Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

This chaos was totally avoidable.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

This is dead girl, live boy, a goat, two wetsuits and a dildo territory.  oh, and pink furry handcuffs.

After dobbs, women are no longer free.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

He really is that stupid.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

The “burn-it-down” people are good with that until they become part of the kindling.

Disagreements are healthy; personal attacks are not.

If you don’t believe freedom is for everybody, then the thing you love isn’t freedom, it is privilege.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

the 10% who apparently lack object permanence

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

We can’t confuse what’s necessary to win elections with the policies that we want to implement when we do.

You are here: Home / Elections 2024 / 2024 Primaries / Dank Grey Dawn Open Thread: Dean Phillips Not Winning Over Democratic Hearts

Dank Grey Dawn Open Thread: Dean Phillips Not Winning Over Democratic Hearts

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… For some reason:

Mr. Charles P. Pierce asks “Do You Want a Gelato Tycoon for President?”:

… If there ever was a time in our history in which our politics is ill-suited to the vague and quixotic, it is this one. The threat to democracy remains very real. One of our two major political parties is being led by a deteriorating maniac who is still conducting a bedlam’s chorus throughout our political institutions. He has real power and no real challengers. Yet the incumbent president does have challengers — Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., running on the Free The Viruses ticket, Cornel West, running on the God Knows Why line on the ballot, and now, Rep. Dean Phillips, running as a Democrat because he is convinced that his party can do better than the current president, and that he is the better that his party can do. Politico fills in the details.

A multi-millionaire gelato tycoon, the heir to one of America’s largest liquor dynasties and the first Democrat to represent Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District in nearly 60 years, Phillips is expected to make his long-rumored presidential campaign official in New Hampshire on Friday, ending months of speculation over his plans for 2024.

I was saying just the other day that what American politics needs is more gelato tycoons because I think we all have been missing an important voice from an influential constituency…

He also pitched his business acumen as a major selling point for voters: “I’d like to bring some of the business principles, the fiscal responsibility that I appreciate in the Republican Party, to Democrats,” he said.

He has only one real issue — the current president’s age. He apparently believes that makes him less menacing than Kennedy or West. This is a miscalculation of whopping proportions. By his very act of running, Phillips is reinforcing a critical Republican talking-point and one of the key factors behind the puzzling gap between the president’s performance in office and his approval ratings.

The bus’ bumper teased Phillips’ new campaign slogan: “Make America Affordable Again.”

Lincolnesque, no?…

Democratic primary professionals, outside lily-white New Hampshire, not exactly impressed:

But grift respect grift:

Reader Interactions

48Comments

  1. 1.

    Rusty

    As a Granite State resident I get to vote in the primary that doesn’t count, but I will be there at the polls to write in Joe’s name and make sure Phillips gets stomped by someone not even on the ballot. I’ll get every other Democrat here I know to do the same.  Fuck him.

  3. 3.

    Anne Laurie

    @SpaceUnit: Smells like Putin money. The Kompromat runs deep.

    Nah, IMO Phillips is just another nepo-baby.  He *has* a ton of money, but getting the attention of local Wisconsinites who want to drink his liquor-distributor booze (and of ‘consultants’ like Schmidt, who want to take his money) is no longer enough for him.  He craves national attention!… even if it has to be as the butt of nation-wide snark.

  4. 4.

    bjacques

    @Anne Laurie: given his background, maybe his campaign should focus on bringing back nickel rail drinks and two-for-one on Ladies’ Night. It sounds like a GOP talking points drinking game already.

  6. 6.

    206inKY

    This dude’s campaign is dead in the water. My theory is that attacking Joe on age backfires always. His toughest demo is boomers who are sensitive about getting old—this stuff wins sympathy votes. The next gen is solidly in his corner, including all serious leaders like Kamala, Pete, Stacey, Beto, Katie, Andy, and more. The even younger crowd is laser focused on abortion and clear-eyed on Joe, who has 2024 on lockdown. Only question is whether Taylor Swift wins in 2028, 2032, 2036, or 2040.

