Caitlin Clark has been the brunt of hard fouls and side chatter since Day 1 of her WNBA career - but Jemele Hill says it's "just competition."Clark became a phenom in college with a record-breaking career at Iowa when she became the NCAA's all-time leading scorer for both men and women.In April of last year, she was the No. 1 overall pick and practically just as she stepped on a WNBA court, the conversation began about whether her popularity was due to her race. In fact, it was a claim that WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson had made, saying that Clark being White was a "huge thing" when it came to Clark's popularity.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMThen came some hard fouls, trash talk and allegations of racism at Indiana Fever games, and this season, we've already seen Clark separated from opponents twice in just three games.One of those instances came on Thursday night against the Atlanta Dream, but Hill said on social media that it's just the nature of basketball.Jason McInture saw the clip of Clark and Rhyne Howard going at it, to which he posted, "Here we go with wnba players going after Caitlin Clark again."Hill then replied, "Y'all really need to stop this," adding, "We need to stop with this idea that Caitlin Clark is specifically attacked. Think she would find this extra insulting. A lot of this s--t is just competition. Yall do not do this with men. Like, ever."ANGEL REESE'S SHOOTING WOES HIGHLIGHTED IN VIRAL SEQUENCE AS LIBERTY DOMINATE SKYWith less than 30 seconds to go in the first quarter, Caitlin Clark and Rhyne Howard exchanged some words and had to be separated. Howard was playing full-court defense on Clark, who was dribbling up the court.Refs whistled the play, and the two bumped into one another. Both appeared to extend an arm, and Clark began to walk away from the situation before Howard took a step forward. But one of Howard's teammates quickly stepped in and led Howard away."I'm not scared of you," Clark appeared to say, and she was backed by her teammates.It was a slow night overall for Clark, who had just six points heading into the fourth quarter. She had 27 points two nights earlier against Atlanta.Indiana trailed, 75-71, with just over two minutes to go, but it ended the game on a 10-1 run to earn an 82-76 win. Clark added five points in the fourth quarter to finish with 11.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Caitlin Clark has been the brunt of hard fouls and side chatter since Day 1 of her WNBA career - but Jemele Hill says it's "just competition."Clark became a phenom in college with a record-breaking career at Iowa when she became the NCAA's all-time leading scorer for both men and women.In April of last year, she was the No. 1 overall pick and practically just as she stepped on a WNBA court, the conversation began about whether her popularity was due to her race. In fact, it was a claim that WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson had made, saying that Clark being White was a "huge thing" when it came to Clark's popularity.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMThen came some hard fouls, trash talk and allegations of racism at Indiana Fever games, and this season, we've already seen Clark separated from opponents twice in just three games.One of those instances came on Thursday night against the Atlanta Dream, but Hill said on social media that it's just the nature of basketball.Jason McInture saw the clip of Clark and Rhyne Howard going at it, to which he posted, "Here we go with wnba players going after Caitlin Clark again."Hill then replied, "Y'all really need to stop this," adding, "We need to stop with this idea that Caitlin Clark is specifically attacked. Think she would find this extra insulting. A lot of this s--t is just competition. Yall do not do this with men. Like, ever."ANGEL REESE'S SHOOTING WOES HIGHLIGHTED IN VIRAL SEQUENCE AS LIBERTY DOMINATE SKYWith less than 30 seconds to go in the first quarter, Caitlin Clark and Rhyne Howard exchanged some words and had to be separated. Howard was playing full-court defense on Clark, who was dribbling up the court.Refs whistled the play, and the two bumped into one another. Both appeared to extend an arm, and Clark began to walk away from the situation before Howard took a step forward. But one of Howard's teammates quickly stepped in and led Howard away."I'm not scared of you," Clark appeared to say, and she was backed by her teammates.It was a slow night overall for Clark, who had just six points heading into the fourth quarter. She had 27 points two nights earlier against Atlanta.Indiana trailed, 75-71, with just over two minutes to go, but it ended the game on a 10-1 run to earn an 82-76 win. Clark added five points in the fourth quarter to finish with 11.