MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG!
(
THE SHOW.
I FEEL SO LUCKY.
>> LIKEWISE.
I'M HONORED TO BE WITH YOU.
I'M A FAN.
>> James: THAT IS THE LOVELOVELIEST THING YOU COULD
SAY.
I'M SO HAPPY YOU HAVE MADE THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US
TODAY BECAUSE THIS IS THE EVE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION.
WE'RE ALL FEELING, IF I'M HONEST IN THIS ROOM, A
LITTLE WEIRD.
WHERE IN THE COUNTRY ARE YOU RIGHT NOW, AND HOW ARE
YOU COPING THROUGH ALL OF THIS?
>> I'M RIGHT AT HOME IN SOUTH BEND, BUT I'VE BEEN
ON THE ROAD A LOT.
I WAS IN MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN, PENNSYLVANIA,
CAMPAIGNING FOR JOE BIDEN, AND IN FLORIDA NOT LONG
AGO.
IT FEELS GOOD TO BE ON THE ROAD, ALTHOUGH WE DO IT IN
A DIFFERENT WAY FOR THE CONCERN OF THE SAFETY OF
THE PEOPLE WHO JOIN US.
I DO A LOT OF TV APPEARANCES AND MAKE LOT
OF PHONE CALLS TO FRIENDS.
THERE IS A -- THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN IS
GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT THERE ARE
GREAT CANDIDATES RUNNING UP AND DOWN THE TICKETS.
WE'RE FOLLOWING A LOT OF THOSE RACES AND HOPING FOR
THE BEST TOMORROW.
>> James: I'M FINDING IT INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL.
WE'RE JUST FOCUSING ON THESE FEW STATES.
FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, HOW CLOSE DO YOU THINK
THIS RACE IS GOING TO BE?
>> SO IT COULD BE VERY CLOSE.
LOOK, THE STRANGE THING ABOUT THE SYSTEM THAT
WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW IN THE U.S. IS THAT YOU CAN HAVE,
AS IT LOOKS LIKE JOE BIDEN HAS, A 10-POINT LEAD
NATIONALLY, BUT IT DOESN'T COUNT UNLESS YOU WIN IN
THESE CRITICAL STATES.
LATER ON I HOPE WE HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THE
SYSTEM COULD BE FAIRER, BUT THIS IS THE SYSTEM
WE'VE GOT.
IT WILL COME DOWN TO THE SWING STATES, AND IF YOU
HAVEN'T GOT YOUR VOTE IN EARLY, GO TO
Iwillvote.com, AND MAYBE YOU ALREADY VOTED AND
YOU'RE NOT SURE ABOUT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, CALL A
FRIEND, CALL A COUSIN, CALL SOMEONE YOU CARE
ABOUT, AND DOUBLE CHECK THEY MADE A PLAN, TOO.
IT IS ALL GOING TO COME DOWN ABOUT GETTING OUT THE
VOTE, THE EARLY VOTE WE'VE BEEN PUSHING, AND THAT
CRITICAL ELECTION DAY VOTE.
>> James: THAT ELECTION DAY VOTE IS CRITICAL.
WE'VE ALL SEE THE NEWS STORIES OF THE PAST FEW
WEEKS, OR EVEN MONTH, WHERE RECORD NUMBERS OF
MAIL-IN BALLOTS -- YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT TRUMP AND
HIS CAMPAIGN TEAM HAVE ALREADY STARTED SAYING
THAT, OH, THESE VOTES SHOULDN'T BE COUNTED.
THERE IS MAIL-IN FRAUD.
IF HE CLAIMS VICTORY, HOW CAN HE EVEN DO THAT?
AND, SECONDLY, HOW DO WE STAY CALM AND GO, NO, NO,
WE JUST HAVE TO COUNT EVERY VOTE?
>> THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT OUR
COUNTRY IS DEMOCRATIC.
IT IS ONE OF THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF
AMERICA.
THIS ISN'T UP TO THE PRESIDENT.
IT IS UP TO US.
HE CAN SAY WHATEVER HE LIKES, BUT WE'VE GOT TO
MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE VOTES GET IN AND ALL
OF THOSE VOTES ARE COUNTERED.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TROOPS SERVING
OVERSEAS WHO HAVE TO MAIL IN THEIR BALLOTS.
PEOPLE WHO VOTED EARLY.
EVERY ELIGIBLE VOTER DESERVES TO BE COUNTED.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING THE
POLLS, I'VE MET THEM IN OUR COMMUNITY AND AROUND
THE COUNTRY, AND THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB WITH
INTEGRITY.
THAIRNTHEY'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOTES GET
COUNTED.
HE CAN'T DROWN OUT THE SIMPLE AMERICANS WHO ARE
COMING OUT TO VOTE.
