During a Sunday appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) voiced his desire for a change in leadership, according to a report from Fox News.
“I adore Biden but want him to pass the torch to new leaders,” the congressman told host Chuck Todd. “I would like to see a moderate governor, hopefully from the heartland, from one of the four states Democrats will need.”
Phillips emphasized the importance of primaries in the democratic process, suggesting competition would make his party stronger at the polls.
“Anybody who wants to run, Joe Manchin, Cornel West … that’s why we have primaries because that doesn’t undermine the likelihood of returning, in this case, a Democrat to the White House,” he noted.
“I’m actively inviting, encouraging to some degree, imploring, that people who are ready and know it’s probably time to do so take the chance.”
It was not the first time Phillips has indicated Joe Biden should not be the Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential nominee.
“I think the country would be well served by a new generation of compelling, well-prepared, dynamic Democrats to step up,” he said in a July interview with NBC News.
Fox News commentator Lisa Boothe highlighted the Democratic Party’s dilemma, noting that while many within the party might be open to a change in leadership, the alternative could be Vice President Harris.
“I saw a recent poll where even 50 percent of Democrats wanted a different nominee in the 2024 election,” Boothe said.
“So, they’d love to get rid of him, but then you’re stuck with Kamala Harris, and so that presents an interesting scenario for them.”
Boothe articulated challenges the Democratic Party faces, especially regarding the vice president’s unpopularity.
“Kamala Harris is the least popular vice president in American history,” Boothe noted, “even less popular than Dick Cheney after he shot someone.”
Co-host Joe Concha weighed in on the discussion, suggesting that challenging President Biden from within his party might be a futile effort.
“They took 12 Biden voters, and they asked all 12 of them – this is 2020 Biden voters – Do you think Joe Biden’s a strong leader?” Concha said in reference to a New York Times focus group.
“All 12 answered no,” he continued. “Do you think he’s disappointing as a president? All 12 answer yes. Do you think he should run in 2024? All 12 answer no. Who are you voting for in 2024? All 12 answer Joe Biden.”
Concha opined that Americans now vote against candidates rather than for a particular candidate.
“And that’s what I think the Democrats are banking on,” he concluded.
The co-host noted views expressed in the New York Times focus group as the basis of his belief.
“I voted against Trump,” said Donnia, a 62-year-old independent from Illinois, about the 2020 elections.
Claudia, a 28-year-old independent from Florida, expressed her reason for voting for Biden in 2020, stating it was because he was the “lesser of two evils.”
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