Ahead of Biden's Minnesota visit, challenger Dean Phillips calls on him to pass the torch

As President Joe Biden visits Minnesota, U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips remains on an introductory swing in New Hampshire in his bid for the presidential nomination. He has his first town hall meeting Wednesday in the Granite State and joined Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition.

The following transcript has been edited for clarity. Listen to the full conversation using the audio player above.

I know you said you wanted to speak with the president before you got into the race. If you had the opportunity, what would you have told him?

Well, I would have loved to see him face-to-face. And I would have given him a hug and expressed my gratitude, and then expressed the country's desire to pass the torch, to turn the page. 80 percent of the country, as he well knows, is looking for new leadership.

The president knows that over 50 percent of Democrats are looking for a different nominee. And the president knows that 83 percent of Democrats under 30 years old are looking for a new nominee.

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The president also knows that he's trailing Donald Trump by nine points nationally, the president knows that he's trailing Donald Trump in five of the six battleground states. And the president knows that his approval ratings are at historic lows of 37 percent as of last week. And the president knows that his vice president is even lower at 33 percent. And the President knows that if Democrats don't win the next election, Donald Trump will be the president.

And that's what this is about, Cathy. It is a fundamental issue of the existential threat to the United States of America and democracy as we know it. And I would have thanked him for being the bridge that he promised to be. I would have thanked him for being the transitional President that he promised to be. And I would have thanked him for leading the country through difficult years. But I believe the president also knows the country's ready for change, and to pass the torch, and I'm presenting a bold vision for the future — a reunification or repairing, if you will — of the country, and demonstrating respect for all people, regardless of races, colors, religions and politics. And it is time for this country to move on. Because we are in crisis. We need bold leadership and it's time for a new generation. And that's what I would have said.

There had been comparisons between your run for president in the 1968 campaign of Minnesota’s Eugene McCarthy — far different times between both campaigns we should say. But the result of McCarthy's candidacy, as you know, was President Johnson withdrawing from the race after McCarthy’s showing that year in New Hampshire and the Democrats lost the White House in ‘68. Why do you think a run is worth it if Donald Trump wins next year?

That's why I'm running Cathy, I just made that case a moment ago. That's exactly why an alternative Democrat needed to run. It is me now and Marianne Williamson are the two other options. Donald Trump will win the next election if it is President Biden versus Donald Trump. That's what the numbers are saying. That's what I'm hearing around the country. That's what members of Congress are beginning to understand. That's what James Carville, that's what Dave Wasserman, that's what David Ignatius — the great writers and pollsters and pundits in this country all know.

And it is a red alert. If… if Democrats want to see another Trump presidency, they have the choice to vote for President Biden. If Democrats do not want another Donald Trump presidency, they should have a choice. And all I'm doing is presenting a choice that I know America is looking for. My name recognition is low, my energy is high. My vision for the future — bold, and I'm starting to introduce myself to the country. I will be respectful. I will be thoughtful. I will be strong. And I will meet everybody where they're at. And that's how we're going to run a race.

And that's what Democrats do. We offer alternatives. We offer choices. And that's why we have primaries. And I also want to say, Cathy, Cornel West running as an independent, Robert Kennedy Jr. running as an independent, other groups contemplating running as independent candidates. That is dangerous. If Democrats wish to lose the election to Donald Trump, that's how you do it. You put up President Biden, you have third party candidates running.

We need to mobilize into a primary and let Democratic voters all around the country select who they believe is best positioned to win the next election. That's how things work in this country. Thank goodness.

You've invited other Democrats to join you in the race. You just mentioned a few. If a bigger name does jump in, would you get out?

I wouldn't get out. But I would certainly welcome others. In fact, that's what this is about. I believe Democrats should be encouraging participation. Why are we suppressing candidates? It's happening all around the country. Coronations instead of competitions. So my invitation is into this race still. If there are people who are prepared, of good character, who can present alternatives for voters to select, by all means still do it.

