They better knock Buttigieg out of the running before any debates or the others are toast...

[PeeJ52]

I've been watching this guy in interviews, and unless they are feeding him the questions a week in advance, he's blowing me away. He is so knowledgeable, at ease, and self assured. He'll win any debate hands down. He's winning me over.

[JanetLovesObama]

1. I posted something like this on my Facebook -

this morning and have already gotten "oh but he's GAY". These are Dems talking and pisses me off. I don't give a damn about his sexuality. We need to have the BEST person out there to take over in 2020. And Mayor Pete seems to have it all !!!

[PeeJ52]

4. Yeah, but tRump's an IDIOT and he won!

Mayor Pete has the perfect answer for everything. His explanation on how the views of the parties have shifted and liberal vs. progressive and how he's worked in the hotbed of conservatism of Indiana really hit the nail on the head. I think he can do it unless the media gangs up on him and kicks him out like they did with the Howard Dean scream. He's got the total package.

[Qutzupalotl]

12. I think they're concerned about national viability,

in that they know there is a large segment of the population who “doesn’t believe in homosexuality” or “doesn’t believe in gay marriage” (as if their beliefs could change reality!).

But a good argument can be made that a) the people saying those things are mostly hopeless Republican sheep, and b) if enough people don’t care about that, he can win.

I agree there seems to be an effort to push him out as “unelectable” because he isn’t a big name yet. My response is, watch him and listen. He tends to win people over. Most people hear him and realize they’ve always agreed with him; he just makes sense.

We have too many good candidates, so there won’t be an obvious frontrunner for a while. Let’s hope we can keep it civil enough to come together at the end.

[Shanti Mama]

14. I know, but lots of people, perhaps more, wouldn't vote for a black man.

And then he won!

[Honeycombe8]

30. But he was well known by Democrats by then.

He had given the keynote speech at the Democratic Convention, then had been elected to the Senate (to give him more cred when he ran for President).

He was also middle aged.

Buttegieg is young and has only been a mayor of a city. I don't think he can win the Presidency. If he shows cred on the stump and in debates, he might get the VP slot.

More than likely, this is a stepping stone to running for something else, like the Senate. To develop national recognition.

[Blue_true]

46. Someone here listed his being gay as a potential roadblock.

I must admit that also crossed my mind. But the man is just so well versed on everything and has policy ideas that I feel will work. I don't care at all about his sexuality, we need a very solid President taking over in 2021 to fix the mess Trump is making.

[radical noodle]

81. He was elected in South Bend, Indiana

I repeat, Indiana. Think about that when you worry about roadblocks because he's gay.

[MH1]

90. The evangelical election machinery will be out in force for a presidential election.

I'm not sure how he did it in South Bend, but I suspect it's a big enough city to have a decent size segment of "urban" thinking folks who lean liberal. And the evangelicals must have not been paying attention or otherwise dropped the ball.

Now, the way we could win, is if Democrats show up to vote in numbers similar or better than the white evangelical over 50 vote - but for us, ALL age brackets. Yes, if we can get an amazing turnout from all demographics, we would have a shot, I think. Just not sure we can count on it.

[radical noodle]

91. Just my opinion

but I tend to think that those who wouldn't vote for Mayor Pete because he's gay would be voting for trump anyway.

A big turnout is always good but I don't think we can count on anything.

[Demsrule86]

96. Too risky for me.

[greymattermom]

126. And the Evangelicals

are saying that Episcopal isn't Christian. Buttigieg will have an interesting response to that, I'm sure.

[radical noodle]

133. LOL!

I'm pretty sure the Evangelicals are no longer Christians.

[True Dough]

127. That's a good point, rad noodle!

Every candidate is going to come with "baggage." If this all the ReThugs have against Mayor Pete then let them try to make a case that being gay is immoral in 2019. Sure, there's a segment that absolutely won't vote for a gay candidate, but there's also a demographic that won't vote for a woman for president or a black man (didn't stop Obama).

Besides, I've been reading about how some right-wing veterans are impressed with Buttigieg "despite" his sexual orientation. I like his chances.

[radical noodle]

135. Too many people now have

gay relatives who have come out. That's what changes hearts and minds. We've seen polls that say something like 70% of voters say they would vote for a gay man for president. That's a huge shift from a few years ago. The remaining 30% is most likely those who will vote for trump anyway.

I like him because he doesn't have a lot of baggage like those who have been in the public eye. He's also relatable. He's more like a regular person, rather than a politician who doesn't understand the voters. He also knows rural and conservative voters and knows how to talk to them in a real way.