  7. 7.

    SpaceUnit

    @Anne Laurie:

    Yeah. I don’t know anything about the guy.  But it’s all too easy these days to imagine strings being pulled by bad actors. And Russian political influence is being seriously underreported.

    It’s almost like certain people don’t want us thinking about it.

     

    ETA:  And as Adam has informed us, Russian strategy is Penetration at Every Level. I’m pretty sure they’ve got Rudy G. by the balls. Probably TFG too.

  8. 8.

    Ruckus

    We have a problem in this country with our political class. Because we are a very individual democracy. By that I mean we are a country that at least attempts to, on the base level, recognize each citizen as important. We run a government that at least tends to listen to the citizens, all of them, not just the one’s with oversized bank accounts, that means the working class, the fire department, yes – the cops, the person that drives the trash truck, the mail delivery person, the nurses/doctors, school teachers and on and on and on. The people that make up the citizens – all of them. Sometimes we forget the structure of this country, why and how it was founded but we get reminded every so often. In a time of war we do draft people, but they are then treated the same as everyone else – less than it should be but better than many think. We make a big deal of people who are wealthy – earned or inherited – maybe more than we should. And of course life can always be made better for more of us. Right now we have a president who understands the concept of better for ALL, not just the wealthy. And yes they will still be wealthy, if maybe just not quite as much as possible, and life will still be better for most of us. Which should be the goal of a democracy – better for ALL. (Wait – isn’t that what Joe B wants and does?) I’m an old fart and I’ve worked to get where I am. I’m not pissed I had to do that, I’ve worked on/made the tools that made toys for Mattel, I’ve made the tools that make plastic milk bottles, I’ve made bone saw blades, and dozens and dozens of other tools that made things that we all use and enjoy. I worked on Barbie Doll molds, I’ve worked on airplane parts, on tools to make plastic milk bottles and on and on. And that was just one American company. There are millions of us that make tools and things, grow food, build homes, mend bodies, store our money, make/play songs we like to hear, books we like to read, sell us food, and clothing. Effectively we all support each other. Yes, we need to do better for some, and charge some more for the privilege of being wealthy. Still we continue to at least try to improve, to make this a better place for ALL of us. And in my lifetime it has gotten better. And yes better is possible and what we should be doing. Yes there are still too many that fall into the cracks, and yes the cracks are still too easy to fall into. Still, as I said above, it has gotten better in my lifetime. We need to not be selfish and make it better for all. Selfish bastards, like SFB, need to learn to BE Part of this, not think they own it, because they don’t.

    It’s our country, ALL of ours.

  11. 11.

    piratedan

    we did the dessert food entrepreneur masquerading as the Governor thing (Ducey) in Arizona… all we got was vanilla fascism served in a waffle cone.  Small Franchise owners in charge of politics sucks ass and the business model of allowing Kari Lake to challenge four elections and get your fifth one free is a non-starter.

  12. 12.

    Ruckus

    @SpaceUnit:

     I’m pretty sure they’ve got Rudy G. by the balls. Probably TFG too.

    I’d bet Rudy no longer knows what balls are, he seems that far gone, and SFB absolutely only gives a rat’s ass about SFB, always has and will to his last day. Fortunately he is showing signs that, at least mentally, he may not be able to give even a rats ass not all that far into the future. When he speaks he often sounds anymore like he put the wrong CD into the player. Given the stress he must be under for being him – oh who am I kidding, he’s made his bed, let him sleep under it.

  14. 14.

    Shalimar

    So his strategy to beat Biden is to only run in the one state where Biden isn’t on the ballot.  Such courage.   Wow.

  15. 15.

    matt

    America has a rich people problem. Anyway, won’t ever be buying this shitty guy’s ice cream again.

