Is Buttigieg tough enough?

[applegrove]

Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg holds a town hall in North Charleston, South Carolina, Sunday. (Meg Kinnard/AP)

By Jennifer Rubin at Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/05/06/is-buttigieg-tough-enough/?utm_source=reddit.com&utm_term=.fc914f060364

"SNIP......

Buttigieg’s strongest suit in this regard may be in his passion for detail and data. “I’m going to tell President Trump his policies are killing the people who voted for him.” He can then blast Trump on farm bankruptcies, continuing deaths from opioid abuse, numbers of people who’ve lost coverage since he was president and the enormous damage done to the country from extreme weather conditions. Being the best debunker of Trump’s ludicrous lies and misinformation, showing him to be clueless and ignorant, is a powerful selling point.

And, finally, Buttigieg — who has McKinsey experience, leads local government and served in the military — can go after Trump’s narcissistic claim that he “alone” can fix things. Trump is a weight around our necks (for example, blocking progress on climate change), when together we can work for solutions to save the planet. Trump doesn’t know the first thing about preparing for an AI economy or how to keep our technological lead; get him out of the way, and the people who know how can get to work.

On this point, Buttigieg’s career is defined by achieving solutions through a team effort (working with police and local leaders in city government, helping businesses turn around their operations, relying on buddies in combat). Trump not only lacks the answers; he cannot lead, inspire and unify the country (or even his own party). In short, Buttigieg has a handy retort to Trump’s boast: Only Trump thinks he alone can fix things.

In sum, Buttigieg can show the resilience and strength voters are looking for if he shows righteous anger on behalf of fellow citizens, wields his facts to jab at the most ignorant president in my lifetime, and makes the case he can lead a team (an administration, a party, a nation) to find solutions — replacing the guy who’s throwing sand in the gears, creating dissension and generally making things harder for the average American.


.....SNIP"

[elleng]

1. 'Buttigieg can show the resilience and strength voters are looking for if he shows righteous anger'

righteous anger, REALLY? Necessary?

[applegrove]

2. Anger is galvanizing. It is good advice. The GOP use false anger the amass their

voters. Righteous anger would be real on our part.

[UniteFightBack]

3. Well I would like to hear a little voice raised with some passion here and there. And that's one

thing I ain't heard from him.

[Blue Owl]

4. Anyone who's served in the military is tougher than tRump

Guaranteed.

[JI7]

5. yes, but seems kind of naive when it comes to certain religious people

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. Can you enlarge on your statement? I don't think I've seen this with him. n/t

[SKKY]

7. I so badly want to see Mayor Pete and Trump on a debate stage...

...my only fear is that the majority of Americans are not as wonky as most of us on DU and he may nuance right past them.

[Celerity]

8. tough enough here

[applegrove]

9. He's brilliant.

[oasis]

10. I like that.

[johannsyah]

11. His words are tougher

I like him because the way he talks reminds me of the way Obama talked during his campaign. Calm yet strong.