Dean Phillips on Stimulus Checks, Weed and the Risk of Joe Biden

(From December 22, 2023)Democratic presidential hopeful Dean Phillips proudly admits that he "ruined" his career in Congress by launching his controversial primary run against President Joe Biden, saying he wishes more elected lawmakers would be willing to take similar risks.

Phillips officially launched his campaign in late October after months of raising alarm about Biden's abysmal polling numbers. While he initially encouraged other leading Democrats to throw their hat into the ring, the Minnesota congressman eventually decided that if anyone was going to do it, it would have to be him. While he acknowledges his "respect" for Biden and his alignment with the president on many issues, Phillips is convinced that the incumbent simply cannot win the 2024 general election.

Recent polls do show Biden poorly positioned against former President Donald Trump, the clear front-runner for the GOP's nomination, as well as against the runners-up, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Biden's defenders, however, point to Democrats' relative success in the midterms as well as in the 2023 off-year elections. They say that when given the choice between an "extreme" GOP and an 81-year-old Democrat, voters will ultimately back the president.

In an exclusive interview at Newsweek's Manhattan office on Tuesday, Phillips highlighted key areas where he differs from Biden and how he aims to offer a serious alternative in the Democratic primary. (READ MORE at Newsweek)