Openly Gay Mayor Pete Buttigieg running for President

[mikeyank]

I am very excited about Mayor Pete. Yes, he is openly gay living with his husband Chasten in the city of South Bend Indiana where he is mayor. But more than being gay, he may be the most honest, intelligent decent candidate I've seen in the democratic field, thus far. He is a former Naval Intelligence Officer, a graduate of Harvard University and Oxford University having attended Pembroke College, Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship.

I love the way he took on the issue of his being gay by going after fellow Indiana resident Vice President Mike Pence in a speech last weekend. From CNN, "Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg again took on Vice President Mike Pence -- whose stances on LGBTQ issues have faced criticism from gay rights activists -- saying that if Pence has "a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me -- your quarrel, sir, is with my creator." #CNN #News'

 

[Repareur]

I am very excited about Mayor Pete. Yes, he is openly gay living with his husband Chasten in the city of South Bend Indiana where he is mayor. But more than being gay, he may be the most honest, intelligent decent candidate I've seen in the democratic field, thus far. He is a former Naval Intelligence Officer, a graduate of Harvard University and Oxford University having attended Pembroke College, Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship.

I love the way he took on the issue of his being gay by going after fellow Indiana resident Vice President Mike Pence in a speech last weekend. From CNN, "Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg again took on Vice President Mike Pence -- whose stances on LGBTQ issues have faced criticism from gay rights activists -- saying that if Pence has "a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me -- your quarrel, sir, is with my creator." #CNN #News'

Damn Straight Mikeyank, I agree 100%! I am so excited. Mayor Pete has the charisma and attraction and ideas for a bold future like Bobby Kenedy and JFK had! At first I thought oh my he is great but has no chance and can you imagine what Trump will do with a gay guy with a name that sounds like “boody”. But now I say, I dare him. I think it would backfire big time. On Morning Joe this morning, Mika said he is everything Trump is not. That’s so well said. He is smart for real. He wants to make things better for everyone and he tells the damn truth!

Bush screwed up so bad that I believe it opened peoples eyes to try our first black president. Trump is so much worse than Bush and Chaney that perhaps we are ready for the best spoken and smartest gay guy I’ve ever heard campaign. Americans by enlarge support gay marriage. That happened very fast so maybe there is a bigger chance for Mayor Pete than I first thought. It’s a long hard slug till the election but just having him in the mix is going to be a wonderful thing for all of us.

 

[mikeyank]

Damn Straight Mikeyank, I agree 100%! I am so excited. Mayor Pete has the charisma and attraction and ideas for a bold future like Bobby Kenedy and JFK had! At first I thought oh my he is great but has no chance and can you imagine what Trump will do with a gay guy with a name that sounds like “boody”. But now I say, I dare him. I think it would backfire big time. On Morning Joe this morning, Mika said he is everything Trump is not. That’s so well said. He is smart for real. He wants to make things better for everyone and he tells the damn truth!

Bush screwed up so bad that I believe it opened peoples eyes to try our first black president. Trump is so much worse than Bush and Chaney that perhaps we are ready for the best spoken and smartest gay guy I’ve ever heard campaign. Americans by enlarge support gay marriage. That happened very fast so maybe there is a bigger chance for Mayor Pete than I first thought. It’s a long hard slug till the election but just having him in the mix is going to be a wonderful thing for all of us.

Very well said, Rep!

 

[Jaybifla]

I try not to talk politics with other gay people, because there are a few that support Trump, and I don’t understand that at all. Mainly because of his selection of Mike Pence as his VP pick. I know there are probably a few models on here that support Trump as well, and it’s best I not know...LOL. Anyway, I think it’s important to support the people that you can personally identify with. I like Pete Buttigieg a lot, and he definitely has my support going forward. He inspires me, and I have to give my support for him having the courage to be so honest to the American people.

 

[Repareur]

I try not to talk politics with other gay people, because there are a few that support Trump, and I don’t understand that at all. Mainly because of his selection of Mike Pence as his VP pick. I know there are probably a few models on here that support Trump as well, and it’s best I not know...LOL. Anyway, I think it’s important to support the people that you can personally identify with. I like Pete Buttigieg a lot, and he definitely has my support going forward. He inspires me, and I have to give my support for him having the courage to be so honest to the American people.

Amen! Same here.