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared to backtrack on his previously stated timeline for determining the cause of autism by September in an interview on Thursday.Kennedy told CNN's Kaitlan Collins that it will "probably take us another six months" to uncover "the most solid information" on what has been causing autism diagnoses to spike in the United States.During a Cabinet meeting last month, Kennedy told President Donald Trump that HHS had launched a "massive testing and research effort" to uncover the root causes of what he describes as "the autism epidemic.""By September, we will know what has caused the autism epidemic, and well be able to eliminate those exposures," Kennedy claimed during the Cabinet meeting.RFK JR ATTRIBUTES RISE IN AUTISM TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, WHILE CDC POINTS TO IMPROVED DIAGNOSTIC PRACTICESWhen asked by Collins if his September timeline was still on track to be achieved, Kennedy seemed to backtrack on his original pledge."Well have some of the information," Kennedy replied. "To get the most solid information, it will probably take us another six months."According to Kennedy's new estimation, the cause of the "autism epidemic" is expected to be shared with the public sometime around March of next year.Collins then asked the HHS secretary if it would be safe to assume that parents will not know what causes autism by September.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE"Well, well see," he answered. "Were going to as I said, were going to replicate some of the studies that have already been done that look like sound studies, and well know a lot from those, and then well know a lot more afterwards."The journalist followed up Kennedy's response by asking if there would be a "definitive answer" to the cause of autism by September, to which he replied: "It depends what those replicable studies show."Referencing Kennedy's prior statement that it would take another six months to uncover "the most solid information," she asked the HHS secretary what he expects to happen after those six months."I expect we will know the answers of the etiology of autism," Kennedy claimed.After being asked if the timeline is now being moved to six months after September, Kennedy responded, saying, "As I said, were going to begin to have a lot of information by September. Were not going to stop the studies in September. Were going to be definitive. And the more definitive you are, the more it drives public policy."Collins again pressed Kennedy for a clear timeline, asking if Americans would know what causes autism by March of next year."As I said, its about six months after September, a lot of these studies will begin coming back," Kennedy stated.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared to backtrack on his previously stated timeline for determining the cause of autism by September in an interview on Thursday.Kennedy told CNN's Kaitlan Collins that it will "probably take us another six months" to uncover "the most solid information" on what has been causing autism diagnoses to spike in the United States.During a Cabinet meeting last month, Kennedy told President Donald Trump that HHS had launched a "massive testing and research effort" to uncover the root causes of what he describes as "the autism epidemic.""By September, we will know what has caused the autism epidemic, and well be able to eliminate those exposures," Kennedy claimed during the Cabinet meeting.RFK JR ATTRIBUTES RISE IN AUTISM TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, WHILE CDC POINTS TO IMPROVED DIAGNOSTIC PRACTICESWhen asked by Collins if his September timeline was still on track to be achieved, Kennedy seemed to backtrack on his original pledge."Well have some of the information," Kennedy replied. "To get the most solid information, it will probably take us another six months."According to Kennedy's new estimation, the cause of the "autism epidemic" is expected to be shared with the public sometime around March of next year.Collins then asked the HHS secretary if it would be safe to assume that parents will not know what causes autism by September.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE"Well, well see," he answered. "Were going to as I said, were going to replicate some of the studies that have already been done that look like sound studies, and well know a lot from those, and then well know a lot more afterwards."The journalist followed up Kennedy's response by asking if there would be a "definitive answer" to the cause of autism by September, to which he replied: "It depends what those replicable studies show."Referencing Kennedy's prior statement that it would take another six months to uncover "the most solid information," she asked the HHS secretary what he expects to happen after those six months."I expect we will know the answers of the etiology of autism," Kennedy claimed.After being asked if the timeline is now being moved to six months after September, Kennedy responded, saying, "As I said, were going to begin to have a lot of information by September. Were not going to stop the studies in September. Were going to be definitive. And the more definitive you are, the more it drives public policy."Collins again pressed Kennedy for a clear timeline, asking if Americans would know what causes autism by March of next year."As I said, its about six months after September, a lot of these studies will begin coming back," Kennedy stated.

