https://www.kare11.com/article/news/politics/rep-dean-phillips-blames-cowardice-for-partys-election-loss-to-trump/89-a8991e05-e95e-4df1-984b-b0dd1e6f7b88
Because I hate their Kare11 website, here is just the article text:
MINNETONKA, Minn. — Before a packed crowd Monday evening at the Ridgedale Library, Rep. Dean Phillips fielded questions from constituents for the last time as a member of Congress.
Reflecting on his three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives at this final town hall event, Phillips addressed the usual topics such as immigration, abortion rights and the war in the Middle East.
There was one question, however, that drew a roar of laughter from the audience:
How do your Democratic colleagues feel about you being a prophet?
The question, of course, refers to Phillips' presidential primary bid last winter, when he made the argument that President Biden's age and declining cognitive ability left the Democrats vulnerable to another loss against Donald Trump. At the time, Phillips found few allies within the Democratic establishment. Minnesota DFL Chair Ken Martin, for example, said any primary challenge "wastes the resources we need to defeat Donald Trump," while strategist Joe Trippi told KARE 11 that Phillips seemed "clueless about what it takes to run for president."
After failing to gain much traction, Phillips ended his primary campaign after Super Tuesday in early March. However, just four months later, President Biden's debate stumble set into motion the chain of events that saw Vice President Kamala Harris replace him on the top of the Democratic ticket.
Phillips denied that he's any sort of "prophet," but while addressing his constituents on Monday night, he said he was disappointed in fellow members of Congress for their "cowardice" of standing by Biden as long as they did.
"A lot of my Democratic colleagues are still really pissed off at me," Phillips told the crowd. "Not because I was saying something different than they were all thinking. Not because they didn't know what I was saying was true. But because of what I [said] made it uncomfortable. And damn it, my friends, we have got to make people more uncomfortable sometimes by saying the truth."
In an interview after the town hall -- his first with KARE 11 since the election -- he said the Democrats might have won the presidency if Biden had stepped aside earlier.
"My argument wasn't about people or personalities. It was about process, and competition is the right process. It's how this country was established, it's how our economy works, it's how politics should work. When you suppress it, you will always get bad outcomes," Phillips said. "The answer is, absolutely. If we had had a competitive primary at the time I was calling for it, yes, I do believe we may not have won -- but surely we would have had a candidate who would have performed better."
Phillips, who announced last year he would not seek re-election in the 3rd Congressional District, told voters on Monday night that he is "not intending to go away" but will "take some time, take a breath, to think about how I can serve my country in other ways." Although he did not elaborate, Phillips did confirm publicly that he does not plan to run for governor or U.S. Senate.
At the end of his town hall, Phillips gave a warm introduction to his successor, Kelly Morrison, whom he said he has known since childhood. The two graduated from The Blake School in the same year.
Morrison's victory in the 3rd District was a positive development for Democrats, who will become the minority next year in both chambers of Congress in addition to losing the presidency.
"I'm going to try to encourage my party to try to get out into rural America, sit down at the table in communities with Donald Trump supporters, understand, listen, and from that listening, understand A) why we lost, but most importantly repackage and start re-promoting what we believe in, because that's the essence of democracy," Phillips said afterward. "I hope my party's ready to do it. And if not, I've said it a thousand times before -- I'm absolutely ready to invest in competition for both parties because I think it's overdue."