 

[kgmets]

I am very excited about Mayor Pete. Yes, he is openly gay living with his husband Chasten in the city of South Bend Indiana where he is mayor. But more than being gay, he may be the most honest, intelligent decent candidate I've seen in the democratic field, thus far. He is a former Naval Intelligence Officer, a graduate of Harvard University and Oxford University having attended Pembroke College, Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship.

I love the way he took on the issue of his being gay by going after fellow Indiana resident Vice President Mike Pence in a speech last weekend. From CNN, "Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg again took on Vice President Mike Pence -- whose stances on LGBTQ issues have faced criticism from gay rights activists -- saying that if Pence has "a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me -- your quarrel, sir, is with my creator." #CNN #News'

Great post with which I totally agree. One important point is that, in this large very crowded field of Presidential candidates, there is one and only one veteran, and that is Mayor Pete, the only openly gay candidate.

 

[Repareur]

Great post with which I totally agree. One important point is that, in this large very crowded field of Presidential candidates, there is one and only one veteran, and that is Mayor Pete, the only openly gay candidate.

KG you are exactly right. Like Mika Brzezinski said, Mayor Pete is everything Trump is not!

 

[oldfart63]

I only hope Mayor Pete can keep the momentum he has received so far. He definitely deserves it. He is so well spoken and forthright. He is unequivocal in his demeanor and doesn't rely on demeaning others to elevate himself. What I have found so far is that once people hear him they really take notice of him.

I saw a news clip about how he was planning some urban renewal in South Bend and decided to demolish some 1000 distressed houses in 1000 days. Virtually all of the houses were in the neighborhoods of POC. Some approached the city and said that the demolition was going to add to the problem of insufficient affordable housing and wanted to rehabilitate some of the current housing. Mayor Pete listened and around 40% of the homes were rehabbed letting those residents stay in their neighborhoods.

I think that Mayor Pete shows what a real leader should be. He provides a vision for the future but keeps the people involved. I think it's time for some of the old farts to step aside and let these younger visionaries have a crack at things.

PS It seems that once people have had a chance to listen to him they don't care that he's gay. He came out during his re-election campaign and still won with 80% of the vote.

 

[oldfart63]

Damn Straight Mikeyank, I agree 100%!

Hey Rep, could you make that "Damn right Mikeyank" and leave the "straight" out of it?

 

[elyot1]

I only hope Mayor Pete can keep the momentum he has received so far. He definitely deserves it. He is so well spoken and forthright. He is unequivocal in his demeanor and doesn't rely on demeaning others to elevate himself. What I have found so far is that once people hear him they really take notice of him.

I saw a news clip about how he was planning some urban renewal in South Bend and decided to demolish some 1000 distressed houses in 1000 days. Virtually all of the houses were in the neighborhoods of POC. Some approached the city and said that the demolition was going to add to the problem of insufficient affordable housing and wanted to rehabilitate some of the current housing. Mayor Pete listened and around 40% of the homes were rehabbed letting those residents stay in their neighborhoods.

I think that Mayor Pete shows what a real leader should be. He provides a vision for the future but keeps the people involved. I think it's time for some of the old farts to step aside and let these younger visionaries have a crack at things.

PS It seems that once people have had a chance to listen to him they don't care that he's gay. He came out during his re-election campaign and still won with 80% of the vote.

You nailed it, Old Fart. Watched Rachel Maddow's interview with Mayor Pete. If you missed it check it out. He is well spoken and forthright as you say. Doesn't avoid or talk around an answer. I really like that about him. Rachael asked him about coming out at 33 during his re-election campaign. His story is an interesting one. I think I'll be voting for Pete Buttigeig but not because he's gay. I like his mind, his heart, his experience and his vision of the future.

 

[kgmets]

Great post with which I totally agree. One important point is that, in this large very crowded field of Presidential candidates, there is one and only one veteran, and that is Mayor Pete, the only openly gay candidate.

After reading the "Corrections" column of this morning's New York Times I must correct myself, there is a second veteran running for President, a female congresswoman from Hawaii, Tabli Gifford is her name as I recall, though I am not sure that is the exact spelling.. That in no way diminishes Mayor Pete being a veteran and Presidential candidate, as the "Don't ask, don't tell" military policy is not that distant a memory. In contrast 18 year old Donald Trump dodged the draft by obtaining a 4-F draft exemption based on a doctor's letter that his foot rendered him unable to run. He then make his college baseball team and was the fastest runner on the team. That's what I call a real contrast in service to your country.