I lived in Indiana for 65 years. I know the people there. If South Bend voted for Pete, he's got something, and then he proved himself by turning that failing city around.

[True Dough]

137. 65 years in Indiana???

Based on your avatar image, I figured you were no older than 40!

[radical noodle]

139. Seventy-one

but who's counting?

[True Dough]

140. What took you away from Indiana, if you don't mind me asking?

Did you retire somewhere warm in the south?

[radical noodle]

142. Yes, we're in Florida now

The weather was one big reason, but cost-of-living had skyrocketed in rural Indiana. The last few years we were there, we often had $500 per month utility bills in the winter.

We lived in the country and had a lot of land that had to be maintained. If we had to move from our house it made sense to move to a better place. We were also pretty far from shopping and doctors, and now those things are right in our neighborhood. We love it here.

[True Dough]

143. And the cost of living is more affordable in Florida?

I would have guessed it's pretty pricey.

Anyway, glad you found a location that suits your lifestyle and makes you happy!

[radical noodle]

144. It's cheaper here

Almost no heating bills, and our home is concrete block/stucco so cools easier in the summer. Groceries are much the same and gas is cheaper.

We have water bills here (we had a well in Indiana) but there's no maintenance of the well or pump here. It evens out and is far less work.

Thanks! We love living in a place where we can see flowers blooming outside year round.

[marylandblue]

145. "impressed with Buttigieg "despite" his sexual orientation."

That's good to hear and was one of my biggest takeaways from 2016. If you like a candidate, you'll overlook many flaws. So Trump got away with all sorts of things because they liked his policy stands and his "tough guy" demeanor. Hillary got no breaks because they didn't like personality and her policies were poorly communicated.

So I can see some homophobes voting for Pete because they like what he says, even if they think he is going to hell.

[True Dough]

146. That's right

Pete has the potential to break the mold, at least in the way some people regard the gay community. I really don't think the fact that his partner his another man is going to hold him back at the polls, at least not in a significant way.

[redstateblues]

129. It's a college town. More liberal than the state

[spooky3]

134. It's a blue town. He has not won a state-wide election. nt

[MH1]

89. I don't give a damn about his sexuality either, EXCEPT I think electability does matter.

The only thing that would upset me about Pete getting the nomination, is that I truly believe he cannot win enough states to become President.

That would upset me A LOT.

That said, I have been wrong before. Although the lead up to the election would be agony for me, if he were nominated and managed to win, I would be ecstatic.

He's young and can have a few more shots at it ... if the country survives past 2020. I am looking forward to the day when I don't feel so anxious about a gay man running and winning.

[marylandblue]

94. For me, there is no possible candidate who will not make me anxious

They all have their vulnerabilities. The only difference will be in what vulnerability we will blame if they lose. Biden, would be too old, too handsy, too many bad senate votes or a 3rd time loser who is just born to lose.

Harris would be too black or too female or both.

Sanders would be too socialist, too divisive, too unappealing to minorities, or he refused to released his tax returns.

O'Rourke would be too inexperienced, too positive or not specific enough.

I can go on down the list. Each of their vulnerabilities will be endlessly obsessed over in the media both before and after the election when we have stories like, "Trump brings Biden Accusers to Debate, asks FBI to Investigate?"

So I am not looking for the candidate who looks most traditional, appeals to the most demographic or looks best.on paper.

I'm looking for the one that has a pitch perfect response to whatever attack is made and can change the subject. That candidate is Buttigieg. His answer on being gay is perfect and authentic. He says things like, "I'm more of a Christian than hypocrite Mike Pence, and my husband is the best thing in my life. Jesus healed the sick, so let's talk about providing health care instead of taking it away."

Deflect the attack, turn the negative into a positive and pivot to policy. Then the headline becomes "Buttigieg calls Pence a hypocrite, says we need to talk about healthcare." Nobody else in the race is doing this.
(What I wrote above is the sort of tjing he is saying, not literal, and will probably be more effective than my made up headline)

[radical noodle]

138. Yeah, that's where I am

We will see soon enough if he can continue to make a case and win people over. I think he can.

[vrguy]

2. Here Here! n/t

[democrank]

3. I'm beginning to lean his way.

Articulate, principled, bright, focused.

[PeeJ52]

6. If you give him a chance, he'll get you. If he get's on the debate stage, he'll get his chance.

Like JanetLovesObama posted above, some might not give him a chance because they've heard he's gay, but if you listen to him, you'll not even think about that, as it should be.

