♪ ♪
♪ ♪ >> Chris: THE DEMOCRATIC RACE
FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IS GEARING
UP WITH THE VOTES IN IOWA AND
NEW HAMPSHIRE STARTING TO WINNOW
THE FIELD OF CANDIDATES AND
ESTABLISH IN FRONT RUNNERS, BUT
UPCOMING CONTEST IN NEVADA AND
SOUTH CAROLINA, MUCH MORE
DIVERSE STATES, COULD RESHUFFLE
THE RACE AGAIN.
JOINING US NOW FROM LAS VEGAS,
FORMER MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG.
MAYER, LET’S START WITH THE
NUMBERS FROM THE TWO STATES
WHICH ARE GOING TO BE HOLDING
CONTESTS OVER THE NEXT FEW
WEEKS, PUT THEM UP ON THE
SCREEN.
SCREEN. IN NEVADA, YOU’RE IN FIFTH PLACE
WITH 10% SUPPORT.
AND SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU’RE ALSO
IN FIFTH PLACE WITH 7.5%
SUPPORT.
SUPPORT. YOUR TRAILING TOM STEYER IN BOTH
STATES.
STATES. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU TO
DO WELL, MUCH BETTER THAN THOSE
NUMBERS, AND BOTH OF THOSE
STATES TO SHOW THAT YOU CAN GET
SUPPORT IN STATES WITH A BIG
MINORITY VOTING BLOCK?
>> Mayor Buttigieg: IT’S VERY
IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO WELL, AND
WE ARE ON THE GROUND WORKING TO
EARN THOSE GOOD RESULTS.
HERE IN NEVADA AND WILL BE
CAMPAIGNING HARD FOR EVERY VOTE
IN SOUTH CAROLINA AS WELL.
IF WE SEE HOW FLUID IT IS.
OF COURSE I DON’T HAVE BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS OF MY OWN MONEY TO
POUR INTO THE AIRWAVES, BUT WHAT
WE DO HAVE IS A VISION THAT IS
WERE DEMONSTRATED IN
NEW HAMPSHIRE AND IOWA, CAN
BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND A
COMMITMENT, AS WE COME TO MORE
RACIALLY DIVERSE STATES TO SPEAK
TO THE CONCERNS OF VOTERS WERE
HERE.
HERE. HERE IN NEVADA, FOR EXAMPLE, WE
GOT OVER 100 ORGANIZERS ON THE
GROUND, VOLUNTEERS AS WE SPEAK
GETTING READY TO GO OUT AND TALK
TO FELLOW NEVADANS IN A STATE
THAT LOOKS TO THE FUTURE AND IN
A STATE WHERE I’M ENCOUNTERING A
LOT OF WORKERS CONCERNED ABOUT
HOW THESE POLITICAL DECISIONS
ARE GOING TO AFFECT THEM.
WHETHER IT’S WORKERS WERE
CONCERNED ABOUT HEALTH CARE AND
HOW TO PRESERVE THE HEALTH CARE
CHOICE THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO
THEM.
THEM. PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT
IMMIGRATION REFORM AND WANTING
TO KNOW THAT WE ARE SERIOUSLY
GOING TO GET SOMETHING DONE AND
A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING TO THE
FUTURE WORRIED ABOUT CLIMATE.
THIS IS A STATE THAT IS IN MANY
WAYS REFLECTIVE OF THE FUTURE OF
AMERICA AND REALLY EXCITED TO BE
ON THE GROUND HERE WORKING TO
EARN THAT SUPPORT IN THE WEEK
THAT REMAINS.
THAT REMAINS. >> Chris: HOW DAMAGING, IF YOU
DON’T SHOW STRONG SUPPORT AMONG
LATINOS AND NEVADA,
AFRICAN-AMERICANS,
AFRICAN-AMERICANS, SOUTH CAROLINA -- BECAUSE THAT
QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU
CAN GET SUPPORT FROM THOSE
MINORITIES OF COURSE IS THE BIG
KNOCK ON YOUR CAMPAIGN.
>> Mayor Buttigieg: I’LL LEAVE
IT TO PUNDITS DUE TO THE
POLITICAL ANALYSIS.
POLITICAL ANALYSIS. WHAT I WILL SAY IS OF COURSE
IT’S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO HER
AND SUPPORT FROM VOTERS ACROSS
THE BOARD, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE WAY THAT LATINO VOTERS HERE
IN NEVADA KNOW THAT THEY ARE
UNDER SIEGE IN THIS
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. TALKING TO BLACK VOTERS FOR SICK
AND TIRED OF THE ECONOMIC
DISEMPOWERMENT AMONG CITY
INJUSTICES OF SYSTEMIC RACISM
AND LOOKING FOR A PRESIDENT WHO
CAN ACTUALLY BRING CHANGE TO
WASHINGTON AND MORE THAN
ANYTHING LOOKING FOR A NOMINEE
THAT CAN DEFEAT DONALD TRUMP.
WE ARE READY TO GO OUT AND HAVE
THAT CONVERSATION.
