Biden 2.0?
The Curious Case of Dean Phillips and the Democratic Party
I first noticed Dean Phillips, a Democratic Congressman from Minnesota, a few months ago. He started appearing on mainstream media shows like Meet the Press to suggest that Joe Biden might be a bit too old to run for reelection and that he, Dean Phillips, might be a viable option, a Biden 2.0, if you will. (I say Biden 2.0 because Phillips praises Biden and basically agrees with everything he’s done.) Subsequently, Mr. Phillips has announced a bid for the presidency, garnering notices in outlets like The Guardian and The Atlantic (the latter magazine is a neocon mouthpiece for establishment Democrats).
Whereas Democratic progressive challenger Marianne Williamson has been completely ignored by the mainstream media, Phillips has won considerable praise. Take this gushing beginning to a piece posted at the end of October at The Atlantic:
DEAN PHILLIPS HAS A WARNING FOR DEMOCRATS
By Tim Alberta
OCTOBER 27, 2023
To spend time around Dean Phillips, as I have since his first campaign for Congress in 2018, is to encounter someone so earnest as to be utterly suspicious. He speaks constantly of joy and beauty and inspiration, beaming at the prospect of entertaining some new perspective. He allows himself to be interrupted often—by friends, family, staffers—but rarely interrupts them, listening patiently with a politeness that almost feels aggravating. With the practiced manners of one raised with great privilege—boasting a net worth he estimates at $50 million—the gentleman from Minnesota is exactly that.
But that courtly disposition cracks, I’ve noticed, when he’s convinced that someone is lying. Maybe it’s because at six months old he lost his father in a helicopter crash that his family believes the military covered up, in a war in Vietnam that was sold to the public with tricks and subterfuge. I can hear the anger in his voice as he talks about the treachery that led to January 6, recalling his frantic search for some sort of weapon—he found only a sharpened pencil—with which to defend himself against the violent masses who were sacking the U.S. Capitol. I can see it in his eyes when Phillips, who is Jewish, remarks that some of his Democratic colleagues have recently spread falsehoods about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and others in the party have refused to condemn blatant anti-Semitism.
What a guy that Dean Phillips is! He's earnest! A gentleman! Yet he's tough too, ready to defend the Capitol armed with a pencil! He's rich and Jewish and ready to take on his fellow Democrats, who are hesitant to condemn "blatant anti-Semitism"!
Maybe Phillips is simply on a quixotic quest, an ego trip, but I don’t think so. I think he’s been given permission by the Democratic establishment to run against Biden. In essence, he’s a younger, richer, Biden, a 2.0 version in case Joe falters in the next year.
Again, my guess (I stress "guess") is that he's been given the nod to run so that Democrats can say Biden does have challengers within the party, that the DNC supports democracy, while at the same time providing a viable backup in case Biden stumbles badly, whether due to advanced age or dramatically falling poll numbers.
If Biden remains relatively strong, Mr. Phillips will quietly slip away, with a couple of winks and perhaps a clap on the back from the DNC. But if Biden is behind catastrophically to Donald Trump next spring or early summer, Phillips may emerge as the Democratic version of Trump: not quite as rich, not nearly as radical, but the model of a successful businessman who allegedly knows how to fix America and put us all “back to work.”
In the person of Dean Phillips, the owners and donors are hedging their bets. With Kamala Harris and Mayor Pete not ready for prime time, Phillips could be the new Biden. The DNC most certainly prefers Phillips to a Democratic challenger like Williamson or (obviously) third-party/independents like Jill Stein, RFK Jr., and Cornel West.
Stay tuned, America. If Biden falters, Biden 2.0 is already ready to roll in the person of Dean Phillips.
While I like the Analogy "Biden 2.0" I much prefer Biden 3.2 as in the Beer Alcohol Quotient served at my old Airman Clubs in San Antonio, Tx. Circa. 1973. You had to Consume @ least a 6-Pack to even get a minor Buzz!!! As I'm sure, and presume this Lightweight is as well... I much favor the 5% quotient of ethanol!
Your thoughts about Phillips parallel mine, Bill. A few months ago I was thinking that the establishment's thought-leaders were possibly preparing Newsom for the Plan B role should Biden's stumbles be too collectively debilitating to the D's Presidential aspirations. But It's become more recently clear that at least a fair part of the Dem establishment (and their mouthpieces) may be positioning Phillips for the 11th-hour switcheroo. In addition to articles you cited, I saw this: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63654388 . He's automatically given top billing. Pretty obvious, that.
He might be a good sell with those partisans for whom it's good news that he just wants to carry on BIden's policies- in a younger, less embarrassing fashion. After all, Biden's growing cognitive decline is pretty much the only reason most of them would like to see someone else run. The mass of the partisans seem not to have any real concern about policies- as long as we're all induced to stating preferred pronouns and the gender dysphoric among the young can get free "gender affirming" services. (I know... this is a pretty narrow view of the Party today but it does seem to be the lowest common denominator. I don't see any evidence of a common undercurrent of economic justice domestically, nor certainly, one of peace, international cooperation and anti-imperialism in foreign policy.)