Democratical presidential candidate Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) called out President Joe Biden on Friday for losing “the ability to legitimately listen” regarding the crisis at the southern border, saying his actions create a path for former President Donald Trump to take back the White House.
The long-shot presidential candidate launched his campaign in October, encouraging Biden to pass the torch to new Democratic leadership. Phillips said he’s stopped by the border twice, calling it “an unmitigated, embarrassing, unforgivable disaster.”
“The more we ignore it, the more we pave a path for Donald Trump to return to the White House because, you know what? He’s actually listening. And I think it’s time that Democrats do,” Phillips said in a Democratic forum hosted by NewsNation’s Dan Abrams, speaking alongside presidential candidates Marianne Williamson and Cenk Uygur.
“I’m afraid that President Biden is at a stage where he has lost the ability to legitimately listen,” Phillips added.
Biden is facing increased pressure from many within his own party and voters to resolve the issues at the border. A recent CBS News poll found that 45% of Americans think the border situation is a crisis, while another 30% see it as a serious problem.
The Democratic hopeful also called out Biden for refusing to debate any major primary challenger. Questioning where the president was on Friday evening, Phillips applauded his rivals for showing up.
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“I know he probably couldn’t be here today, but to tell the country that he will not debate a single time in a Democratic primary of such consequence? That’s perhaps the biggest point of differentiation between him, Cenk, Marianne, and me, is showing up,” Phillips said.
Philips and Williamson were in New Hampshire on Monday for another debate hosted by New England College and SiriusXM radio. The Democratic National Committee decided last year they wouldn’t sponsor any primary debates. An incumbent presidential candidate has not participated in a primary debate in several decades.