[JanetLovesObama]

13. Yup.

I could not care less who he sleeps with or who he is married to. He is a brilliant man with credentials like no other candidate has enjoyed in many years. We cannot let him pass us by. We need him.

[Blue_true]

47. If he does not drop out before then, he will be in the first debate from what I understand. nt

[Demsrule86]

97. But see outside of Democratic circles he won't get a chance...no matter

How great he may be.

[Ron Green]

106. Then it's up to Democratic circles to nominate him,

and let the nation’s voters decide who’s the better choice.

[Demsrule86]

111. I won't vote for him in a primary...not this year with Trump in office.

Trump has to go. He is young. Run for congress or even the senate. We can't have Trump for four more years.

[marylandblue]

114. We will know by watching the results.

If he gets high enough in the polls, they will run head to head match ups with Trump. If he beats Trump outright by a comfortable margin, he's a winner. If not, he will be viewed as too risky.

[Recursion]

5. I absolutely love Buttigieg (nt)

[Jarqui]

7. He's impressed me every time I've seen or heard him

He's made my short list

[Nanjeanne]

8. Please donate if you can. I want this guy to stay in as long as possible. He's the future!

[patricia92243]

16. I have donated twice and can't do more right now. He needs $500k

by the end of March to meet this quarter's quota.

I wish he had one of those thermometers that show how much he has raised to date.

PS: I noticed he has gone up a percentage point again here on DU!!!!

[Nanjeanne]

18. Got an email about job openings on his campaign. Wish I could help. But sent a few $. Don't have

much and am spreading out to Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg - all make me happy!

[notinkansas]

37. All excellent choices

I do 2 of those 3. May need to increase candidate donations by another one.

[Stellar]

99. I've got four candidates that I'm donating to....

Sanders of course along with Warren, Yang, Inslee, and Buttigieg. I'd like to see them all on the debate stage. I'm so excited for them all.

[BlueJac]

9. I like him too...

we will find out how he does. Not old school that is for sure, he is refreshing.

[Tiggeroshii]

28. If Buttigieg is the top of the ticket, Beto or Warren would be my pivks as vp

[Ligyron]

11. Finally gave him a look last night.

Just what the OP said -- ho lee krap this guy is good.

I'm not sure if he's actually gay that it's such a big problem. Look at super-duper conservative South Carolina and Lindsey.Yeah, I know - Dems are usually honest and will answer with the truth if asked but still...Besides, the Red states will vote against any Dem who wins the primary, gay or not.

Only Dems can eliminate him for his sexual preferences during the primary. If he made it to the General, surely no Dem would vote against him then.

[not_the_one]

52. He IS gay. He has a husband. And it is "orientation", not "preference".

The sexual continuum ranges from someone being exclusively homosexual (like myself), to exclusively heterosexual, with a huge group in the middle.

The only people who can have a preference are the ones in the middle, bisexuals.

Gays are gay, just because we ARE. Using "preference" implies it's like picking a shirt color in the morning. For us, that is not how it works.

Words can be loaded, and we MUST shape the narrative using facts and logic. Let the Republicans lie and spin (quoting the bible), we should speak truth. The bible is NOT where you go to find the truth. Propaganda, maybe, but not factual truth.

I believe Mayor Pete has already met the quota of individual donors to be in the debates. After the debates he should be able to get a lot more.

It is a long shot for the top slot, but he sure would make a great VP choice. And he would bring in a huge number of young voters.

If anyone is going to save us, it is the young. We can't expect change by electing more of the same, using the failed tactics and policies that have put us in the position we are currently in.

Kama/Pete sounds hopeful. With 16 years of Democratic control, hopefully the current iteration of the Republican party will be thrown into the dustbin of history.

[Ligyron]

63. You're absolutely right of course.

You are born that way, as the song says.

I was wrong and apologize for mindlessly using the term "preference" in a phrase so common it's repeated far too many times by far too many people, both on air and in print.

Even by Dems and other progressives who totally know sexual orientation is innate but just don't stop to think before opening their mouth.

Like me.

[not_the_one]

67. I completely understand...

We speak on automatic, not realizing how ingrained the prejudice and bias is, in how we use the words.

One example is so common, we have all but forgotten the original insult....

Even as a little kid, the ultimate insult is "you suck". It isn't even complete, they've left off the last word.

And we know what that is.

Unfortunately that has become the "go-to" ultimate put down for every perceived slight or grievance. And is nothing more than a gay slur.

Which is ironic, given that, with very few exceptions (and I believe I am being very generous here ), every straight guy LOVES a good blow job. So why is it so insulting?

Think about it...

Anyway, thanks for the response.