  17. 17.

    p.a.

    What’s his record of voting with the admin?  Has he been obviously “Republican-lite”?  Or is this “Joe must go” challenge out-of-the-blue as far as his votes would show?

  18. 18.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @SpaceUnit:

    I’m pretty sure they’ve got Rudy G. by the balls. Probably TFG too.

    Dunno about Rudy, but we know the answer to that with Trump.  Remember the Russian intelligence leak?  Putin’s attitude is that he has no need to put Trump on a chain.  The stuff Russia wants Trump to do is the stuff Trump already wants to do.

  19. 19.

    lowtechcyclist

    Dean Phillips: “the fiscal responsibility that I appreciate in the Republican Party” – LOLOL. The GOP hasn’t been the fiscally responsible party since Phillips was in grade school.

    Seriously, fuck this guy and his Republican talking points (crime, border).

  23. 23.

    Matt McIrvin

    If there’s one thing I understand even less than leftier-than-thous shivving Democrats to help Republicans in the name of ideological purity, it’s centrists shivving Democrats in the name of centrism or nonpartisanship. I’m pretty sure they have less of a constituency. Unfortunately that constituency is overrepresented among elite media outlets and the rich.

  25. 25.

    Matt McIrvin

    @eclare: Sometimes the “dirtbag left” and “centrist” attacks are actually almost the same except for the label: specifically when they push the idea that Dems turned super-“woke” and it’s driving away the salt of the earth who would support us on economic issues. But if Phillips is saying he appreciates Republican fiscal responsibility, I guess he’s not doing that either, so I wonder what he is doing.

  26. 26.

    Geminid

    @Matt McIrvin: This is one “Centrist,” not Centrists plural. No other Congressional Democrat is backing this vanity campaign.

    Phillips is talking himself out of a job. He already has a solid primary opponent. Very few Democratic incumbents get knocked out in primaries, but I expect Phillips will be next August 13.

  28. 28.

    Geminid

    In other New Hampshire political news, I see that Rep. Ro Khanna will debate Vivek Ramaswamy at St. Anselms College this Thursday evening.

  31. 31.

    NorthLeft

    I’m getting sick and tired of this narrative that Republicans/Conservatives are somehow better stewards of the economy and more careful with spending.
    They are actually cheap, miserable fucks when it comes to spending policies that benefit the great majority of people, and then this results in a weak, top heavy economy that is not sustainable.

    I have had to listen to this drivel for all my life. I wish our educated media would push back against this nonsense, but that is a bridge too far for those clowns.

    BTW, screw this new candidate for Mr. Entitlement of 2023.

  33. 33.

    mrmoshpotato

    @NorthLeft:

    I’m getting sick and tired of this narrative that Republicans/Conservatives are somehow better stewards of the economy and more careful with spending.

    They are actually cheap, miserable fucks when it comes to spending policies that benefit the great majority of people, and then this results in a weak, top heavy economy that is not sustainable.

    What evidence do you have to support this? More than 50 years of economic reports?

  34. 34.

    JML

    Among the many reasons to object to Dean’s quixotic and narcissistic presidential campaign is the BS about him being a successful businessman. Because the only reason he’s had success in business is because he was already rich and had a huge stake of money to play with to support his activity. He wasn’t a real mover and shaker in the family’s liquor business (that was his father Eddie) and in fact his move into the gelato business was partly done to keep him out of the way there. Yes, he was successful there…but that was almost certainly all related to the fact that he had massive amounts of resources available at all times to push Talenti through the difficult start-up periods. It’s not because he was a great business person and creator of a fantastic product. He just had money.

    Which is what people always forget about with this nonsense. Mitt Romney wasn’t a successful businessman because of what he created; he was successful because he started with a big pile of money, and it’s a lot easier to take a fortune and make it a bigger one. The old story of it’s easier to turn $1 million into $2 million than it is to turn $1 into $2. That’s Dean Phillips.

