Dean Phillips to Newsmax: ‘Blessing’ to Be in Normandy

Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., joined Newsmax from Normandy, France, on Thursday, where he helped usher in the 80th anniversary of D-Day, calling it an “extraordinary blessing” and “one of the most remarkable days of my life.”

Phillips told “The Record With Greta Van Susteren” how moved he was to be there among Americans, simply — not Democrats or Republicans — in a joint effort to remind the world that “freedom isn’t free.”

“It’s one of the most remarkable days of my life, Greta, to be joined by Democrats and Republicans from our Congress, to see the French and the British and American flags flying next to one another, and to see allies from so many years ago coming back together to remind the world of how precious democracy is and how freedom isn’t free,” Phillips said. “It’s an extraordinarily special day. And to be surrounded by the last of the soldiers who actually fought this battle is an extraordinary, extraordinary blessing to all of us here.”

One of those hailed from Phillips’ home state of Minnesota. Les Schrenk, 100, joined dozens of surviving veterans for Thursday’s ceremony.

“He was a turret gunner shot down over France; held hostage as a POW by the Germans; on a death march for 86 days; lived to tell his story and bear witness to just a remarkable effort of allies,” Phillips said. “And his story, with so many others today, have made this not just a special day, of course, as a member of Congress, but I gotta tell you, it’s the first time I’ve been a member of Congress where it didn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican, Greta.

“We all felt extraordinarily lucky and extraordinarily American. And that is something that I wish happened more often.”

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