THAT CONVERSATION. THIS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE I
THINK FOR SO MANY VOTERS AND
CERTAINLY A LOT OF VOTERS OF
COLOR THAT I TALKED TO ACROSS,
THE LATINO, THE BLACK IN THE API
COMMUNITIES ARE ABOUT MAKING
SURE THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT.
THE SENATE DEMONSTRATED THAT
IT’S NOT GOING TO HOLD THIS
PRESIDENT ACCOUNTABLE.
PRESIDENT ACCOUNTABLE. IT IS UP TO US IN 2020.
IT IS OUR ONLY SHOT AND AS WE
SEE THIS PRESIDENT, AS IS
DEMONSTRATED INTERFERING IN
CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS, GROWING
MORE AND MORE EMBOLDENED, SO
MUCH IS ON THE LINE.
WE DARE NOT GET THIS WRONG.
AND THAT MEANS NOMINATING A
CANDIDATE WHO CAN CHALLENGE THIS
PRESIDENT ON HIS OWN TERMS AND
PUT TOGETHER A BIG ENOUGH
WINNING COALITION THAT WE CAN
HAVE SOME COAT TAILS TOO AND
MAKE GAINS IN THE SENATE.
>> Chris: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
HOW THIS RACE IS BEGINNING TO
SHAPE UP BECAUSE AFTER TUESDAY
IT IS BEGINNING TO SHAPE UP.
IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, THE SO-CALLED
MODERATE CANDIDATES WON MORE
THAN 50% OF THE VOTE OF VOTERS
IN THAT STATE, WHICH WAS DOUBLE
WHAT BERNIE SANDERS GOT, BUT HE
WON IN NEW HAMPSHIRE BECAUSE HE
HAD THAT LEFT LANE, THE MORE
LIBERAL LANE WHILE THE SO-CALLED
MORE MODERATE LANE WAS KIND OF
CLOGGED UP BY YOU AND BIDEN AND
AMY KLOBUCHAR, ALL OF WHOM SPLIT
UP THE VOTES.
HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU THAT THE
MODERATE LANE, IF YOU WILL, IS
GETTING SO CROWDED THAT YOU
COULD BE LEAVING THE ROAD TO THE
NOMINATION OPEN TO
BERNIE SANDERS?
BERNIE SANDERS? >> Mayor Buttigieg: WELL, I
THINK THAT’S WHAT VOTERS RIGHT
NOW ARE IN THE PROCESS OF
SETTLING.
SETTLING. LOOK, THERE ARE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT CANDIDACIES WITH A LOT
OF DIFFERENT VISIONS BUT THE
VISION OF MY CANDIDACY IS THAT
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING
CHANGE TO WASHINGTON, THAT WE
CAN’T CONFRONT THE MOST
DISRUPTIVE PRESIDENT IN MODERN
TIMES BY FALLING BACK ON THE
SAME PLAYBOOK.
SAME PLAYBOOK. JUST AS WE ALSO CAN’T DO IT BY
TELLING PEOPLE THAT THEIR ONLY
OPTIONS ARE BETWEEN A REVOLUTION
OR THE STATUS QUO.
WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
OUR ABILITY TO GET DIEHARD
DEMOCRATS YES, BUT ALSO
INDEPENDENTS AND EVEN SOME
REPUBLICANS TO CROSS OVER AND
SUPPORT MY VISION AND WHAT OUR
CAMPAIGN STANDS FOR.
AND I BELIEVE THAT’S GOING TO
SERVE US WELL HERE IN NEVADA,
SOUTH CAROLINA AND BEYOND.
>> Chris: AND THEN, DESPITE
THAT -- IF YOU’RE ABLE TO WINNOW
YOUR WAY THROUGH ALL OF THOSE
FOLKS, THAT ON SUPER TUESDAY,
YOU FACE ANOTHER CENTRIST
CANDIDATE IN MAYOR MIKE
BLOOMBERG AND OVER REALLY THE
LAST WEEK, WE CAN TO HAVE, THERE
HAVE BEEN A SERIES OF STORIES
ABOUT HIS COMMENTS ON STOP AND
FRISK AND REDLINING AND AS I
DISCUSSED WITH KELLYANNE CONWAY,
A BIG STORY IN
"THE WASHINGTON POST" TODAY
ABOUT A LONG HISTORY OF HIM
MAKING SEXIST, PROFANE COMMENTS
TO WOMEN WHO WORK FOR HIS
COMPANY AND SOME OF THEM SAID
THAT HE CREATED A HOSTILE
WORKPLACE.
WORKPLACE. HOW TROUBLED ARE YOU BY THESE
ALLEGATIONS AND THIS EVIDENCE OF
ALLEGED SEXISM AND RACISM?
>> Mayor Buttigieg: WELL, I
THINK IS GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER
FOR THAT AND SPEAK TO IT.
LOOK, THIS IS A TIME WHERE
VOTERS ARE LOOKING FOR A
PRESIDENT WHO CAN LEAD US OUT OF
THE DAYS WHEN IT WAS JUST
COMMONPLACE, OR ACCEPTED TO HAVE
THESE KINDS OF SEXIST AND
DISCRIMINATORY ATTITUDES.