The Pittsburgh Pirates' general manager Ben Cherington made it clear that, despite the teams brutal start to the season, they will not trade ace Paul Skenes.Skenes, 22, has taken MLB by storm since his debut last year and is already one of the sport's best pitchers. Fans and experts have theorized that moving Skenes now would garner a return in a trade that could propel the Pirates back into contention.However, Cherington shut that notion down.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"No, it's not part of the conversation at all," Cherington said on Wednesday.The Pirates are 17-34 this season and last in NL Central, and no team has scored fewer runs in baseball. They have scored 151 runs this season, 13 runs less than the next closest team, the Chicago White Sox.The Pirates' team batting average is .219, which is the second-lowest in baseball. A trade of Skenes, while he remains under team control for the rest of the decade, would provide the Pirates with a bevy of talent that could infuse their lineup.Cherington knows the lineup is an issue, but does not want to trade Skenes.COLORADO ROCKIES MAKE MLB HISTORY WITH WORST 50-GAME START IN MODERN ERA"We've just got to get better," Cherington said. "Lets play better baseball, and thats going to lead to winning more games. Then, lets wake up and see where that takes us when we get to July.""We want guys from Triple-A to pound the door down," Cherington said. "That would be good. I still think that can happen this year. We want more of it over time. . . . Everybody knows weve got to score more runs. Thats not going to happen just by saying it and hoping for it. Youve got to do the work to do it."Skenes last start was against the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend, in which Skenes limited the Phillies to three hits while throwing the first complete game of his career.The Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton a couple of weeks ago, but that hasnt changed their losing ways.The starting rotation has been solid but has received little help from the lineup or bullpen.Skenes (2.44), Mitch Keller (3.88), Andrew Heaney (2.91) and Bailey Falter (3.50) have all been great, yet they also have a combined record of 11-21.In 33 career starts, Skenes is 14-8 with a 2.12 ERA and an astounding 232 strikeouts in 195.2 career innings pitched.The Associated Press contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

The Pittsburgh Pirates' general manager Ben Cherington made it clear that, despite the teams brutal start to the season, they will not trade ace Paul Skenes.Skenes, 22, has taken MLB by storm since his debut last year and is already one of the sport's best pitchers. Fans and experts have theorized that moving Skenes now would garner a return in a trade that could propel the Pirates back into contention.However, Cherington shut that notion down.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"No, it's not part of the conversation at all," Cherington said on Wednesday.The Pirates are 17-34 this season and last in NL Central, and no team has scored fewer runs in baseball. They have scored 151 runs this season, 13 runs less than the next closest team, the Chicago White Sox.The Pirates' team batting average is .219, which is the second-lowest in baseball. A trade of Skenes, while he remains under team control for the rest of the decade, would provide the Pirates with a bevy of talent that could infuse their lineup.Cherington knows the lineup is an issue, but does not want to trade Skenes.COLORADO ROCKIES MAKE MLB HISTORY WITH WORST 50-GAME START IN MODERN ERA"We've just got to get better," Cherington said. "Lets play better baseball, and thats going to lead to winning more games. Then, lets wake up and see where that takes us when we get to July.""We want guys from Triple-A to pound the door down," Cherington said. "That would be good. I still think that can happen this year. We want more of it over time. . . . Everybody knows weve got to score more runs. Thats not going to happen just by saying it and hoping for it. Youve got to do the work to do it."Skenes last start was against the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend, in which Skenes limited the Phillies to three hits while throwing the first complete game of his career.The Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton a couple of weeks ago, but that hasnt changed their losing ways.The starting rotation has been solid but has received little help from the lineup or bullpen.Skenes (2.44), Mitch Keller (3.88), Andrew Heaney (2.91) and Bailey Falter (3.50) have all been great, yet they also have a combined record of 11-21.In 33 career starts, Skenes is 14-8 with a 2.12 ERA and an astounding 232 strikeouts in 195.2 career innings pitched.The Associated Press contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

President Donald Trump signed several executive orders (EOs) on nuclear energy proliferation and an order removing political considerations from public-sector science, as conservatives claimed the latter was scandalized in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.Trump also signed restoring "gold standard science" as the cornerstone of federal research.A senior White House official said on Friday there has been a decline in "disruptive research" and investments in biomedical research, along with "serious cases" of fraud and misconduct and the inability to reproduce scientific methods for the purpose of restoring public trust.The official also blamed policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and "woke DEI initiatives" for endangering the publics trust in government scientists.CHINESE SOLAR TECH POSES CHILLING THREAT TO US ELECTRIC GRID, LAWMAKERS WARNNow-retired NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci was repeatedly denounced for flip-flopping and obfuscating during his time engineering the federal response to COVID-19, leading many particularly on the right to disregard and dismiss the legitimacy of federal health authorities outright.That order cites the fact the Biden administration included political edits from teachers unions in school-reopening guidance, instead of leading with any scientific evidence.The order will enforce "gold standard science," defined as reproducible, transparent and falsifiable as well as being subject to peer review and making