Current Events > Pete Buttigieg claims America is 'absolutely' ready for a gay president.

(+) Yeah! (+)

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg pushed back Friday on the idea a gay candidate couldnt win election as president, saying the nation was absolutely ready.

Buttigieg, whom many polls show is the front-runner in Iowa and New Hampshire, made the remarks during a forum hosted by national political reporter Robert Costa at the Washington Post headquarters.

The 2020 hopeful was quick to point out he won reelection as South Bend mayor in 2015 with 80 percent of the vote right after he came out as gay.

Mike Pence was the governor of Indiana, no mayor of Indiana had ever come out, and so there was no way really to know what to expect, Buttigieg said.

Costa however responded, the City of South Bend is different from the nation as a whole. It should be noted, the city is heavily Democratic and has a population of just over 100,000.

But Buttigieg insisted his win there has broader implications.

If it can happen in Mike Pences Indiana, it can happen anywhere in this nation, Buttigieg said.

According to recent polls, voters say theyre ready to support a gay candidate for president, but are not sure their neighbor is.

One Morning Consult poll in October revealed 50 percent of voters say they were ready to back a gay candidate, compared to 37 percent who were not. But only 40 percent said they think the nation is ready, compared to 45 percent who say otherwise.

Buttigiegs sexual orientation also came up during event in the context of the daily attacks from President Trump on Twitter. Asked how hed handle his hostility, Buttigieg pointed out he grew up gay in Indiana.

Well, first of all, Im gay and grew up gay in Indiana, Buttigieg said to laughter, so Im used to [it]. That kind of schoolyard doesnt bother me. Ive also seen a lot worse incoming than a tweet full of typos.

Referencing a recent rally in which Trump said he dreamed of Buttigieg, the candidates sexual orientation was an elephant in the room.

It will admit that it did bother me when he said he that he dreams about me, Buttigieg said to laughs. I dont know what exactly goes on, but I am certain that I want absolutely nothing to do with them.

Costa also asked Buttigieg to address complaints he isnt progressive enough, referencing protesters whove called him a corporatist and Pete Romney.

It is a little strange because I think that I broadly share the same values and goals as a lot of these folks, Buttigieg said.

The candidate said he wants greater accountability for corporations, higher taxes on corporations, a living wage, greater union membership. Buttigieg added thats not just because thats the position of my party.

My city was destroyed by economic failures and greed that had left their mark before I was even born and we have spent our lifetime clawing our way out it, Buttigieg said. So Im under no illusions about all the ways in which our current economic system has failed us.

Faced with low support from black voters, Buttigieg was also asked about a report from Democracy & Color finding only 3 percent percentage of South Bend hiring and contracts go to minority workers.

In response, Buttigieg said the very fact that data is available is the result of his work as mayor, pointing out he created the first Office of Diversity & Inclusion in city to create a plan for acting and gathering information.

When I took office, we didnt have the resources to even gather the data on what was going on, but we knew that as a city, we needed to do a better job of doing business with businesses owned by African Americans because nobody has a better track record of creating economic opportunity for minority employees than remote employees, Buttigieg said.

Although Buttigieg only made 3 percent of government contractors go to minority businesses, his plan for 25 percent of U.S. contracts to go to minority-owned businesses.

Theres no reason why we cant have 25 percent of taxpayer resources that are spent with businesses somewhere, going out in a way thats actually going to increase opportunity with businesses led by those whove been excluded, Buttigieg said.

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2019/12/13/buttigieg-says-nation-absolutely-ready-for-gay-president/

37% of people will outright not support a gay dude?

That's horrible:(
---

I doubt most people care about if the President is gay or straight, black or white, but rather just think Buttigieg's ideas suck.
---

Crazyman93 posted...

I doubt most people care about if the President is gay or straight, black or white, but rather just think Buttigieg's ideas suck.

37% just said that they did according to that poll
---

Crazyman93 posted...

I doubt most people care about if the President is gay or straight

You're kidding yourself if you think there aren't boatloads of people who care.

---

it shouldnt matter at all but people are stupid and hateful

---

SSJCAT posted...

it shouldnt matter at all but people are stupid and hateful

---

Most of America isnt even ready for a gay son.
---

His sexuality shouldn't be a factor. There's plenty of legitimate reasons to not like him.
---

He might as well just push this as his slogan, and main goal, and just ignore everything else. He'll have a better chance to go far.

---

Why does Ce hate pete so much lol

---

EffectAndCause posted...

Most of America isnt even ready for a gay son.

:/
---

SSJCAT posted...

it shouldnt matter at all but people are stupid and hateful

This.

And

EffectAndCause posted...

Most of America isnt even ready for a gay son.

This, at least in the areas that voted heavily for Trump.

Pete would probably come out with a similar electoral map and Trump would win again

Sure. I got no problem with a gay president or any political leader, although Im sure lots of other people do.

It might not be in our lifetime, but Im looking forward to a day when weve had every kind of leader possible, and then people wont even care to mention if, for example, the president is gay, trans, Vietnamese, a child genius or even a sentient robot.

---

UnfairRepresent posted...

37% just said that they did according to that poll

I mean he said most. And over 50% is by definition most.

---

Dont play the Obama game Pete. Hillary tried and failed.

Considering some of our conservative politicians want to ban all porn and a fair number of their constituents support them, I'd say he is wrong about that. It might be 2020 in under a month, but for a whole chunk of the nation it's more like 1820.

GodBlessAustin posted...

Dont play the Obama game Pete. Hillary tried and failed.

wut

darkmaian23 posted...

Considering some of our conservative politicians want to ban all porn and a fair number of their constituents support them, I'd say he is wrong about that. It might be 2020 in under a month, but for a whole chunk of the nation it's more like 1820.

why does gay = porn to you
---

UnfairRepresent posted...

37% just said that they did according to that poll

What percentage of that 37% are Republicans though? Those same Republicans were willing to look past a lot of things that went against their cultural conservative beliefs to vote for Trump. It's easy for people to say they wouldn't vote for a gay president when they don't think it's going to reach a point where they have to abide by that preference.

---

Let's also not forget how difficult it is to understand how to vote properly in a poll. Some people might accidentally vote for or against Mayor Pete and not even realize it.

I'm surprised it's only 37% and bet that a lot of those polled lied go pollsters and it would bother them. Homosexuality acceptance is still a fairly new thing and I think people forget that at times.

That said, Pete is garbage and unqualified for a barrage of reasons. He's far better than Trump, but he still is shitty

---

GodBlessAustin posted...

Let's also not forget how difficult it is to understand how to vote properly in a poll. Some people might accidentally vote for or against Mayor Pete and not even realize it.

What

---

And we know they've been ready for corporate shills

---

The Trent posted...

GodBlessAustin posted...
Let's also not forget how difficult it is to understand how to vote properly in a poll. Some people might accidentally vote for or against Mayor Pete and not even realize it.

What

See 2000 election. Dems basically said Floridians were too dumb to know how to vote.

I'm not sure I understand the point though?

---

What will his husband be called?

First mate? First partner? First gentleman?

---

GodBlessAustin posted...

See 2000 election. Dems basically said Floridians were too dumb to know how to vote.

Well they were right

---

America's not even ready for gay people in advertisements lol.

---

GodBlessAustin posted...

See 2000 election. Dems basically said Floridians were too dumb to know how to vote.

To say that the 2000 Florida debacle was because of user error and not poorly designed ballots is an incredible piece of revisionist history.

---

Hexenherz posted...

America's not even ready for gay people in advertisements lol.

lol
---