Biden’s New Primary Challenger Effusively Praised Him Earlier This Year

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) launched a primary challenge to President Joe Biden on Thursday, declaring that “I will not be quiet in the face of numbers that are so clearly saying we’re going to be facing an emergency next November.”

Earlier this year, however, Phillips heaped praise on the president, even going so far as to suggest he gave the country the “most important thing” that it has “ever needed.”

“We believe in competency over chaos,” declared Phillips during a February press conference. “And if there is not a more important message for the American people and for all of us to remind ourselves where we were just a few years ago and where we are today.”

“A lot of macro discussion, a lot of big words, a lot of big policies and legislation,” he continued. “But at the end of the day, President Biden has delivered the most important thing that this country has ever needed, and that is competency in lieu of chaos. I am so honored to represent my friends in this extraordinary caucus, and I thank you for being here today.”

Despite Phillips’ kind words about Biden’s White House tenure, he has long called for Biden to step aside in 2024.

In July 2022, Phillips said that despite his “respect” for Biden, he didn’t think he should run for re-election.

“I think the country would be well served by a new generation of compelling, well-prepared, dynamic Democrats to step up,” he said at the time.

And this August, Phillips joined CBS News’ Face the Nation to call on qualified Democrats to primary Biden.

“Democrats are telling me that they want not a coronation, but they want a competition,” argued Phillips. “The New York Times poll from this week shows 55 percent of Democratic voters want some alternatives to the current people in the primary.”

Watch above via Howard Mortman on X.