What People Are Saying About Pete Buttigieg’s Strong Debate Performance
“Pete’s Best Debate Yet...A Winner...He Has A Magic to Him...He Is A Blessing To This Party...Represents The Best of Our Shared Values As Americans…Great Night Tonight...His Closing Statement Talking About Coming Out Was A Beautiful Moment…Closing Statement Was Powerful and Important...Very Powerful Statement”
Headlines:
NY Times: Buttigieg Describes Struggle With Coming Out as Gay: ‘You Only Get One Life’
Huff Post: Pete Buttigieg Made History With His Coming Out Story At Democratic Debate
Buzzfeed: Pete Buttigieg Told His Coming Out Story During The Democratic Debate
Business Insider: Pete Buttigieg movingly shares his decision to come out during the Houston Democratic debate
Vox: Pete Buttigieg tells his coming out story — a presidential candidate first
CNN: Pete Buttigieg reflects on his struggle to come out in candid debate moment
From TV:
Van Jones on CNN: “There's a concern about the disunity -- the people who are speaking to it best, we just heard one of them: Pete Buttigieg. He has a magic to him ... He is a blessing to this party, and I thought his closing statement, I just want to say, his closing statement talking about coming out was a beautiful moment.”
Senator Claire McCaskill on MSNBC: “...when [Pete Buttigieg] said, "I trust Americans to make a choice." That's the essence of this debate. Are you going to give Americans a choice? Are you going to say the government's going to decide for you and you cannot have insurance at work? ... There's a whole lot of Americans out there in both parties that want to hear that their government trusts them to make a choice.”
Chris Matthews on MSNBC: “Mayor Pete, you know, I thought you were good, and I'm allowed to rate people. I thought you were great tonight ... I thought you both made a very strong opening appeal for unity and sort of a quiet admonition -- let's not go so far that even if we win, we divide the country.”
Joe Lockhart on CNN: “The public opinion polls are very clear — it is very unpopular and very controversial to eliminate private insurance […] When you ask people, do you believe in say, what Mayor Pete is for, Medicare for those who want it, that remains popular.”
From Twitter:
Robert Reich @RBReich: Buttigieg's closing statement powerful and important.
David Axelrod @davidaxelrod: Moving answer from @PeteButtigieg about the meaning of politics.
Katie Couric @katiecouric: This was a very powerful statement from Mayor Pete #DemDebate
Dave Morrill @repdavemorrill: This was Pete’s best debate yet. He stood above the partisan bickering and presented his vision of a presidency with skill tempered with humility and grace complimented by intelligence.
Matt Wilhelm @WilhelmForNH: If you missed the #DemDebate and only get to watch one clip, I’d recommend this one, showcasing @PeteButtigieg + his commitment to servant leadership. Grateful that we have a candidate that consistently takes the high road + represents the best of our shared values as Americans.
Van Jones @VanJones68: PeteButtigieg is able to make the moderate position somehow inspiring. When he talked about about coming out, it was a beautiful moment not just for tonight, but for the campaign. #DemDebate #CNN
Christine Quinn @chriscquinn: Speaking about trust and coming out
@PeteButtigieg makes a powerful statement of hope for our country. Thank you! Makes me proud! #lgbt #demdebate
Charles M. Blow @CharlesMBlow: I really like Mayor Pete’s closing. #DemocraticDebates
Adam Wren @adamwren That answer from Buttigieg was something else.
Adam Wren @adamwren: With that emotional close, hard to argue @PeteButtigieg didn’t get the moment he needed tonight
Mike Murphy @mcwm: mayor Pete just knocked it out of the park tbh
Carla Marinucci @cmarinucci: Strong healthcare comeback from
@PeteButtigieg to @BernieSanders, says that the difference is: “I trust you to choose what makes better sense for you..not my way or the highway..I trust the American people to make the best choice for them. Why don’t you?" #DemDebate
Roland Martin @rolandsmartin: That was a strong answer by @PeteButtigieg on systemic racism. Deep and concise. #DemDebate
Chris Matthews @HardballChris Senator Klobuchar and Mayor Pete are standing out tonight. They're putting themselves into this debate with impressive answers.#DemDebate
Asma Khalid @asmamk: Buttigieg talking about coming out is really a story we have never heard on the national debate stage in a presidential election. Every so often, it's easy to forget how novel that is.
Astead Wesley @AsteadWesley: shouldn't lose sight of how that buttigieg moment, a major candidate openly talking about coming out on presidential debate stage, is a historic one that seemed unlikely even a decade ago
Human Rights Campaign @HRC: Pete Buttigieg says that coming out as gay & “acknowledging who I was” could’ve been the most career-ending professional setback. Thank you, @PeteButtigieg for your bravery, and for showing LGBTQ youth across the country what is possible when you live authentically. #DemDebate
Amanda Hite @amandahite: @PeteButtigieg Sometimes I think you were conceived in a lab to be my perfect match politician. Your project, your approach, your values and vision resonates with me to the core of my being. Congratulations on the #DemDebate
Greg Pinelo @gregpinelo: Lot of very smart people on that stage tonight, but I find @PeteButtigieg to be so impressively sharp. Thinks on his feet extremely well, clearly an intelligent AND well-educated person, but communicates authentically too. Strong heart and head appeal.
Julian Zelizer @julianzelizer: @PeteButtigieg delivers a very strong closing statement.
Elena Schneider @ec_schneider: .@PeteButtigieg connects immigration and rural revitalization. It's a creative way to tackle this issue. And the first time rural communities have come up in the debate so far.