[cwydro]

117. It's not a "preference " for crying out loud.

Can’t believe I have to say this here.

[Shanti Mama]

15. Can you imagine 8 years of this guy? We'd be in SO MUCH better shape.

He's reasonable, whip smart in all the best ways, listens really well.
I even think he could talk/work a bit with a dysfunctional congress.

[Hortensis]

17. "This guy" is a gay mayor. There's a reason why Scarborough,

and I'm guessing a LOT of other conservative agents, are pushing him as the great new Democratic hope. And it isn't to help elect Democrats, even this one.

We DO have many wonderful and impressive Democrats in office, though, don't we? We need to keep them in mind when the hostile narratives switch to what corrupt corporatists or crazy socialists they all are.

[lostnfound]

20. I did not expect the country to elect Obama, you know.

Yet once in a while, America surprises me in a GOOD way.

[nycbos]

51. As Churchill said...

... "Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing after they have exhausted all other options."

[marylandblue]

43. Ignore what your enemy wants, because they may miscalculate badly.

There was a time when Democrats hoped Republicans would pick Trump.

[mobeau69]

54. This!

[Hortensis]

69. The Republicans want to do away with the inferred

Constitutional right to privacy on which our gender rights laws are based. Also such rights as the right to contraception, to abortion, to a free Internet, to elective surgery, and much more.

Our right to privacy is NOT stated anywhere in The the constitution and is exactly one far-right majority decision away from being taken away.

“Ignoring” that enormous threat will destroy gays in this country. We’ll be talking about how to keep them out of prison, not whether to elect them to any public office. Because that won’t be legal.

By the way, I’m pretty sure Mayor B has absolutely no expectation of becoming the nominee. Running in the primary is a way of advancing his career for higher office, but not for the presidency, not this election anyway.

[marylandblue]

71. My point is that you pick the candidate you think is best.

Not the one that your opponent says they want to run against. They may be wrong, they may be biased, they may be lying. They don't have a crystal ball. They do not have your best interests at heart. So in making strategic decisions, why consider what they say at all?

[Hortensis]

74. That may be too nuanced for anyone who has no idea

of the enormity of what's at stake. This is not some frivolous opportunity to display what we imagine are flattering principles but to fight for all our liberties.

We are battling against increasingly neofascist, theocratic, and white supremacist forces on the right for the soul and future of our nation. To invite people to ignore in any sense either what will cause right-wing voters to rush out to vote in high numbers or what wobblies and nonvoters will vote for or against could be fatal. Anti-democracy forces are enormously powerful and could win.

Lose this battle, and most of these whose innocence leads them to imagine principle matters more than power and might of law will spend years in silent and passive self protection as by far most living in authoritarian states do. There must be a few potential true heroes here, but those are always very few.

Paul Krugman is only one among many warning of what's happening. Btw, he thinks everyone needs to read How Democracies Die because it's about what's happening here, now.

The G.O.P. Goes Full Authoritarian: Only Trump’s flamboyant awfulness stands in the way of his party’s power grab.

Donald Trump, it turns out, may have been the best thing that could have happened to American democracy. No, I haven’t lost my mind. Individual-1 is clearly a wannabe dictator who has contempt for the rule of law, not to mention being corrupt and probably in the pocket of foreign powers. But he’s also lazy, undisciplined, self-absorbed and inept. And since the threat to democracy is much broader and deeper than one man, we’re actually fortunate that the forces menacing America have such a ludicrous person as their public face.

Yet those forces may prevail all the same.

If you want to understand what’s happening to our country, the book you really need to read is “How Democracies Die,” by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. As the authors — professors of government at Harvard — point out, in recent decades a number of nominally democratic nations have become de facto authoritarian, one-party states. Yet none of them have had classic military coups, with tanks in the street.

What we’ve seen instead are coups of a subtler form: takeovers or intimidation of the news media, rigged elections that disenfranchise opposing voters, new rules of the game that give the ruling party overwhelming control even if it loses the popular vote, corrupted courts. Does a lot of this sound familiar? It should. You see, Republicans have been adopting similar tactics — not at the federal level (yet), but in states they control.

As Levitsky and Ziblatt say, the states, which Justice Louis Brandeis famously pronounced the laboratories of democracy, “are in danger of becoming laboratories of authoritarianism as those in power rewrite electoral rules, redraw constituencies and even rescind voting rights to ensure that they do not lose.” ...