 

[hawaiianboy]

After reading the "Corrections" column of this morning's New York Times I must correct myself, there is a second veteran running for President, a female congresswoman from Hawaii, Tabli Gifford is her name as I recall, though I am not sure that is the exact spelling.. That in no way diminishes Mayor Pete being a veteran and Presidential candidate, as the "Don't ask, don't tell" military policy is not that distant a memory. In contrast 18 year old Donald Trump dodged the draft by obtaining a 4-F draft exemption based on a doctor's letter that his foot rendered him unable to run. He then make his college baseball team and was the fastest runner on the team. That's what I call a real contrast in service to your country.

The congresswoman running is Tulsi Gabbard

 

[Repareur]

Hey Rep, could you make that "Damn right Mikeyank" and leave the "straight" out of it?

The straight was a joke. Lighten up.

 

[Repareur]

The great thing about Mayor Pete to me is that he is so impressive that the fact he happens to be gay is way down the list of what people seem to notice about him. It’s a great thing for all of us in general. In the past it used to make me mad that the news would find some outrageous queens at the gay pride parade when they were showing gay people. Mayor Pete was talking about them having kids and what a good father his husband would be etc. I never thought I would see a gay president with his husband in the White House and their kids playing in the Oval Office ala John John. But we may this time. We have indeed come a long way regardless of what happens with Mayor Pete and that’s refreshing. Part of the country is trying to return to racist bigotry but thank goodness a great number seem to be racing ahead toward a much brighter and more inclusive future. I wouldn’t have believed it, but then who could have possibly predicted this Trump mess either.

 

[oldfart63]

The straight was a joke. Lighten up.

Oh Geez, so was I.

 

[juanjo]

I very much think that Pete is a great man and would be an exceptional president. If he were straight he would have already shot to the top of the polls among Democrats, some of whom are holding back because of the gay issue. I hear it all the time form straight and gay people - "yeah, he's great but the country will not accept a gay president". I agree that there are a sizeable number of people in the US who would never vote for a gay man if they knew he was gay. But I also know most of them are already going to vote of Trump.

 

[kgmets]

The congresswoman running is Tulsi Gabbard

Right you are. I did not have the time to go back and reread the "Corrections"column, so I wrote my best recollection as I wanted to correct promptly my error. Thanks for posting the correct spelling.

 

[kgmets]

I very much think that Pete is a great man and would be an exceptional president. If he were straight he would have already shot to the top of the polls among Democrats, some of whom are holding back because of the gay issue. I hear it all the time form straight and gay people - "yeah, he's great but the country will not accept a gay president". I agree that there are a sizeable number of people in the US who would never vote for a gay man if they knew he was gay. But I also know most of them are already going to vote of Trump.

Good point. When I read that in a relatively short number of years, support for gay marriage increased from 15% to 68%, my immediate concern was the present 32% opposed would be a problem for an openly gay candidate. But upon reflection you are probably correct that Trump has already lined up the bigot vote.

 

[Repareur]

Good point. When I read that in a relatively short number of years, support for gay marriage increased from 15% to 68%, my immediate concern was the present 32% opposed would be a problem for an openly gay candidate. But upon reflection you are probably correct that Trump has already lined up the bigot vote.

Yes I think he has along with the KKK vote.

 

[mikeyank]

Pete Buttigieg is the first openly gay man to win Senate confirmation to a Cabinet po

Pete did not become the President in 2021 but as this NPR article tells us:

https://www.npr.org/sections/presid...ttigieg-confirmed-as-transportation-secretary

The Senate confirmed Pete Buttigieg to be President Biden's transportation secretary on Tuesday. Buttigieg is the first openly gay man to win Senate confirmation to a Cabinet post.
Ken Cedeno/AP
Updated at 3:33 p.m. ET

Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg made history Tuesday, becoming the first openly gay man to win Senate confirmation to run a Cabinet department.

Buttigieg was easily confirmed as secretary of transportation by a vote of 86-13.

After the vote, Buttigieg tweeted that he was "honored and humbled by today's vote in the Senate-and ready to get to work."