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Lincoln Project Co-Founder Infuriates Democrats and NeverTrumpers By Advising Long-Shot Biden Challenger Dean Phillips

Lincoln Project Co-Founder Infuriates Democrats and NeverTrumpers By Advising Long-Shot Biden Challenger Dean Phillips

“This can only be described as a pro-Trump effort disguised as a primary campaign.”
Posted by Saturday, October 28, 2023 at 05:00pm
https://youtu.be/Qy3FSS0FbEo?si=k3L_xOko84EtNjTi
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The media was in full fret mode Friday over Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) making his presidential candidacy official in New Hampshire after months of speculation based on his hints that he would do just that.

In my opinion, they’re fretting over Phillips not because they fear he would defeat Biden in the Democratic presidential primaries but because of concern that Phillips could make Biden a weaker candidate in the general election against the eventual GOP nominee, whom Phillips believes will be former President Donald Trump:

The Atlantic interview of Phillips provided a closer look at who he is and where he stands (for instance, he’s a proud, Israel-supporting Jewish Democrat), but one particular reference sent The Usual Suspects into orbit, namely the fact that Phillips is being advised by Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt:

After taping the podcast on September 22, Schmidt told Phillips how impressed he was by his sincerity and conviction. Two days later, Schmidt called Phillips to tell him that he’d shared the audio of their conversation with some trusted political friends, and the response was unanimous: This guy needs to run for president. Before Phillips could respond, Schmidt advised the congressman to talk with his family about it. It happened to be the eve of Yom Kippur: Phillips spent the next several days with his wife and his adult daughters, who expressed enthusiasm about the idea. Phillips called Schmidt back and told him that, despite his family’s support, he had no idea how to run a presidential campaign—much less one that would have to launch within weeks, given filing deadlines in key states.

“Listen,” Schmidt told him, “if you’re willing to jump in, then I’m willing to jump in with you.”

Phillips needed some time to think—and to assess Schmidt. Politics is a tough business, but even by that standard his would-be partner had made lots of enemies. The more the two men talked, however, the more Phillips came to view Schmidt as a kindred spirit.

This information, digested by people who were already annoyed by Phillips’ previous suggestion that someone in the party needed to challenge Biden because of age questions and polling woes, led to a range of furious reactions from Phillips’ Democrat/Never Trump critics, some of whom viewed Schmidt’s involvement as a backdoor way to try and get Trump elected again:

Self-proclaimed Biden delegate/Democrat influencer Victor Shi accused Schmidt of a “betrayal of democracy”:

Schmidt’s fellow Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson, who unlike Schmidt is still with the Democrat-funded group, promised to dunk all over Phillips during a Thursday podcast. He spent most of his day Friday on Twitter showering praise on Joe Biden, perhaps to soothe the nerves of nervous billionaire Democrat donors, while having to repeatedly field questions over whether the Lincoln Project is supporting Phillips:

Lincoln Project Chief of Staff Ryan Wiggins also got in on the denials, reminding people that Schmidt is no longer affiliated with the LP and that they were “100% proudly ridin’ with Biden”:

In a further sign that there is trouble in Grifter Paradise, Bill Kristol chided Lincoln Project for attacking Phillips and suggested that if Biden was as strong as they said he was then he shouldn’t need their help:

Relatedly, Assistant House Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn (D-SC)—who was instrumental in getting Joe Biden to pick a woman of color as his running mate—subtly injected the race card into Phillips’ presidential announcement as well:

Democrats and Never-Trumpers are eating their own. Someone pass the popcorn and the hot wings,  please.

— Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter. —

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Comments

Groty | October 28, 2023 at 5:43 pm

That this Phillips guy is paying Schmidt in American dollars to run his losing campaign reflects terrible judgment. That alone is disqualifying.

Also, I’ve never heard of Victor Shi. But he also strikes me as a buffoon. How exactly is giving Schmidt money donated by Democrats to help run a losing campaign a “betrayal of democracy”?

txvet2 | October 28, 2023 at 5:51 pm

“”Democrats and Never-Trumpers are eating their own.””

Looks like Democrat infighting. Doesn’t appear to have anything to do with Republicans or right-leaning independents at all.

Paul | October 28, 2023 at 6:00 pm

Are these guys the Lincoln Log pedophiles or just the losers that hang out with those pedophiles?

retiredcantbefired | October 28, 2023 at 6:16 pm

So sad to see the remnants of the Lincoln Project trying to cut each other’s throats…

/sarc

Another Voice | October 28, 2023 at 8:06 pm

It appears to be timely to consider investing in the “Futures” of Retail Popcorn Manufactures over the coming 12 months. It might be the only investment that will have a return going into 2024..

Concise | October 28, 2023 at 10:05 pm

If Lincoln were alive today, he’d beat the crap out of this guy for defaming his name.

Tiki | October 28, 2023 at 10:49 pm

Bill Kristol is about 70% troll and 30% feckless wonder. He’s always playing the field between soft and hard left; he uses and abuses quotation marks from his staff writers in such a way that HE, Bill Kristol, never commits to anything.

But all the while he pretends at having convictions. It’s really odd. One has to follow him on twitter to see his angles.

    txvet2 in reply to Tiki. | October 28, 2023 at 11:40 pm

    Why on Earth would anybody bother to follow him anywhere?

      Tiki in reply to txvet2. | October 29, 2023 at 6:28 am

      You missed the quote upstairs, so here’s some much needed help “In a further sign that there is trouble in Grifter Paradise, Bill Kristol chided Lincoln Project for attacking Phillips.”

      I guess I’m not the only one on “earth” following BK.

      And this:

      Bill Kristol on twitter:
      “An intelligent and balanced piece on Dean Phillips’s challenge to Biden by Dan Balz.”

diver64 | October 29, 2023 at 6:56 am

I’m surprised those Lincoln Losers are still out there. Who listens to them on anything?

Phillips can read the polls even if Dems are in denial. Biden is a disaster who’s cognitive functions equate well with a turnip. Harris is an even bigger joke than Biden and the two of them have set the world on fire destroying the American Economy in the process.

Maybe Phillips heard James Carville reply when asked about Biden’s poll numbers
“So, what do you think of the WH strategy of ignoring the polls and bringing out Bidenomics”?
Carville: “someone better wake the **** up over there”

tmm | October 29, 2023 at 1:07 pm

The Lincoln spokesman saying he’s riding with Biden instantly made me think of the ending in Thelma & Louise.

2smartforlibs | October 30, 2023 at 2:02 pm

The Lenin project is showing its true colors again.

Johnathan Galt | October 30, 2023 at 3:19 pm

Good – they can lead each other into the dustbin of history.

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