Dean Phillips says he doesn't agree with the Kamala Harris gossip, but felt a need to pass along that lots of people say she 'doesn't have the right disposition' to be president

• Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillips is repeating uncredited criticism of Kamala Harris.
• Phillips recently told The Atlantic that "others" told him Harris doesn't have the chops to be president.
• But Phillips told CNN he's been "impressed" by Harris and believes she is "well-prepared."

Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota in a recent interview told The Atlantic's Mark Leibovich a mouthful about Vice President Kamala Harris, one half of the Biden administration that he'd like to topple as part of his quest to be the Democratic Party's new standard bearer.

Phillips — speaking about Harris' prospects as a future presidential candidate while promoting his 2024 presidential bid — panned the vice president's viability as a strong contender as he remarked that people "who know her a lot better than I do" weren't keen on her potentially seeking the White House.

"She is not well prepared, doesn't have the right disposition and the right competencies to execute that office," Phillips told Leibovich.

After bringing up Harris' low polling numbers, the congressman added: "It's pretty clear that she's not somebody people have faith in."

But as Phillips sought to explain during a CNN interview on Tuesday, he doesn't actually share similar feelings about Harris.

CNN anchor Abby Phillip prodded Phillips over the motivation behind his recitation of critical remarks about the vice president made by unnamed individuals.

"You've actually been around her … Why repeat what other people have told you if you have firsthand experience?" Phillip asked of Phillips' working relationship with Harris.

The congressman responded: "I did not articulate that distinctly. That was asked of me. Others have said that to the reporter in question. What I've said is when I've been around her, I've been impressed. She's been kind; she's been thoughtful and decent."

Phillips has sought to stake his longshot presidential bid as one rooted in generational change, as he's spoken repeatedly of voter concerns over Biden's age. The president earlier this week turned 81 years old, and would be 86 at the end of a potential second term.

With Biden largely staying away from New Hampshire's primary contest due to the state's scheduling of its Democratic presidential primary before South Carolina — a violation of the new DNC calendar — Phillips is looking to carve out an electoral path in the Granite State.

But Phillips going on record to repeat remarks critical of Harris while at the same time speaking favorably of her character is not endearing him to many Democrats — including fellow Rep. Robert Garcia of California.

Garcia on Tuesday blasted Phillips over his remarks and criticized the Minnesotan's presidential bid.

"Apparently Dean Phillips is floundering so hard that he's now resorting to attacking Vice-President Harris. He better keep the VP's name out of his mouth and apologize," Garcia wrote on X. "No one will support him so he's going to torch his entire reputation on the way out. Sad to see."

Phillips has insisted that while he thinks highly of both Biden and Harris, he doesn't think they're the best candidates to lead the party in 2024. And the congressman also told Phillip he didn't "recall" making comments critical of the vice president.

"I recall those words being shared with me and saying that's what people have been saying," Phillips said. "What I'm trying to explain to Americans, whether it's relative to the president's age or the standing of Vice President Harris amongst Americans, if Democrats wish to beat Donald Trump … this is not about protecting people, it's about protecting the principle of democracy."

In a University of New Hampshire/CNN poll released this month, 65% of likely Democratic presidential primary voters in the state said they'd write-in Biden's name next year. (The president's name isn't on the ballot due to the state's defiance of the DNC presidential primary calendar.)

In the same poll, Phillips was in second place but far behind Biden at 10% support.