>> James: HE IS STIRRING UP SO MUCH RAGE AND ANGER.
JUST OVER THE WEEKEND, WE SAW TRUMP SUPPORTERS
SURROUNDING JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS' BUS, AND
THEY WEREN'T ON THE BUS, BUT IT WAS TRAVELING
THROUGH NEW JERSEY AND TEXAS AND NEW YORK.
THEY SHUT DOWN BRIDGES AND MAJOR HIGHWAYS.
I'M SEEING SHOPS BEING BOARDED UP.
IT IS ALL WELL AND GOOD SAYING WE HAVE TO KEEP
CALM AND TRUST THE PROCESS.
WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE, AND HOW NERVOUS ARE YOU
ABOUT TALK ABOUT CIVIL UNREST THIS COMING WEEK?
>> IT SHOWS YOU THE CHAOS THAT WE'VE COME TO IN THE
TRUMP ERA.
THE IDEA IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WE ARE
WORRYING ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF POLITICAL
VIOLENCE.
IT SHOWS YOU EXACTLY WHY WE CAN'T AFFORD FOUR MORE
YEARS UNDER THIS PRESIDENT.
BUT, AGAIN, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A REALLY ROBUST
CORE TO OUR SYSTEM.
AND, BY THE WAY, ALSO, THIS KIND OF THING IS ONLY
HAPPENING BECAUSE THERE IS A LEVEL OF PANIC ON HIS
SIDE.
THIS BEHAVIOR YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THIS IS NOT
THE KIND OF THING YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE WINNING.
IT IS A SHOW OF DESPERATION, AND IT IS NOT
GOING TO HELP.
IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT WE'VE LEARNED IN RECENT
YEARS, SHUTTING DOWN BRIDGES IN NEW JERSEY HAS
NOT EXACTLY WORKED OUT WELL FOR THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY.
THESE KINDS OF THINGS AREN'T GOING TO HELP THEIR
CAUSE.
THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO STRENGTHEN THE
AWARENESS -- I'M A DEMOCRAT, LIKE JOE BIDEN,
BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF REPUBLICANS AND
INDEPENDENTS CROSSING OVER, AND IT IS HELPING US
BUILD A COALITION THAT ISN'T JUST ONE PARTY.
IT IS DEMOCRATS, PROGRESSIVES, MODERATES,
REPUBLICANS, ALL SAYING ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
IT IS TIME TO GET A NEW PRESIDENT, THAT ALL COMES
TO A HEAD TOMORROW.
>> ames: IT IS LOVELY TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT
THAT.
FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, MY ENTIRE LIFE GROWING UP IN
HIGH WICKEM BUCKINGSHARE, AMERICA WAS THIS BEACON OF
HOPE AND JOY AND POSITIVITY.
IT WAS A PLACE WHERE ANYTHING WAS POSSIBLE.
AND ME AND MY FAMILY, OUR CHILDREN -- YOU KNOW, I
HAVE AN AMERICAN DAUGHTER.
AND WE RUSHED HERE.
AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
AND IT REALLY HAS ONLY BEEN IN THE PAST SORT OF
TWO YEARS THAT FRIENDS OF MINE BACK HOME, ON THE
PHONE, ARE GOING, YOU'RE NOT GOING THE STAY THERE,
ARE YOU?
IT IS ONE THING SAYING WE HAVE TO BEAT TRUMP.
STILL, THAT DOESN'T BEAT TRUMPISM OR WHAT HE
REPRESENTS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> James: WHAT DO YOU AND JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA
HARRIS, YOU SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR TRYING TO RESET THE
COUNTRY AND REBUILD SO MUCH OF WHAT HAS BEEN
BROKEN OVER THESE LAST FOUR YEARS?
>> YEAH.
I MEAN, THIS IS UP TO ALL OF US.
I THINK STEP ONE IS GETTING THE RIGHT KIND OF
LEADER, AND THAT'S WHO JOE BIDEN IS.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE GOT TO DO IN OUR OWN
LIVES.
REMEMBER WHAT AMERICA CAN BE, AND BUILD A FUTURE
WHERE EVERYBODY CAN BELONG.
I'M SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE BREAK DOWN OF TRUST,NITY
JUST IN INSTITUTIONS, BUT IN NECHTD.
IN EACH OTHER.
JUST FOR OUR COUNTRY TO BE ABLE TO RUN AND THINGS TO
BE ABLE TO WORK.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE LIVE IN THE SAME REALITY.
YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TELL FROM GOING ONLINE,
BUT THE HARD TRUTH IS WE'RE GOING TO RISE AND
FALL TOGETHER AS A COUNTRY.
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, IT WILL BE MAKE OR BREAK FOR
THE WHOLE AMERICAN PROJECT.
