Democrat Running Against Biden Called Out by NBC’s Kristen Welker

Politicians are the masters of semantics, and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), who just announced that he is challenging Joe Biden in the Democrat primary, is one of the best.

Phillips only announced his campaign last week, so it was a given that he would be doing the media circuit to answer why he is primarying a member of his party that is the incumbent president.

According to Phillips, he is not running against Joe Biden, but rather for people that want to see change.

With All Due Respect…

Phillips was on Friday’s “Meet the Press,” hosted by Kristen Welker.

She asked Phillips if he had any major policy arguments against Joe Biden.

Phillips responded, “Well, Kristen, I admire the president. I voted for those policies because they’re good ones and they will be making a difference over time. I’m not running against Joe Biden. I’m not running against President Biden. I’m running for the future. Yes, we have some policy differences, but I’m a proud Democrat.”

Welker immediately challenged that answer, stating, “Congressman, respectfully, you are literally running against President Biden. So, can you tell voters, what is your major point of difference with President Biden?”

Phillips then doubled down, stating, “I’m not running against President Biden. I’m running for the majority of Americans, who want somebody different.”

So, you see, everyone has it all wrong.

People like Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis are not running against Donald Trump, they are running for the people who want an alternative to Donald Trump.

The reasoning, of course, is ludicrous. Phillips could have made the same point without sounding like a conniving politician.

If I were Phillips, my answer would have been, “Yes, I am running against Joe Biden because the majority of Democrat voters polled want to see someone other than Joe Biden pick up this fight and take it to Republicans. I believe I am that person to carry that out.”

Boom… same meaning, different words, and people do not come away thinking they just talked to a used car salesman.

That, however, is what politicians today are… used car and snake oil salesmen incapable of telling people the truth, especially when the truth is the right answer.