sure that scientists are not discouraged from discovering outcomes that run counter to a narrative.In terms of nuclear energy, one order will reform nuclear R&D at the Energy Department, accelerate reactor testing at national labs and establish a pilot program for new construction.TRUMP ADMIN HITS BULLSEYE WITH FIRST US MINE FOR KEY MINERALEnergy Secretary Chris Wright previously told Fox News Digital that revitalizing and highlighting the work of U.S. national labs is paramount to his agenda.In a move that appears to support Wrights push for nuclear power, Trump will sign an order aimed at advancing new reactor construction on public lands.CHRIS WRIGHT CONFIRMED SECRETARY OF ENERGYA senior White House official cited the importance of that type of reliable power-source for critical defense facilities and AI data centers.Another order being signed Friday will overhaul the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to require it to rule on reactor license applications within 18 months.Only two new nuclear reactors have begun construction and entered into commercial operation since the Carter administration.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPA typically risk-averse culture that requires, for example, nuclear facilities to emit as little radiation as possible, including below naturally-occurring levels, which critics said has hindered the NRC from licensing new reactors as technology begets safer and cheaper means of production.The orders will also seek to raise nuclear energy capacity from 100 gigawatts (GW) to 400 GW within 25 years.Another order will establish a vision to mine and enrich uranium within the U.S., decreasing another avenue of foreign reliance and "reinvigorate" the nuclear fuel cycle."That means America will start mining and enriching uranium and expanding domestic uranium conversion and enrichment capacity," a senior White House official said.Trump is expected to leverage the Defense Production Act which last helped secure COVID-19 paraphernalia like masks and ventilators to seek agreements with domestic nuclear energy companies for the procurement of enriched uranium, as well as finding ways to manage spent nuke fuel.Nuclear energy, the White House said in the order, "is necessary to power the next generation technologies that secure our global industrial, digital, and economic dominance, achieve energy independence, and protect our national security."

President Donald Trump signed several executive orders (EOs) on nuclear energy proliferation and an order removing political considerations from public-sector science, as conservatives claimed the latter was scandalized in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.Trump also signed restoring "gold standard science" as the cornerstone of federal research.A senior White House official said on Friday there has been a decline in "disruptive research" and investments in biomedical research, along with "serious cases" of fraud and misconduct and the inability to reproduce scientific methods for the purpose of restoring public trust.The official also blamed policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and "woke DEI initiatives" for endangering the publics trust in government scientists.CHINESE SOLAR TECH POSES CHILLING THREAT TO US ELECTRIC GRID, LAWMAKERS WARNNow-retired NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci was repeatedly denounced for flip-flopping and obfuscating during his time engineering the federal response to COVID-19, leading many particularly on the right to disregard and dismiss the legitimacy of federal health authorities outright.That order cites the fact the Biden administration included political edits from teachers unions in school-reopening guidance, instead of leading with any scientific evidence.The order will enforce "gold standard science," defined as reproducible, transparent and falsifiable as well as being subject to peer review and making sure that scientists are not discouraged from discovering outcomes that run counter to a narrative.In terms of nuclear energy, one order will reform nuclear R&D at the Energy Department, accelerate reactor testing at national labs and establish a pilot program for new construction.TRUMP ADMIN HITS BULLSEYE WITH FIRST US MINE FOR KEY MINERALEnergy Secretary Chris Wright previously told Fox News Digital that revitalizing and highlighting the work of U.S. national labs is paramount to his agenda.In a move that appears to support Wrights push for nuclear power, Trump will sign an order aimed at advancing new reactor construction on public lands.CHRIS WRIGHT CONFIRMED SECRETARY OF ENERGYA senior White House official cited the importance of that type of reliable power-source for critical defense facilities and AI data centers.Another order being signed Friday will overhaul the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to require it to rule on reactor license applications within 18 months.Only two new nuclear reactors have begun construction and entered into commercial operation since the Carter administration.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPA typically risk-averse culture that requires, for example, nuclear facilities to emit as little radiation as possible, including below naturally-occurring levels, which critics said has hindered the NRC from licensing new reactors as technology begets safer and cheaper means of production.The orders will also seek to raise nuclear energy capacity from 100 gigawatts (GW) to 400 GW within 25 years.Another order will establish a vision to mine and enrich uranium within the U.S., decreasing another avenue of foreign reliance and "reinvigorate" the nuclear fuel cycle."That means America will start mining and enriching uranium and expanding domestic uranium conversion and enrichment capacity," a senior White House official said.Trump is expected to leverage the Defense Production Act which last helped secure COVID-19 paraphernalia like masks and ventilators to seek agreements with domestic nuclear energy companies for the procurement of enriched uranium, as well as finding ways to manage spent nuke fuel.Nuclear energy, the White House said in the order, "is necessary to power the next generation technologies that secure our global industrial, digital, and economic dominance, achieve energy independence, and protect our national security."