AND AS YOU TALK ABOUT IT, AND THE WHOLE WORLD IS
WATCHING, THERE ARE A LOT OF FRIENDS WATCHING WHO
WANT AMERICA TO BE OUR BEST AMERICA.
YES, THAT'S UP TO HAVING A BETTER PRESIDENT, BUT IT
IS UP TO ALL OF US.
>> James: I THINK YOU PLAY A MAJOR PART IN THIS,
I REALLY, REALLY DO.
YOU HAVE EARNED THIS WONDERFUL NICKNAME OF
SLAYER PETE FOR YOUR SHARP TAKEDOWN OF FOX NEWS
ANCHORS AND PUNDITS.
IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE WATCHING YOU GO INTO THE
LION'S DEN.
I THINK YOUR ATTITUDE THIS WHOLE CAMPAIGN, I FOUND IT
REALLY ENLIGHTENING.
DO YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN CHANGE SOME REPUBLICANS'
MINDS BY GOING ON FOX NEWS AND BEING SO OPEN WITH
TRUTH AND FACT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WIN EVERYBODY OVER.
BUT, YES, THIS IS A NETWORK THAT IS NOT VERY
FRIENDLY TO MY PARTY OR MY PERSPECTIVE.
BUT I KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE GET THEIR NEWS FROM THIS
NETWORK, AND THEY'RE WATCHING IN GOOD FAITH.
AND I CAN'T BE MAD AT SOMEBODY FOR NOT
SUPPORTING MY PERSPECTIVE IF THEY'VE LITERALLY NEVER
HEARD IT.
SO IT IS MY JOB TO CROSS THAT LINE, TO COAX THROUGH
THE WALLS OF THAT MEDIA BUBBLE.
AS LONG AS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE ME ON, I'VE GOT TO
GET ON THERE.
I'M DOING IT AGAIN TONIGHT, TO MAKE SURE THAT
THAT PERSPECTIVE IS THERE.
I DO THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MAYBE VOTED
REPUBLICAN THEIR WHOLE LIVES, MAYBE GREW UP IN A
FAMILY WHERE BEING REPUBLICAN IS THE SAME
THING AS BEING A PATRIOTIC AMERICAN, OR A PERSON OF
FAITH.
AND NOW THEY'RE SAYING, THAT IS NOT ME, THAT'S NOT
WHO I AM, AND THEY'RE READY TO DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT.
I HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW IT IS OKAY TO CHANGE YOUR
MIND.
>> James: MY FAVORITE PART WHEN YOU GO ON FOX
NEWS IS NOT NECESSARILY WHEN YOU SPEAK, BUT THE
THREE SECONDS OF SILENCE BACK IN THE STUDIO AS THE
HOSTS GET ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED AND GO...MOVING
ON.
[LAUGHTER] >> James: OF COURSE, ALL
OF THIS IS HAPPENING DURING THIS MOST STRANGE
OF TIMES WHERE, YOU KNOW, 80,000 NEW INFEC INFECTIONS OF
COVID-19 ARE BEING REPORTED DAILY.
WE JUST SAW AND TALKED ABOUT IT AT THE TOP OF THE
SHOW, THE LATEST TRUMP RALLY WHERE PEOPLE WERE
CHANTING FIRE FAUCI.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THIS SORT OF BEHAVIOR?
>> IT IS REALLY DISTURBING BECAUSE YOU LEAD FROM THE
TOP.
AND THE EXAMPLE THAT THE PRESIDENT SETS MATTERS.
NOT JUST THE POLICIES.
OBVIOUSLY WE NEED BETTER POLICIES THAT GET
EVERYBODY HEALTH CARE AND TAKE CARE OF THESE ISSUES,
BUT JUST THE EXAMPLE.
HE IS TELLING A LOT OF PEOPLE IT IS PERFECTLY
OKAY TO GATHER IN CLOSE QUARTERS, NOT HAVE A MASK
ON, AND BLAME DOCTORS SOMEHOW FOR THIS PANDEMIC.
WHEN HE SIGNALS THAT, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
BELIEVE IT JUST BECAUSE HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
DOWN TO THE MOST BASIC LEVEL OF FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITIES.
WHEN I BECAME MAYOR, I REALIZED JUST SOMETHING
LIKE WEARING A BIKE HELMET WHEN I WAS RIDING A BIKE I
WAS IMPORTANT.
NOT JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD THINK LESS OF ME IF
THEY SAW ME WITHOUT ONE, BUT BECAUSE A KID MIGHT
SEE THAT EXAMPLE AND THINK THEY DIDN'T NEED TO BE
SAFE.
THAT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN
THE LAND.