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/10/opinion/trump-gop-authoritarian-states-power-grab.html

Btw, many red states have kept anti-gay, anti-miscegenation, anti-abortion, anti- child labor rights -- ETCETERA -- laws on the books that would immediately become effective if our right to privacy were overturned. Others in the angry passion of this era have passed new, "improved" versions, just waiting for the time to issue indictments and arrest warrants.

If we're aware and principled, we will win this because the majority of people are too good to want this and only a minority are so evil or willfully ignorant that they'll support it. And even though Republicans currently hold a supermajority in Indiana's assembly, Mayor B's admirers still will be able to elect him Governor B or Senator B, instead of watching him be removed in disgrace from office.

[marylandblue]

75. I read enough about How Democracies Die to get the picture.

And it informs my thinking. I realize we are well on our to authoritarianism. If the next Democratic President can't turn it around, gay or straight won't matter, we'll be done. So I am looking for the person with the brains and people skills to turn it around, not the one least likely to be arrested.

[Hortensis]

78. Good. Maybe continue to spread the word to those who

clearly have no real idea what's at stake. Keep up the warning until it starts getting through.

When Joe Scarborough promotes any Democrat, trying to drum up enthusiasm for him or her, it's a signal that the Republicans are trying to use that person to weaken stronger Democrats, and even to defeat us on November 3, 2020.

Whenever it happens, time to narrow eyes, look coolly at ol' Joe and Chuck, and all the rest of their sort, and realize they're attacking.

[Lordquinton]

64. Excuse me?

Is there a reason you singled him out as a gay mayor?

[progressoid]

65. WTF? ""This guy" is a gay mayor."

Why would you even say such a thing?

"This guy" is a black man - Obama

"This gal" is bi-sexual - Kyrsten Sinema

Equally idiotic statements.

[Hortensis]

68. I would have said that about Obama in the 1950s

should, bizarrely, people have argued the Democratic Party, still with a large Southern conservative facction, should nominate a black man for president. No doubt some did.

This is the real world. We have an absolute civic duty to vote for principles and goals that can only be protected and achieved by getting good people elected to power and keeping evil people out.

Right now, OUR government is behaving with extreme cruelty to children, some of whom are crying this moment, others gone dreadfully silent, unable to understand where they are or why their parents have disappeared. And all those who could have but didn't vote to keep that from happening own it just as surely as those who voted for it.

[progressoid]

72. It's NOT the 1950's

Kansas just elected an openly lesbian, Native American to the house. In an 87% white district where Republicans outnumber Democrats by 5%, she beat the Rep incumbent by 9%. That's the real world.

How about we don't hamstring our candidates by saying that being a LGBTQ candidate is a bad thing. It's not the 1950's.

[Lordquinton]

79. Unbelievable

So because he's gay he's not a good person? I can't believe I'm reading this here.

[demmiblue]

70. +1

Her comments are disgusting, but not surprising.

[Celerity]

116. +1

[OriginalGeek]

87. Alert was not sent

I must have hit a button while scrolling on my phone and it says an alert was sent. In no way whatever did I intend that. If a jury is looking at this, it was an accident!

[Hortensis]

88. :) If there's a problem, I'll follow

it up with the admin. Thanks for posting, Greek.

[lostnfound]

19. I really love him too.

Can he win the general? I ask myself that. All I know is, that I never imagined Obama would be able to win the general, and he did, and he turned out to be the best president of my lifetime.

So I conclude that I cannot predict what the country will do or won’t do. But I do think Mr. Buttigieg is one of several candidates who would make a GREAT president. I’m glad he is running.

[Tipperary]

21. K and r.

I really like this guy a lot.

[SKKY]

22. Dude is legit AF, no doubt about it...

...I'm sticking with Kamala, but Mayor Pete is for sure the real deal.

[BannonsLiver]

23. Oh boy it's getting thick.

Someone pass me some waders.

[Honeycombe8]

24. What interviews?

I haven't heard any interviews.

I still can't get over his name, about how to spell or pronounce it.

He's a very young Mayor, I read.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

25. Here's how you pronounce his name: buddajudge. The "u" is long as in ooh.

There are many interviews on YouTube. I'll look for a link.

One link: https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/21/politics/pete-buttigieg-2020-campaign/index.html?no-st=1553198583

He is 37 years old and first ran for mayor at 29. He won his second term with 80% of the vote.

[Honeycombe8]

29. Like boodajudge?

Oh, dear. Is that a common name in Indiana? Is it German? I've never heard anything like it. Hard to spell and pronounce.

I don't have cable, but I watch clips or shows after the fact on streaming services that carry the programs later, and I listen to live podcasts. I haven't heard him anywhere.