As Americans hit the road for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, they're getting good news at the gas pumps.While gas prices have risen roughly 20 cents per gallon since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, according to GasBuddy, a fuel savings platform, "all 50 states are lower than last Memorial Day."And GasBuddy notes that gas prices are at their "lowest seasonal (Memorial Day) level since 2021."The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that when adjusted for inflation, the average U.S. retail gasoline prices going into Memorial Day weekend are 14% lower than last year, in large part because of falling crude oil prices.FOX BUSINESS: GAS PRICES HIT 4-YEAR LOW AHEAD OF MEMORIAL DAY WEEKENDAs of Friday, AAA reported that the national average for regular gasoline stood at $3.20 per gallon.And while gas prices traditionally increase heading into spring and summer, normally due to increased demand for summer travel and refineries switching to summer gasoline blends which are less likely to evaporate but are more expensive to produce GasBuddy expects prices to ease slightly during the next few months heading into Labor Day.OIL PRICES ARE DOWN OVER LAST SIX MONTHS: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR GAS PRICES?The falling prices at the pump could be good political news for Trump and Republicans aiming to defend their Senate and House majorities in next year's midterm elections."Gas prices fell for the third month in a row," the White House spotlighted last week, as it argued, "Workers See Relief in President Trumps Economy."Four months into his second tour of duty in the White House, Trump's poll numbers are slightly underwater, with most, but not all, of the latest national surveys placing the president's approval rating in negative territory.That wasn't the case when Trump was inaugurated in January, when most polls indicated his approval ratings were above water.Contributing to the slide over the past couple of months in Trump's overall approval ratings was his performance on the economy and, in particular, inflation, which were pressing issues that kept former President Joe Bidens approval ratings well below water for most of his presidency.Trump's blockbuster tariff announcement in early April sparked a trade war with some of the nation's top trading partners and triggered a massive sell-off in the financial markets and increased concerns about a recession.WHERE TRUMP STANDS IN THE POLLS FOUR MONTHS INTO HIS SECOND ADMINISTRATIONBut the markets have rebounded, thanks in part to a truce between the U.S. and China in their tariff standoff as Trump tapped the brakes on his controversial tariff implementation.Republican strategist Jesse Hunt told Fox News Digital that the current prices at the pump are "a positive development" and that "seeing gas prices where they are is a testament to the energy policy the administration wants to pursue, and it's going to result in more money being kept in people's pockets."But Daron Shaw, a politics professor and chair at the University of Texas who is the Republican partner on the Fox News poll, noted that "with the exception of gas prices, there hasnt been much of a reduction in prices.""Prices havent come down, and its not clear that people will say the absence of inflation is an economic victory. They still feel that an appreciable portion of their money is going to pay for basic things," Shaw added. "What Trump is realizing is that prices have to come down for him to be able to declare success."Hunt, a veteran of numerous GOP presidential and statewide campaigns, said that Republicans "still have to figure out a way to ease some of the strain on family budgets through everyday goods like groceries. They were able to get eggs under control, which was an issue that threatened them early on in the second administration."But pointing to Trump's sweeping tax and spending cuts package, which narrowly passed the House on Thursday, Hunt said "there is a lot of hope and optimism" that the measure, if passed into law, "will help spur additional investment" and "will provide the sort of growth that you need across the economy."Fox Business' Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.

