. Do you agree?

PHILLIPS: No. In fact, what I said in that report, I hope, you just articulated, is that that’s what people have told me.

PHILLIP: So why repeat what other people told you if you have firsthand experience?

PHILLIPS: I did not articulate that distinctly. That was asked of me. Others have said that to the reporter in question. What I’ve said is when I’ve been around her, I’ve been impressed. She’s been kind. She’s been thoughtful and decent. But what I’m trying to explain to Americans, whether it’s relative to the president’s age or the standing of Vice President Harris amongst Americans, if Democrats wish to beat Donald Trump, Abby, if Democrats want to beat Donald Trump, this is not about protecting people, it’s about protecting the principle of democracy.

And I’m saying that Americans are saying — if you look at their approval numbers, Americans are saying they do not want this ticket.

PHILLIP: I think critique though of this —

PHILLIPS: But I think she’s a good person.

PHILLIP: Your comments in this interview is that you are saying that this is what other people have told you, but you said those words to the reporter and people are looking at that and saying you’re hiding behind other people to articulate criticisms of the vice president. You are happy to criticize Donald Trump and Netanyahu and even President Biden. If you have critiques —

PHILLIPS: I’m the one who says the quiet part out loud. I think that’s pretty well-documented.

PHILLIP: I guess the question is why repeat these comments?

PHILLIPS: Abby, I do not recall saying those words. I recall those words being shared with me and saying that’s what people have been saying.

And I’m actually let me defend the vice president.

PHILLIP: You did not say these words?

PHILLIPS: I don’t recall saying those words. Let me say this though. I’m defending the vice president because I think she’s a good person. I think she is well-prepared. But I’m telling you the country has a different opinion, and that’s exactly what I said there.

And, by the way, I think Joe Biden is a good person. I respect him. The country is saying they do not want him to be the next president. By the way, Democrats are saying that about both of them. That’s all I’m pointing out. That’s not by the way that’s not me. Those are polls. And I will defend —

PHILLIP: By virtue of your running, you know, Vice President Harris is there on the ticket, are you tacitly saying that you don’t think that she ought to be a successor to President Biden?

PHILLIPS: I’m not saying — no, you know what I’m saying actually, and what I’ve said directly to many, and would actually say to her if she was right next to me, run.

The water is warm. We live in democracy, what is everybody so afraid to actually exercise our democratic muscles? It doesn’t happen on its own. You got to plant seeds, you got to water them, and most of all, you got to participate. I made calls to certain candidates to jump in. They wouldn’t do it. I would actually issue a call to Vice President Harris, Governor Newsom, Governor Pritzker, Governor Whitmer.

PHILLIP: Have you asked Vice President Harris to run directly?

PHILLIPS: I’ve not asked her. I’ve not asked her directly. But you would. I’ll do it publicly right now. To all who believe that we need to do better, who all believe we need change, and who all who recognize the polls are saying that President Biden is going to lose to Donald Trump, enter the race, just like I did.

The water is warm. Vice President Harris, anybody, Governor Whitmer, Governor Pritzker, Governor Newsom, all the people who are kind of circling like vultures right now, right, join the race, that’s what you do in democracy.

And most of all, I can tell you, if you haven’t gone through the nonsense and the misery of actually simply doing what you do in democracy, it’s actually joyful. It’s amazing. And the country needs us now, not in 2028, because if Donald Trump wins, Abby, there will not be a 2028.

So, Vice President Harris, yes, you know what? It’s probably hard because you’re the vice president right now, but you know what? Jump in. Jump in.

PHILLIP: Congressman Dean Phillips, I appreciate you joining us here in the studio. Thank you.

Watch above via CNN NewsNight.