    Note: his venture into the coffee shop world was less successful. It buffed up his “small business” credentials, but the business struggled and closed in 2022.

    Dean’s not a bad guy, really…but he’s got that rich dude cluelessness and is totally susceptible to the blandishments of Third Way clowns, Beltway media bobos, and the Steve Schmidts of the world.

  35. 35.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Geminid: It reminds me very much of the “No Labels” bullshit though. It pops up every four years and gets fascinated attention from a bunch of newspaper pundits who imagine that they are the vital American center, and then, nothing.

  37. 37.

    trnc

    @MattF: I predict that the endorsement from Andrew Yang will be peak Phillips.

    I am really sick to death of that fucking crybaby. It’s not democrats’ fault that he’s a WATB. Sure hope Phillips becomes another “Who?” soon.

  38. 38.

    Geminid

    @Matt McIrvin: Sure. I’m just distinguishing Phillips from other Democratic moderates.

    I don’t think there is an ideological motivation here. Phillips has been bitching about Biden for months, but I had not seen policy criticisms until now. That makes me think these are more about ambition than conviction.

  39. 39.

    trnc

    @Matt McIrvin: If there’s one thing I understand even less than leftier-than-thous shivving Democrats to help Republicans in the name of ideological purity, it’s centrists shivving Democrats in the name of centrism or nonpartisanship. I’m pretty sure they have less of a constituency. Unfortunately that constituency is overrepresented among elite media outlets and the rich.

    It’s a republican scam to dilute the dem party. There may be a few nominal dems who have swallowed the kool-aid, but it’s republican $ behind the whole thing.

  40. 40.

    wjca

    There isn’t a lot of room in the Democratic party for people whose primary issues are labor exploitation and tax avoidance.

    Somehow, that hasn’t been the common interest or behavior of the small business owners I have worked for and around.  Not because there aren’t some small (however defined) businesses like that.  But many others are quite otherwise.  For example, I’m working now for a small business. — an S corp, if that matters  A few years back, out of the blue, the owner informed is that we were each getting a 5% equity stake.  None of us had even raised the issue; she thought it up all on her own.  If that’s labor exploitation, then I am totally ignorant of what the term means.

  41. 41.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Baud: Debate of the Desis!

    Reminds me of the acronym a university librarian passed on to me almost 30 years ago:

    ABCDEFG

    = Another Bored Confused Desi Expat From Gujarat

    (FTR I never considered that to be more than modestly clever coinage of unknown provenance)

  42. 42.

    dirge

    @wjca: an S corp, if that matters

    Indeed it does matter.  An S Corp is pass-through, so you should be getting 5% of profits as they come in.  Are you?

    Was this offered in lieu of a raise or other benefit?

    Are you confident the owner isn’t skimming your profits by using the business to pay personal expenses?  Have you seen the books? Have you seen the second set of books?

    Could be a fair and generous employer, but my experience suggests, at best, “trust but verify.”

  44. 44.

    wjca

    @dirge: An S Corp is pass-through, so you should be getting 5% of profits as they come in.  Are you?

    Was this offered in lieu of a raise or other benefit?

    Yes, the profits do pass thru.  Not particular fanfare, they just get the same direct deposit as wages.  I only really notice when the K-1 arrives.  :-)

    They weren’t in lieu of anything, as far as I could tell.  Just a boss who wanted to do the right thing.  Or, if you want to be cynical, knew it was an effective way to keep employees engaged.  Not that anybody was showing any inclination to depart — the work itself is too interesting.  Also, none of us really need the money right now; personally I see it more as a long term investment.

  48. 48.

    wjca

    @Paul in KY: I think he’s just an old rich GOPer, who had to run Dem to get elected in his district.

    As opposed to TIFG.  Who was an old, (supposedly) rich, (nominal**) Democrat, who had to run as a Republican to get elected.

     

    **but he did occasionally give money)

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