[salin]

33. Several videos can be found in the Video and Multimedia forum

He was on Morning Joe (this morning or yesterday), There is a Ted Talk from about 2015 (I saw both of these from OPs in that forum.) I think he was also on one of the late night shows.

It's not a common name in this part of Indiana (south central) - but this is also a college town so we are used to unusual names from around the world.

[Honeycombe8]

35. I'll probably catch him when the debates start. nt

[salin]

39. He is growing on me - and I try not to favor specific candidates so early

I am from Indiana, and a friend (not in Indiana) - more than a year ago - told me to keep an eye on him. But - really young, and experience as a mayor - left me not paying attention.

But I have run across a number of interviews - and i saw an old TedTalk that had nothing to do with political ambitions - and I have to say, there is something about him.

Just googled to find it - and here is the link - I encourage you to watch. I honestly don't think he can get the momentum in such a big field (but who knows), but I do think he is someone to watch in the future. https://www.ted.com/talks/pete_buttigieg_how_one_mayor_forged_his_city_s_future_by_rethinking_its_past

And here is an interview on Seth Meyers from 2017:

[radical noodle]

82. South Central?

He's mayor of South Bend, right? Where does south central come in?

[salin]

83. he's in south bend, IN

I was referring to where I am - in a college town in south central Indiana (Bloomington/IU)

[radical noodle]

84. Gotcha!

Hi there! I worked in Bloomington for years! It's one of my favorite places in my home state of Indiana.

[salin]

85. It's my home town,

and I am back after years in other places. I still love it!

[radical noodle]

86. It's a lovely little city

and the IU campus is its crown jewel. I didn't live there as the cost of living is much higher than the small town nearby where I lived (but I must admit that, given the money to do so, I would have moved there in a heartbeat).

[CaliforniaPeggy]

41. You have the correct pronunciation.

His father is from Malta, so the name is Maltese.

I have a thread that gives you a link to many videos where he was interviewed.

Here's the link to my thread: https://www.democraticunderground.com/128734561

[Honeycombe8]

45. I had to look up Malta.

I know it exists but knew nothing about it. Interesting. Explains why the name is unusual. Malta is unusual.

And guess what? There's a John Buttigieg, too! He's a football coach in...you guessed it....Malta.

Interesting. But so young. And he looks really young, too.

[marylandblue]

44. His father is from Malta.

[Celerity]

49. here is how you say it, the last part is not judge, that was how Willie Geist was butchering it

boot edge-edge

emphasis on the BOOT part


boot edge-edge

here is a video

?t=42

also you can try buddha- jedge

it comes out the basically same way

is really easy if you say it a few times

[Honeycombe8]

55. Thanks. Yeah, I watched a video w/him, & heard that was it. Buddha-jedge. Got it.

Easy peasy, once you know it. But that's a hard name, both in spelling and how to pronounce it.

[Celerity]

56. yes, it is Maltese, so really rare

Malta is a gorgeous, ancient country is you ever get a chance I so recco it.

[Tipperary]

100. You are missing out if you are somehow intimidated by an unfamiliar name.

He was on a CNN town hall, he was on Morning Joe, he has been all over the place. Why “oh dear”? Did you feel that way when you first heard Barack Obama? Sheesh, how old are you?

[Honeycombe8]

102. Placing on ignore. And removing Buttigieg fr my short list...

if this is the quality of his supporters, who can't discuss anything w/o a juvenile snapping response and insult to age. And who hasn't learned to read (the post you're referring to was weeks ago, when it became known he was going to enter). We already have someone like that in the W.H. We need an adult this time.

Obama is an easy name.

EVERYONE on tv is having trouble with the name, and even after he corrects them, some still mispronounce it. Gee, I wonder how old Colbert is? Or Bill Maher? Or that female host on CNN?

I'm going to stick with...well, let's say "other" candidates.

[Tipperary]

112. Lol. G'bye.

No worries. And no, not EVERYONE on tv is having problems with his name. Rachel, Tapper, all the CNN and MSNBC folks seem to have no problem with it. You seem sensitive. Did I touch a nerve?

[cwydro]

119. I truly never understand how someone picks a candidate based on

how they feel about the candidate’s supporters.

That makes no sense to me.

Kind of like elementary school : if I don’t like Johnny, then I can’t like anyone he likes.

Wtf?

[Honeycombe8]

120. "Wtf?"

Says it all. Like elementary school.

You can judge a candidate by the caliber of supporter he attracts. When a candidate's supporter has a thing against certain age groups, and that age group is mine (which I assume), I know I'm not welcome in that group. So I move on.