I'm glad Ron Harris has entered the race against me in Minnesota. I think primaries are healthy. And I'm encouraging others to look at it the same way. I don't think politicians should be protecting their power. I think people should be selecting those who they want to represent them in positions of power. And we are facing a crisis, not just because of domestic turmoil, international wars, we are facing a domestic crisis of suppression. And it's true. And I'm going to elevate that, because that is the case. And and it's dangerous, Cathy. It's very dangerous. And all I'm saying is people should have the freedom to choose. It's not rocket science.

Do you think some of your fellow Democrats are trying to suppress your candidacy? And I asked you this because you are taking a lot of flack from other Democrats for running, including from Gov. Tim Walz, because he was on National Public Radio earlier this morning saying this:

These are always challenging questions for me, mainly because he's a personal friend. And I don't understand what he's doing. I guess we have that in our life, friends and family who sometimes do crazy things, and we try and understand why. But as far as the president goes, and as far as things happen out here, it is absolutely irrelevant. We're focusing on the things that the president is getting done.
- Gov. Tim Walz

What do you say to those who think you're doing permanent damage to your political reputation with this run?

Well, you know, Cathy, a million Americans have given their life in defense of our country and its freedom. My father, among them, lost his life in Vietnam fighting for freedom. My role in this day and age, at this very moment, is doing the exact same thing as a representative in a government that is completely detached from the people that they are supposed to represent.

Gov. Walz is a friend of mine, too. I think his words, frankly, are absurd. And he knows it because he sees the same polls that I do. He knows the same risk that I do. He knows that President Biden is not well positioned to beat Donald Trump, Donald Trump is going to be the nominee of the GOP almost certainly. And I do not know how people of good conscience, people in positions of power, could look at what is going on, could listen to voters, if they chose to do so, and make any other determination than we are facing a red alert, we are sleepwalking into an election in which the future of American democracy is absolutely at risk.

And for Gov. Walz, or anybody else who makes comments like that, I do not understand how one could argue — as a Democrat mind you — how one could argue that having an alternative choice for Americans to select is bad for Minnesota, bad for the United States of America, and certainly right now, bad for the world. And Gov. Walz also knows that if I am not successful, I will wrap up my campaign, and I will give the same amount of energy, time and support to the eventual Democratic nominee, including President Biden, because that's how we do it in America in primaries.

What is happening right now, Cathy, is the political-industrial complex is showing America what it really is: a group of people who wish to protect their positions at the expense of the very people they're supposed to be representing. And when Democrats of all people start suppressing candidacies — of decent people, people of character, people of competency — we are literally destroying the very democracy that we are supposed to be building, and to which we have taken an oath to defend. And it is that important.

And I say to those who are saying those things, Cathy, look in the mirror, and then look at the numbers, and then look around at this country and what people are trying to say to our elected officials. And I gotta tell you, again, the beautiful thing about campaigning, Cathy, the most beautiful thing about getting out and meeting people, is the appetite for change. The anger at the institutions is much worse than I even imagined six days ago when I started my campaign. And if I have to take the arrows, and if I lose my career over this, I will have done what a million Americans before me have done, which is to literally put themselves on the line for the future of the country. If that bothers people…

I have to interrupt you. If you lose your career over this, will you just not run for reelection in your district? Other DFLers have called for you to call off another run in the 3rd district over this move.

Well, Cathy, believe it or not, we're going to win New Hampshire. And I do believe I will become the Democratic nominee because the good news is, still in this country, the great United States, voters make the decision. And despite what President Biden and the powers that be will try to do to prevent that, I promise you, if American voters are given that choice to vote, if they're given the choice, I believe they will make the right choice to defeat Donald Trump and start changing how our country moves to the future.

Because if we think that using the same people in the same process and the same tools that people like President Biden had been using for 50 years… President Biden became a Senator when I was 3 years old, Cathy.

I have about 15 seconds left.

Then that’s the case right there. If people listening right now think that the future will be made by doing the same thing with the same people in the same way, and it's going to work out just fine, I'd like to meet you. Spend 15 seconds with me, with what I have left. Thank you.

Listen to the full conversation using the audio player above.