What People Are Saying About Pete Buttigieg’s Strong Start at Tonight’s Debate
“Simply the best political debater of the Dem field” … “Very effective” ... “Effective debater” … “trained his fire” ... “Good Line” … “Very effective answers on his feet every time” … “Impressive opening” … “Very impressive delivery” ... “What a diplomat looks like in action” … “Sharp and memorable” … “So far Buttigieg is winning this” … “Exactly what a diplomat looks like in action” … “Best line of the night”
Frank Luntz @FrankLuntz: @PeteButtigieg is simply the best political debater of the Dem field. He formulates very effective answers on his feet every time. He speaks in very simple yet impactful language. #DemDebate
Mo Elleithee @MoElleithee: Smart approach by @PeteButtigieg. Everyone wants to make this a race between Sanders and Bloomberg. He tied them together, and then trained his fire on Sanders, going toe-to-toe. It’s early, but that could be very effective.
Patti Solis Doyle @PattiSolisDoyle: .@PeteButtigieg with what could be the best line of the night. "Let's put forth an actual Democrat" referring to Bernie and Mike #DemDebate
Christine Quinn @chriscquinn: Actually a democrat - good line @PeteButtigieg #DemDebate #Election2020
Andrienne Elrod @adrienneelrod: He’s good at these - an effective debater he is
James Oliphant @jamesoliphant: Buttigieg holds up mostly well in the most aggressive attack Sanders has delivered in a debate. #DemocraticDebate
Frank Chaparro @fintechfrank: Mayor Pete coming in hot against Sanders and Bloomberg “Let’s put forward someone who is actually a Democrat.” Very impressive delivery.
Paul Begala @PaulBegala: And @Culinary226 gets its first reference at minute 10, as @PeteButtigieg scorches is @SenSanders. But Bernie was having none of it: "I have more union support than you ever dreamed of." I #DemocraticDebate
Jonathan Bernstein @jbview: Pete did a pretty good job with that attack. One of his better debate moments, I thought.
Ameshia Cross @AmeshiaCross: .@PeteButtigieg came ready tonight. He is taking it to Bernie on Medicare-for-all, his supporters bullying behavior and his notion of radical rebuild #DemDebate
Tex Morgan @tex_morgan: That was an impressive opening by @PeteButtigieg and exactly what a diplomat looks like in action.
Cristina Alesci @CristinaAlesci: .@PeteButtigieg is landing several punches already, saying Bloomberg & Sanders are forcing people to choose b/w "one candidate who wants to burn this party down and another candidate who wants to buy this party out."
Andrew Yang @AndrewYang: Buttigieg with excellent opening re: the field quickly shrinking to Bernie and Bloomberg and wanting to elect a Democrat. Also jabs Bernie on culinary union. He knows he needs a big night.
Lily Adams @adamslily: This was a sharp and memorable line in a chaotic first few minutes.
John Wisniewski @JohnWisniewski: “Your not the only candidate who cares about the middle class” @PeteButtigieg said to @BernieSanders. True.
Asma Khalid @asmamk: Buttigieg is going after Sanders more than we've seen other candidates today (which is smart strategically). Sanders is the clear frontrunner in recent polls.
Sally Kohn @sallykohn: Here Pete is right. All people on the internet are mean, and the right is meaner than the left, but on the left, Bernie's supporters are the meanest. Just a fact. And he clearly hasn't done enough to solve it... cuz it's still a problem. #DemDebate #DemocraticDebate
NationalActionNet @NationalAction: Buttigieg: 'We could wake up two weeks from today, the day after Super Tuesday. And the only two candidates left standing will be Bernie Sanders & Mike Bloomberg. The two most polarizing figures on this stage.' #DemDebate #bhmpolicywatch
Lily Adams @adamslily: This was a sharp and memorable line in a chaotic first few minutes.
Eduardo Arosemena Muñoz @EArosemenalM: @PeteButtigieg is the adult in the room.
Elizabeth Landers @ElizLanders: "You're not the only one who cares about the working class… in fact you're the one at war with the Culinary Union," @PeteButtigieg to @BernieSanders
Ben Brown @bdbrown: @PeteButtigieg goes after @BernieSanders saying he’s at “war with the @Culinary226 ... “ Nevada’s most influential union that has a lot say who wins here
Batya Ungar-Sargon @bungarsargon: "Leadership is about what you pull out of people," @PeteButtigieg tells @BernieSanders about Sanders' toxic following. Really interesting point. #DemocraticDebate
Scott Nevins @ScottNevins: God damn, @PeteButtigieg is so good! I love watching him school Bernie on the behavior of his cult supporters without blaming or fighting. #DemDebate
Mike Signer @MikeSigner: .@PeteButtigieg already commanding the debate stage as the breath of fresh air, the new voice, the new perspective from the heartland, and the mouthpiece for millions who feel politics is broken and want to open up a new era in our politics and democracy.
Patti Solis Doyle @PattiSolisDoyle: .@PeteButtigieg with what could be the best line of the night. "Let's put forth an actual Democrat" referring to Bernie and Mike #DemDebate
Christopher J. Hale @chrisjollyhale: .@PeteButtigieg: “Leadership is about what you draw out of people. It isn’t just about policy. It’s also about how you motivate people.” Pete’s right to ask this question: why is it that a significant number of @BernieSanders’ supporters cyber bully and harass other Democrats?
Jason Johnson @DrJasonJohnson: This is the best @PeteButtigieg we've seen all campaign.... He's burying Sanders on leadership right now #DemDebate
Franklin Leonard @franklinleonard: “Leadership is about how you motivate other people to treat other people.” - @PeteButtigieg This is a good line. #DemDebate #DemocraticDebate
Maria Shriver @mariashriver: Mayor @PeteButtigieg says to @berniesanders you are not the only one who cares about working people and takes aim at what he calls a polarizing campaign by Sanders. #DemocraticDebate
David Clark @wearesuperman: @PeteButtigieg is a grown up in a world of children so far.
Steve Grossman @SteveGrossmanMA: .@PeteButtigieg just offered the most comprehensive, progressive, common sense healthcare plan of any Democrat running for President. #DemDebate #PeteButtigieg #DemocraticDebate #Pete2020
Michael Steele @MichaelSteele: "Let's put forward someone who is actually a Democrat"-- @PeteButtigieg There is that.
Luke Bronin @MayorBronin: Three big reasons I support @PeteButtigieg powerfully on display already tonight: Temperament, temperament, temperament.
Lynda Tran @Lynda_Tran: Contrasting Mayor Bloomberg’s response on stop and frisk with Mayor Buttigieg’s response on South Bend police killing a black man last year. Bloomberg was cerebral. Buttigieg was emotive. #DemDebate
Liz Goodwin @lizcgoodwin: Mayor Pete is the only candidate so far to explicitly make the argument that neither Bernie nor Bloomberg is a good fit for the nominee. ("a socialist who thinks that capitalism is the root of all evil and a billionaire who thinks that money ought to be the root of all power.")
Jennifer Rubin @JRubinBlogger: Pete is so calm in responding to the angry man act. He uses Sanders answer to point out Sanders is all or nothing
Lauren Baer @laurenbaer: Whether you’re a fan of @PeteButtigieg or not, it’s hard to deny that he’s a master of smooth segues. #DemDebate
Ingrid Jacques @Ingrid_Jacques: .@PeteButtigieg makes a great pivot between taking about transparency over Bernie’s health and paying for his Medicare for all plan #DemDebate
Charlotte Clymer @cmclymer: "Let's put forward someone who is actually a Democrat." -- Pete Buttigieg, with a hell of a jab at both Sanders and Bloomberg #DemDebate