[cwydro]

123. Well, I'm not young , but also not easily offended.

YMMV.

[marylandblue]

122. No this is not the quality of his supporters. Everyone is an individual

But the candidate himself sets the tone. He accepts the name with good humor and patiently explains over and over how to pronounce it.

He even has giant mural in his HQ that reads "BOOT EDGE EDGE."

Say it real fast and you've got it.

[cwydro]

141. Spot on.

It took me no time at all to learn how to pronounce his name

I don’t find it difficult to spell either.

[soldierant]

103. Short clips from a speech

made Sunday, Aptil 7, featured on The Eleventh Hour

[Celerity]

115. It's Maltese, on his father's side, it's very common in there, they even had a president Buttigieg

being President is in the Buttigieg genes it seems (btw the most correct way to pronouce it, as Pete himself does is not buddha-judge, it is buddha-jedge, which is very similar, just a different vowel sound on the final syllable)


Dr Anton Buttigieg
PRESIDENT OF MALTA (1976 – 1981)

https://www.gov.mt/en/Government/Government%20of%20Malta/Presidents%20of%20Malta/Pages/Dr-Anton-Buttigieg.aspx



He embarked on a political career and was first elected to the House of Representatives in the Labour Party interest in 1955. He was re-elected in all subsequent elections and held his seat in Parliament up to the time of his resignation in October 1976. From 1959 to 1961 he was President of the Malta Labour Party and from 1962 to 1976 its Deputy Leader. When the present administration took office in 1971, he served his country as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

He was a delegate to the Malta Constitutional Conferences held in London in 1958 and in 1964. He was also a representative to the Consultative Assembly in the Council of Europe (1967 - 1971), where he was elected Vice-President (1967 - 1968).

In October 1976 he resigned from the House of Representatives and on 27th December, 1976 he was elected as the second President of the Republic of Malta.

[notinkansas]

38. in red state Indiana no less

[customerserviceguy]

50. Well, Pete

did not win a statewide race in Indiana, he won for mayor in a college town that has Notre Dame as its central core, so I will go out on a limb and say that South Bend is probably not a representative sample of Indiana, which as you point out is a red state.

[mobeau69]

53. Notre Dame is not in the city of South Bend. It is in Notre Dame IN, an unincorporated community.

[IronLionZion]

26. The only veteran running

Pete should ask bone spurs why LGBT shouldn't serve in the military

[Honeycombe8]

36. Gays can serve in the military, can't they?

It's just transgenders that he blocked. ????

[IronLionZion]

40. Solidarity

first they came for the transgenders.... and so on

[CaliforniaPeggy]

42. I believe he served before he came out. n/t

[JonLP24]

59. Isn't Tulsi Gabbard a veteran?

[IronLionZion]

60. You're right

[MontanaMama]

76. Malcomlm Nance has no use

for Tulsi Gabbard despite her veteran status. Malcolm isn't usually wrong about people.

Link to tweet

[JonLP24]

80. I think Malcolm Nance is often wrong

Im a veteran of a regime change war and I'm sick and tired of war.

[Dave Starsky]

104. He's never been wrong about people with sketchy alliances.

He thinks Tulsi has direct financialties to Russia, a la Jill Stein. I tend to believe him about this.

[JonLP24]

113. I would like someone to prove a military officer has shady deals with Russia

This is why he gets stuff wrong.

[Dave Starsky]

121. Everyone has a price, my friend.

Military officers command a larger sum, but the Russians have DEEP pockets.

[marylandblue]

27. I'm thinking of switching to Buttigieg, he meets my number 1 and 2 criteria

Which is that he has a good answer for everything. So when Trump gives him a stupid nickname, he'll have an answer for that.

Number two is how comes across in the media including twitter. And he's obviously blowing the media away. Which means they will want to talk to him more. And if they say a gay man, a young man, a mere mayor etc. can't win - see criterion 1.

[Chakaconcarne]

31. ...and let anyone dare attack him for being gay......

Not expecting that from the left......

[cp]

32. Winning me over, too

Leaning to Harris, as well as Inslee (climate change) and Buttigieg.

[GentryDixon]

34. After the interview with Jake Tapper

I was very impressed.

This is the first time I have posted in this forum. I like how it is set up.

[Blue_true]

48. This forum is really good. The conversational flow is easy to follow

and you know who you are replying to.

[Myrddin]

57. He's very impressive.

I'd consider him to be the epitome of 'an old head on young shoulders'.

I expect him to be there, or thereabouts when the field gets whittled down to the last remaining 4 or 5.

