What People Are Saying About Pete Buttigieg’s Strong Debate Performance
“Every Candidate That Attacked Him Made Him Stronger And More Presidential...Strong, Transparent And Delivers Crisp, Newsy Soundbite” ... “Effectively & Powerfully Swinging His Military Experience” …”Incredible”...“When That Guy Swings, He Lands Hard Blows”...“He’s Doing A Helluva Job”…“Every Time He Gets Punched He Punches Back Hard”... “Brings The House Down”...“He's Saying A Lot Of The Right Things Tonight”
Jon Soltz @jonsoltz: One thing @PeteButtigieg learned in the Navy is not to bring a knife to a gunfight. Every candidate that attacked him made him stronger and more Presidential. They gave him the opportunity to show he can handle and beat @realDonaldTrump #DemDebate
Adrienne Elrod @adrienneelrod: There is not a political attack Mayor Pete hasn't responded to head on. He comes across as strong, transparent and delivers crisp, newsy soundbites.
Paul Rieckhoff @PaulRieckhoff: There is it. @PeteButtigieg effectively & powerfully swinging his military experience. He saves it like a haymaker. Doesn’t always land. But always dangerous. I pressed him on it on @angryamericans last week. Download it now & save it for after #DemDebate:
Ana Navarro @ananavarro: @PeteButtigieg looks like an altar-boy. But we are all learning not to be deceived by his baby-face. When that guy swings, he lands hard blows. #DemocraticDebate
Ben White @morningmoneyben: Probably the biggest win for Buttigieg here is that every time he gets punched he punches back hard. My guess is Dems worried about debates vs. Trump will like to see it.
Dan Pfeiffer @danpfeiffer: It's pretty amazing that just @PeteButtigieg just called for the correct, controversial, and important step of reforming the court and we just moved on without comment
Jim Kessler @ThirdWayKessler: Buttigieg clearly the target tonight. that ain’t easy and he’s doing a helluva job.
Nicholas Kristof @NickKristof: The clash between @ewarren and @PeteButtigieg was the most dramatic moment of the debate so far, and Buttigieg got the better of it. It has been an open question how these candidates would withstand Trump's attacks, and that exchange was a good sign for Buttigieg.
Dan Weeks @DemocracyDan: I spent years fighting #BigMoney corruption as director of #OpenDemocracy. I wish there was $0 in politics. But I gotta agree w/ @PeteButtigieg: we can't beat #Trump's $300m while tying our hands behind our back. #MayorPete's campaign reform plan would get big $$ out once elected
Mayor Nan Whaley @nanwhaley: I don't think bragging about Washington DC "action" is an effective way to win the hearts and minds of American voters. #DemocraticDebate
Mona Charen @monacharenEPPC: Mayor Pete is an incredible political talent.
Christopher Hale @chrisjollyhale: .@PeteButtigieg rightly notes that reparations isn’t a gift, but a step towards correcting a grave moral wrong. #DemDebate
Chris Johnson @chrisjohnson82: OK Buttigieg coming back with that answer on immigration, standing out with committing to reparations on children separated at the border and drawing powerful imagery of child wanting back his father who was deported.
Laura Hubka @LauraHubka: "Talk about coalitions'? "Let's talk about winning 80% of the vote as a gay dude in Mike Pence's Indiana"- @PeteButtigieg brings the house down.
Tampa Bay Times Buzzon Politics @politicstbtimes:In a back-and-forth with Sen. Amy Klobuchar on his "capacity to win," Mayor Pete Buttigieg brings up his success in the Democratic stronghold city of South Bend in Republican Indiana.
NARAL @NARAL: “It is critical that we have justices that understand that American freedom includes reproductive rights and reproductive freedom.” We couldn’t agree more, @PeteButtigieg. #DemDebate
Charles M. Blow @charlesmblow: Pete on reparations. I don't know who has been in Pete's ear, but he's saying a lot of the right things tonight. #DemDebate
Paul Rieckhoff @PaulRieckhoff: Good to see someone (@PeteButtigieg) focusing on the AUMF. It’s core. And too often neglected by all candidates and the media.
John Haltiwanger @jchaltiwanger: Buttigieg is probably strongest when he's talking about foreign policy. He's only one so far to mention the 2001 AUMF, which authorized the Afghanistan invasion and essentially gave Bush, Obama, and now Trump carte blanche to wage `war against "terrorists" worldwide. #DemDebate
David Plouffe @davidplouffe: @BarackObama lost a congressional primary to Bobby Rush 2-1 eight years before he was elected President of the United States. The past is the past. Question is do you have the talent and broad appeal to meet THIS moment. Electability should not be viewed thru a rear view mirror.
Blake News @blakehoundhell: Gotta say, Pete is really good at parrying attacks. He's better when he's thinking on his feet than when he's reading a rehearsed speech.
John Haltiwanger @jchaltiwanger: Buttigieg is probably strongest when he's talking about foreign policy. He's only one so far to mention the 2001 AUMF, which authorized the Afghanistan invasion and essentially gave Bush, Obama, and now Trump carte blanche to wage war against "terrorists" worldwide. #DemDebate