AND I GET IT, IT'S A PAIN, IT'S NOT FUN TO WEAR A
MASK, AND THE HUGE SACRIFICES THAT PEOPLE
HAVE MADE WITH STUDENTS NOT BEING ABLE TO STUDY IN
SCHOOL, AND FAMILY GATHERINGS BEING CALLED
OFF, AND ALL OF THE THINGS ALL OF US PUT UP WITH.
BUT OUR BEST CHANCE TO END THIS IS TO GET THIS
PANDEMIC UNDER CONTROL.
I DON'T THINK IT WILL HAPPEN UNDER THIS
PRESIDENT.
>> James: I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR NEW BOOK "TRUST: AMERICA'S
BEST CHANCE."
YOU WROTE THIS WHILE IN QUARANTINE, WHICH MAKES ME
FEEL VERY LAZY -- I BARELY GOT OFF THE COUCH.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GET THIS IDEA OF TRUST ON
PEOPLE'S MINDS?
BECAUSE I THINK IT IS AN INTERESTING THING TO THINK
ABOUT.
>> I THINK WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY
WITH TRUST IN GOVERNMENT, TRUST IN EACH OTHER, AND
TRUST AROUND THE WORLD AND IN THE U.S. ITSELF.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THE PROBLEMS WE DEALT
WITH, THE PANDEMIC, THE INJUSTICE.
AND COOPERATION REQUIRES TRUST.
I LEARNED THAT IN MY EXPERIENCE WHILE I WAS IN
THE MILITARY.
I LEARNED TO TRUST MY LIFE TO THE PROFESSIONAL
JUDGMENT AND SKILL OF PEOPLE I HAD JUST MET.
PEOPLE, BY THE WAY, WHO OFTEN HAD TOTALLY
DIFFERENT POLITICAL VIEWS THAN MINE, BUT THAT DIDN'T
MATTER.
THEY DIDN'T CARE AND NEITHER DID I.
I WROTE THE BOOK BECAUSE I WANTED TO START
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN BECOME A MORE TRUSTING
AND TRUSTWORTHY SOCIETY BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
>> James: I THINK TRUST IS THE BIGGEST THING THAT
HAS COME TO THE FORE THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC,
ACTUALLY.
EVEN IF YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO HAVE A SOCIALLY
DISTANCED PLAY DATE IN THE GARDEN, MY WIFE AND I ARE
THINKING, DO WE TRUST THOSE PARENTS, THAT THEY
HAVEN'T BEEN ANYWHERE?
IT IS AN INCREDIBLE THING TO WRITE ABOUT AT THIS
PONT IN AMERICAN POLITICS.
LET ME ASK YOU THIS: NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, IF WE
FIND OUT THE ELECTION RESULTS OR WEDNESDAY OR
THURSDAY OR 10 DAYS FROM NOW, NO MATTER WHAT
HAPPENS, ARE WE GOING TO BE OKAY?
[LAUGHTER] >> YES, WE WILL.
WE HAVE TO.
WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET THROUGH THIS.
LOOK, THIS IS A COUNTRY THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH
PANDEMIC, IT'S BEEN THROUGH WARS.
AT ONE POINT HALF OF THE COUNTRY BROKE OFF AND
DECLARED WAR AGAINST THE FIRST HALF.
AND THIS COUNTRY STILL STANDS.
SO WE HAVE GOT TO FIND A WAY THROUGH THIS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT STARTS WITH ELECTING NEW
LEADERSHIP.
BUT THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN ANY ONE ELECTION AND
MORE THAN POLITICS.
LOOK, I ACTUALLY THINK THAT WE COULD LIVE TO SEE
SOMETHING INCREDIBLE IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE'RE JUST A COUPLE OF DECADES AWAY FROM BEING IN
A COUNTRY THAT HAS NO RACIAL MAJORITY, A COUNTRY
THAT BY MID-CENTURY COULD HAVE SOLVED SOME OF THE
TOUGHEST PROBLEMS AROUND RACIAL AND ECONOMIC
JUSTICE, AROUND CLIMATE, IT COULD BE A MULTIRACIAL
DEMOCRACY.
WE'RETHE GENERATION THAT COULD SEE THAT HAPPEN.
AND WE'RE ALSO THE GENERATION THAT COULD BLOW
IT.
THAT'S PARTLY WHY THIS ELECTION IS SO HIGH
STAKES.
IF WE GET IT RIGHT IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE
2020s COULD GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS A TIME WHEN
AMERICA STOOD UP AND TURNED IN A BETTER
DIRECTION.
AND BY THE MIDDLE OF THIS CENTURY, WE COULD BE
DELIVERING TO HUMANITY SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS
THE FOUNDING OF AMERICA ITSELF.
I REALLY BELIEVE THAT, IF WE DO THE WORK.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THE WORK.
[APPLAUSE] >> James: MORE WHEN WE
COME BACK, EVERYBODY.