Pete Buttigieg says his experience as mayor of small city South Bend gives him an advantage in the presidential race
Rising Democratic star and 2020 presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg sat down with CNBC's John Harwood for an extensive interview. Here is their exchange on Buttigieg's attempt to make the big leap from serving as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, to becoming president of the United States.
div > div.group > p:first-child"> John Harwood: You're 37 years old. You're a mayor of a small town. It would be a very large jump to become president. It's a big jump for anybody to become president.
Pete Buttigieg: I think there is no better preparation than the pressure cooker of being a mayor in a strong-mayor system of a diverse, largely low-income and complex city. And not just in terms of length, that I have more years of executive experience than the vice president for example, but in terms of being that near to the ground, and at the same time that constantly visible. Look, the office of the presidency ought to humble anymore.
But we all look at this office with a certain level of experience that we have.
And so, I think it's precisely because of the kind of community that I serve, that I represent a different kind of voice, preaching perhaps similar values to many of my Democratic competitors, but doing it with a different vocabulary. I treat that as an asset — a feature, not a bug — of this whole project.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mike Pence, facing criticism from Pete Buttigieg on gay rights, says South Bend mayor 'knows better'Buttigieg has said that his marriage to his husband has brought him closer to God. Pence has faced scrutiny from LGBT activist groups over his opposition to gay marriage and his support for a 'religious freedom' bill.
Read more »
What Happened When Pete Buttigieg Tore Down Houses In Black And Hispanic South Bend'Everyone wants to find a villain,' a South Bend politician said of the Mayor Pete Buttigieg's housing program. 'This is just how economic development happens.'
Read more »
Buttigieg bests Warren, Booker and Klobuchar in first-quarter fundraisingMayor Pete Buttigieg bests Warren, Booker and Klobuchar in first quarter fundraising by writerknowles
Read more »
Mayor Pete Buttigieg on a religious left revivalToluse Olorunnipa on the staffing turmoil within the Department of Homeland Security. Sarah Pulliam Bailey on likely presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg’s faith. Plus, Emily Yahr and Bethonie Butler on “Old Town Road.”
Read more »
Mayor Pete Buttigieg officiates a hometown wedding on day off from the campaign trailMayor Pete Buttigieg, a rising Democratic exploratory candidate in the 2020 presidential race, officiated a couple's wedding on a day off from the campaign trail.
Read more »
Opinion | The Buttigieg AppealOpinion: Mayor Pete Buttigieg may sound moderate, but his vision is aggressively partisan
Read more »
Opinion | How Pete Buttigieg stole Beto O’Rourke’s mojoOpinion: How Pete Buttigieg stole Beto O’Rourke’s mojo
Read more »
Buttigieg attracting praise from an unexpected audience — conservativesIt’s unclear if Republicans’ salutes to Buttigieg are earnest or attempts to siphon support from Democratic front-runners.
Read more »
Pete Buttigieg is the hottest candidate in the 2020 race right nowDemocratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg rises in the polls as his husband's popularity grows. CNN's Kate Bennett has more.
Read more »
Buttigieg is a symbol for a rising Christian leftErick Erickson's comments about Pete Buttigieg represent the fear by some on the Christian right of an incipient and growing progressive Christian movement, writes Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons.
Read more »