Former Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., slammed the Democratic Party for allegedly covering up former President Joe Biden's decline in mental acuity in an op-ed for The Free Press on Thursday.Phillips argued that the party's "constant lying and gaslighting" about Biden's deteriorating health has cost the Democratic Party the public's trust.The former congressman detailed multiple instances where Biden's decline was painfully apparent to those around him, and lamented the party's leadership for allowing him to run for a second term."In 2021, I had a front-row seat on two occasions when he addressed the House Democratic Caucus. I also spent time in close proximity to the president during two flights on Air Force One, in 2021 and 2022, where I was alarmed to see the presidents obvious decline in communication skills, gait, and leadership capacity," Phillips reported.FLASHBACK: KARINE JEAN-PIERRE DECLARED THERE IS 'NO COVER-UP' OF BIDEN'S HEALTH AFTER HE DROPPED OUT OF RACEPhillips claimed that after attending the White House holiday party in December 2022, the president's decline was "too graphic to ignore," and he had no doubt in his mind that Biden was "unfit to serve a second term.""My opinion wasnt an outlier," Phillips claimed. "My congressional colleagues, like me, had eyes; behind closed doors we acknowledged the reality, lamented our party leaderships inaction, and recognized the impending disaster awaiting us in November 2024."After many hushed conversations about Biden's worsening mental acuity, Phillips decided to reach out to prominent Democrats like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and Vice President Kamala Harris, to enter the race. But according to Phillips, nobody answered the call to action.Frustrated with the leadership of his party, he decided to take matters into his own hands and enter the race himself."I was trying to spark a competitive primaryand at the very least to force a single, televised debate for Americans to assess the president and other candidates firsthand," Phillips said. "I simply wanted Americans to see up close what I had seen and what the White House was trying to hide from them, and before it was too late."NEW BOOK EXPOSES HOW TOP BIDEN COMMS STAFFER WAS 'TIP OF THE SPEAR' COVERING UP BIDEN'S COGNITIVE DECLINEPhillips claimed that his efforts to primary Biden were met by stiff opposition from Democratic leadership, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' chief of staff informing him that he "would not be speaking to Biden or anyone else in the White House" after making a courtesy call to inform Jeffries that he planned on running against the sitting president.The former congressman also alleged that the media played a large role in preventing him from being listed on the ballot in 2024."Almost immediately, the party mechanism was activated, and I became persona non grata. The media, in particular MSNBC, where former Biden staffers wielded positions of influenceessentially deplatformed me and those supporting me," Phillips claimed. "Party activists, paid and volunteer, took to social media to attack and discredit me."The Democratic National Committee (DNC) allegedly took steps to "keep anyone not named Biden from being on the ballot, forcing Phillips and his team to file multiple lawsuits."This wasnt a fight for democracy, rather a coordinated fight against democracyexecuted by a private corporation with no accountability to voters," he asserted.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREPhillips contended that Biden was surrounded by family and advisors who assured him that he was "popular, able, and the best candidate to take on Donald Trump.""And where did it get us? All those months of carefully guarding the president, prewriting his speeches, prerecording his interviews?" Phillips questioned. "In the end, the only unscripted, significant event President Biden did during his campaign was the [June] 2024 debate that was an unmitigated disaster. His entire campaign crumbled in the most humiliating way possible."Although Phillips had a multitude of criticisms for his party and those leading it, he did mention that the Democratic Party can still redeem itself."The first step is for everyone that was aware of Bidens condition to come clean. No more evasions. No more insistence that he was sharp when you met him. The whole truth will come out, and they would be wise to get ahead of it," he advised.Phillips continued, proposing an intriguing question: "If a relatively little-known congressman like me knew that Biden was incapable of leading the country in a second term, what does that say about the complicity of the real party bosses whose names we all know?"In conclusion, the former Democratic representative offered his party some advice on moving forward after the scandal."Protecting a president or institution at the cost of its credibility is a shortsighted and losing proposition. Democratic leaders and messengers must understand that sunlight is not our enemy, but rather the only way to earn the publics confidence in our party," he concluded.