Democratic candidate Dean Phillips has accused the Biden campaign of blackballing him, alleging that they are pressuring networks to prevent him from appearing on their air. When questioned about the accusations, a spokesperson from the Biden campaign responded with a simple 'LOL'. Phillips claims that this is a strategy employed by incumbents to de-platform their competition. Despite being a member of Congress and ranking member of the Middle East Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs, Phillips says he has not received any invitations to appear on networks since declaring his candidacy. He believes this is a deliberate effort to limit his visibility and is disappointed with the media environment.
Phillips also criticizes the unequal media attention given to other candidates, pointing out that several Republican candidates polling in single digits have been given full hour town hall events, while no Democratic candidates, including himself, have been given the same opportunity. He acknowledges the generosity of News Nation for including him in the first Democratic debate, which the Democratic National Committee did not want shown.
