Dean Phillips says he's 'deeply disappointed' as he voices concern about Joe Biden's campaign performance

WASHINGTON, DC: Former Democratic presidential candidate Representative Dean Phillips has voiced concern about the disastrous campaign performance of President Joe Biden after repeatedly labeling the president as "unelectable and weak" during the primary season. 

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, July 9, for the first time since Biden's debate with former President Donald Trump late last month, Phillips said, "If this has been vindication, vindication has never been so unfulfilling," reports Fox News. 

Dean Phillips asserted that he is 'deeply disappointed'

"I made my case eight months ago and I think it's time for others to share their perspectives," the Minnesota congressman said while speaking to the group of reporters. "I'm deeply disappointed in a political system that has resulted in this dynamic that we now face," he added.

Dean Phillips remained relatively silent following the presidential debate

After the debate, pundits, Democrats, and longtime White House allies sounded off, urging the president to withdraw from the race and allow another Democrat to lead the party to defeat Trump. Phillips, however, stayed mostly quiet during this time. One day following the debate, he did share a cryptic message on social media that quoted Gandhi. "Speak only if it improves upon the silence - Gandhi," he posted. 

Dean Phillips bowed out of the presidential race in March

Phillips withdrew from the presidential contest in March after stating for months that, despite his admiration for the president, Biden's advanced age made it less likely that Democrats would hold the White House in 2024. 

"I’m attacked for being honest and saying the quiet part out loud – the part DC insiders only do in private," Phillips posted on X in February. "I admire our President. I voted for him and campaigned for him. He has visited my home and been gracious to my family and our country. But shame on all of you pretending everything is ok. You are leading us – and him – into a disaster, and you damn well know it," he added in the post.

Dean Phillips previously said Joe Biden is 'unelectable and weak'

"Our incumbent president is unelectable and weak and I think it's going to show this country that there's a candidate here who can actually do here what has been promised for generations," Phillips told reporters at a campaign event in January. 

"Americans were demanding an alternative, and democracy demands options," Phillips said while dropping out in March. "But it is clear that alternative is not me. And it is clear that Joe Biden is OUR candidate and OUR opportunity to demonstrate what type of country America is and intends to be," he added.

Dean Phillips announced in November 2023 that he would not seek re-election 

Phillips declared in November 2023 that he would not run for reelection to the House after entering the presidential contest. Having been a member of the House since 2019, Phillips comes from a heavily Democratic district, so his candidacy for president was always improbable. 

Following the debate held last month, analysts, commentators, and reporters on social media have recently declared that Biden should withdraw from the race, a move that has opened the floodgates for Democrats and traditional media outlets to support Phillips.

Concerns about Biden's cognitive ability reached a breaking point during the debate as he occasionally stammered and answered incoherently in a raspy and quiet voice. Democratic allies and media personnel were alarmed by the debate because they believed it would fuel worries about Biden's age and mental capacity.

Joe Biden has vowed to stay in the race

Biden has pledged to remain in the race despite the negative effects of the debate and his first sit-down interview with the media last week, which did little to allay worries.

"I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump," Biden wrote in a letter on Monday, July 8, to congressional Democrats, calling on them to end their questions on whether he should end his re-election bid.