Dean who is running for what?
That may be the initial reaction to this Daily Caller info: https://dailycaller.com/2023/
‘I’m Considering It’: Dem Rep Weighs Presidential Bid Amid Concerns Over Biden, Primary Field
The Democratic Congressman in question is Minnesota Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips.
The DC reports:
“Minnesota Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips said he hasn’t ruled out running against President Joe Biden in 2024, citing concerns over the president’s electability and the lack of primary challengers, according to an interview released Monday.
Phillips had been meeting with Democratic donors who are seeking a Biden alternative, and has been one of the most vocal Democratic critics of the president’s reelection bid. Though Phillips appeared to shy away from challenging Biden in an interview with the Minneapolis’s Star Tribune in late August, the congressman toldpodcaster Steve Schmidt he’s still “thinking about it.”
‘It’s important for Democracy to have choices, to have competition, particularly in light of what I’m reading — the polling, the data — and what I’m sensing in my own intuition. And I’m concerned,’ said Phillips. ‘I’m concerned that there is no alternative. I’m concerned that something could happen between now and next November that would make the Democratic Convention in Chicago an unmitigated disaster. And for a party that is acting as the adults in the room, thank goodness, I’m concerned that we are not as it relates to our electoral strategy. So I’m considering it.’”
The instant reaction in some quarters without doubt will be “Dean Who?”
For those with long memories the year 1968 comes to mind. Democrat President Lyndon Johnson, elected in a 1964 landslide, was, by 1968, a decidedly beleaguered and unpopular president in both his own party and the country at large. Not unlike Joe Biden today.
New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy, LBJ’s nemesis, (and father of current Democrat challenger RFK Jr.)was being implored to run. Kennedy was indeed popular, but declined because his animosity to his late brother’s successor was so well known.
Out of the blue came Democrat Senator Eugene McCarthy from, interestingly, Dean Phillips own Minnesota. McCarthy was staunchly opposed to the Vietnam War. In spite of being unknown, running on his opposition to the war, McCarthy entered the New Hampshire primary to challenge LBJ. He was bolstered by a veritable army of anti-war college kids who flooded the state for McCarthy, their motto to be “Clean for Gene.” Boys had their hair cut and shave off beards, girls got out of jeans and put on skirts.
To the astonishment of the Democrat Establishment McCarthy got 42% of the vote, almost beating out LBJ.
That was enough to start the tidal wave for the better known RFK, who jumped into the race days later. And about two weeks after that LBJ was on television announcing he would no longer be a candidate.
As history records, eventually the Establishment pushed LBJ’s vice president, former Minnesota Senator Hubert Humphrey, into the race. RFK, tragically, was assassinated the night of the California primary he had won. In the showdown between the two Minnesotans, Humphrey won.
All of which is to say if Phillips, like McCarthy, has a Vietnam-style major issue on which he disagrees seriously with Biden, there is an opening for a real Biden challenge. The same can be said for RFK Jr.
Is it likely for Phillips? No. Then again, in the day it wasn’t likely for McCarthy either.
The bottom line? The race for the Democratic nomination is getting more interesting by the day. With the GOP race heavily tilted to Trump, the real fireworks in the 2024 primary season may well be on the Democratic side.
