Former Minnesota congressman Dean Phillips blames Charlie Kirk death on 'anger-tainment,' extremists on both sides
Former Minnesota Democratic congressman Dean Phillips became a pariah in his party even before 2024 when he challenged then-President Joe Biden in the primary, believing a diminished Biden shouldn't automatically be the Democratic presidential nominee. It wasn't until months later, after Biden's disastrous debate with President Donald Trump, that other Democrats began saying out loud what Phillips had tried to call attention to for two years in vain.
Today, Phillips has retired as a congressman and is taking a "gap year" in Southern California. He recently appeared on ABC7 News at 3 p.m. and discussed his solutions for the troubled Democratic Party, the imperiled democratic process, the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk, former Vice President Kamala Harris' new book, and his next chapter.
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Phillips told ABC7 News anchor Kristen Sze that extremism on both sides is to blame for rising political violence. Back in June, a Democratic legislator from Phillips' home state of Minnesota was shot and killed at her home in what authorities described as a political assassination. And now, with conservative political activist Charlie Kirk's assassination, Phillips sees a pattern of extremism fueled by social media. "We have an anger-tainment industry coupled with social media algorithms that feed and feed and feed those with those proclivities already."
Many Democrats point out that right-wing media radicals are responsible for more political violence in America, accounting for 54% of politically motivated murders in the past five years versus 22% attributed to left-wing extremists. Phillips acknowledges their point. "There's no question the right-wing media has been more provocative, certainly to Democrats over the years, but I don't know that somehow excuses violently intended people on either side of the aisle, and that includes Democrats."
Phillips also says while he respects former Vice President Kamala Harris, he's critical of her role as Biden was contemplating running for reelection. In her upcoming new book, 107 Days , Harris called the Democratic leadership "reckless" for allowing President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden to make the decision to run in 2024 without input. Phillips calls that an understatement and adds that she and her team did nothing to vocalize questions that they clearly had about Biden. Phillips characterized this concealment as a serious leadership failure, undermining transparency and trust with the American public. "The unwillingness to call attention to the truth when the consequences were so grave were to me what disqualifies her for leadership to begin with."
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Furthermore, Phillips notes that the failure to accommodate diverse voices when addressing inconvenient truths continues to plague the Democratic Party, partly explaining the party's lagging poll numbers despite President Trump's low approval ratings. "That's part of the problem with the Democratic Party right now, cancelling those who might have a different opinion, ignoring those who are simply acknowledging reality... all because too many members of Congress, members of the administrations, and elected officials around the country are so focused on their self-preservation rather than their principles. That's why term limits and the notion of public service as part of a professional career, but not the entirety of it, would well serve America."
When asked which Democrats are doing it right, Phillips pointed to San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, with whom he has had a lifelong friendship. Phillips was a counselor at a summer camp where Lurie was a camper. He also points to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Maryland Governor Wes Moore, both rising stars mentioned in the 2028 race. As for his own future, Sze asked Phillips whether he intends to jump back into elected politics. "It's really hard to sit on the sidelines when I see solvable problems that continue to afflict our cities and states and country, so time will tell. I want to be supportive and helpful," says Phillips. "Stay tuned."