Too young, possibly? But wasn't JFK was considered a bit too young for the Presidential nomination too - IIRC?

I hope he does well; as a foreigner, I reckon he'd make a good statesman for US external relations as well?

[JonLP24]

58. He already lost me when he expressed disappointment that Obama commuted Chelsea Manning's sentence

Obama who did the right thing.

[marylandblue]

62. You won't agree with every candidate on everything, and he is a veteran

The military takes leaking classified info very seriously.

[LAS14]

66. That's been my response to the little snippets of...

... him that I've heard. This morning on the radio some commentator said he was annoyed with Buttigieg because he thought he could cross him off the list early and now he can't.

It's really a nice problem to have. So many really impressive candidates.

[Devil Child]

73. Buttigieg is impressive

The more he speaks the more I like what I hear.

[MontanaMama]

77. Mayor Pete did a great interview on Stay Tuned With Preet!

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/551791730/stay-tuned-with-preet

[RANDYWILDMAN]

92. of course they are...

Mayor Pete is so dam smart you couldn't put him on a stage with sTrump, he wouldn't know what to do.

[loyalsister]

93. I wish we could do away with sports analogies

The last thing I want to see is candidates competing to take each other down.
Pushing O'Malley out of the dialogue made for a really ugly, conflict driven primary. The debate moderators ignored him in favor of a horribly counterproductive candidate competition.
I hope Buttegiege has debate skills to counter the media tendency to broadcast anger rather than civil exchanges of ideas.
He is so smart and full of ideas that he can contribute a lot.

[Demsrule86]

95. I think he is a smart guy but he doesn't put his state in play and is a very

Moderate bordering on conservative Democrat. I don't see the benefits of him being the nominee.

[marylandblue]

108. He's a non-traditional progressive.

He's really trying to redefine what that means and is trying to build a new coalition. He may sound like a moderate, but he isn't. Because he is trying to make something, he is difficult to categorize.

[Demsrule86]

110. He sounds to the right of moderate to me. But he delivers what to the ticket? We really need to win.

[marylandblue]

124. Communication skills, media savvy and new thinking.

Why does he sound right of moderate?

[Celerity]

128. he doesn't

Attempt to re-frame, and not a successful one.

[Stellar]

98. I like him too and I really would like to know more about his policies.

Of course, Sanders is my favorite and I like Warren a lot as well as Inslee and Yang. Outside of Mayor Pete's outstanding uniqeness, I've been looking out more for policies that he champions.

[former9thward]

118. President Buchanan was pretty open about it.

He lived with his partner for 15 years and did not try to hide it. All political leaders knew about it. It was a subject that just was not talked about at the time.

[brush]

105. Harris, Beto, Warren, Castro and Booker are also impressive...

and all of them have just as much or more experience. And I didn't even mention Biden and Sanders.

Yang also has much to listen to so don't give the nomination to the small town mayor just yet.

[marylandblue]

107. They are all impressive in different ways.

My preference is really a prediction. It's based on what he says and how he says it. He is redefining what it means to be a progressive and if it works, he wins. If it fails, he falls flat. You and I won't have a say, the voters will.

[MoonRiver]

109. Kamala can hold her own in any debate!

But I really like Mayor Pete too!

[Blue_Tires]

125. Don't conflate "gives good copy" with "highly qualified"

Everyone fell for that trap with Trump in '15, and for once I want policy driving the political debate again...

[marylandblue]

132. Also don't confuse "highly qualified" with "long resume."

He certainly is young for the job and doesn't have the usual governor/senator/general qualifications, but those are just markers, not pre-requisites

Other Presidents in our past had limited experience notably Lincoln, who had only been a state legislator. At the time, people were looking for an abolitionist more than experience. Decades of experienced Presidents could not solve the slavery problem. Are we in the same position today? Who can solve the problems dividing us? Fresh thinking and boldness may help when experience has been failing since at least the 1990s.

He does talk a lot about policy, and nicely frames it in terms of values and goals.

[Soxfan58]

130. I've always said

When it comes to the President I would rather have the smartest person in the room, not the guy I would like to have a beer with. Mayor Pete fits both of those things. I look forward to seeing him preform in a debate. I think it will really be something.

[secondwind]

131. I hear you! He's THAT GOOD 😂

[spooky3]

136. Warren was a champion debater in school also, and anyone

who has taught Harvard law students is pretty darn capable of thinking on her/his feet.

[marylandblue]

147. Different kind of debate. Real debates are won on the merits.

Presidential debates are won on zingers and lost on gaffes.

[spooky3]

148. Warren seems as capable as anyone on that point, too. Nt