DISCRIMINATORY ATTITUDES. AND RIGHT NOW I’M A THIS IS OUR
CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT.
DIFFERENT. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NO COMPARISON
TO THIS PRESIDENT IN A WAY THAT
HE HAS TREATED AND TALKED ABOUT
WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR AND
CONTINUES TO DO SO TO THIS DAY,
BUT WE HAD OUR PARTY HOLD
OURSELVES TO THE HIGHEST
STANDARD AND IT IS GOING TO BE
CRITICAL FOR US TO HAVE A
NOMINEE WHO CANNOT AUTHENTICALLY
LEAD AND WHO CAN SHOW GROWTH ON
THESE CHALLENGES.
THESE CHALLENGES. LOOK, SOME OF THESE ARE ISSUES
THAT OUR COUNTRY IS ABOUT TO
FACE, AMONG THE MOST INTRACTABLE
WE’VE EVER HAD BUT YOU’VE GOT TO
ARRIVE AT THOSE CHALLENGES WITH
THE ABILITY TO EXPLAIN YOUR
RECORD AND WITH AMENABILITY TO
EXPLAIN HOW YOU’RE GOING TO
RAISE THE BAR AT A TIME WHEN WE
ARE FINALLY ASKING A LOT MORE
FROM OUR ELECTED LEADERS.
>> Chris: LET ME FOLLOW UP ON
THAT BECAUSE KELLYANNE CONWAY
WAS I THINK TROLLING DEMOCRATS
SAYING BOY, THIS PART OF THAT
TALKS ABOUT ALL OF THESE
PRINCIPLES IN THE #MeToo ERA,
ARE THEY GOING TO NOMINATE
SOMEBODY LIKE MICHAEL BLOOMBERG
WITH HIS RECORD OF THINGS HE’S
DONE, FOR INSTANCE TOWARDS WOMEN
IN THE WORKPLACE, JUST BECAUSE
THEY THINK HE CAN BEAT
DONALD TRUMP, WHAT WOULD THAT
SAY ABOUT WHAT THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY REALLY STANDS FOR?
>> Mayor Buttigieg: FOR HER
REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS
WHITE HOUSE TO SPEAK ABOUT
MISOGYNY, TO SPEAK ABOUT SEXISM,
TO SPEAK ABOUT RACISM IS
COMICAL, AND YOU’RE RIGHT, I
THINK IT AMOUNTS TO TROLLING.
LOOK, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE
NOT GOING TO BE FOOLED BY
ANYBODY FROM THE TRUMP
WHITE HOUSE WHEN IT COMES TO
THESE ISSUES.
THESE ISSUES. SO I WILL LEAVE IT TO MY
COMPETITORS IN THIS RACE TO
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, BUT ONE
THING WE CAN ALL AGREE ON IS
THAT WE CAN DO A LOT BETTER THAN
THIS PRESIDENT.
THIS PRESIDENT. AND YOU KNOW ONE OF THE REASONS
WHY I’M SEEING A LOT OF FOLKS
FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OR
FORMALLY FROM THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY READY TO CROSS OVER IS
THAT THEY CAN NO LONGER LOOK
THEIR CHILDREN IN THE EYE AND
EXPLAIN THE BEHAVIOR OF THE
CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
UNITED STATES. >> Chris: MAYOR, YOU HAVE BEEN
VERY OPEN ABOUT THE FACT THAT
YOU ARE GAY AND IT HASN’T BEEN
MUCH OF AN ISSUE IN THIS
CAMPAIGN UNTIL NOW.
THIS WEEK, TWO CONSERVATIVE
SUPPORTERS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP
EMMA RUSH LIMBAUGH AND
SEBASTIAN GORKA TALKED ABOUT IT
ON THEIR SHOWS.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> A GAY GUY, 37 YEARS OLD,
LOVES KISSING HIS HUSBAND ON
DEBATE STAGES, CAN YOU SEE TRUMP
HAVE FUN WITH THAT?
>> WHY IS THAT MAN LECTURING US
ABOUT THE SANCTITY OF LIFE IN
THE WOMB?
THE WOMB? JUST A LITTLE CURIOUS THERE,
STRANGE.
STRANGE. >> Chris: MAYOR, WHAT YOUR
REACTION TO THOSE COMMENTS?
>> Mayor Buttigieg: WELL, I AM
IN A FAITHFUL, LOVING, COMMITTED
MARRIAGE.
MARRIAGE. I’M PROUD OF MY MARRIAGE.
AND I’M PROUD OF MY HUSBAND.
AND I’M NOT GOING TO BE LECTURED
ON FAMILY VALUES FROM THE LIKES
OF RUSH LIMBAUGH OR ANYBODY WHO
SUPPORTS DONALD J. TRUMP AS THE
MORAL AS WELL AS POLITICAL
LEADER OF THE UNITED STATES.
AMERICA HAS MOVED ON AND WE
SHOULD HAVE POLITICS OF
BELONGING THAT WELCOMES
EVERYBODY.
EVERYBODY. THAT’S WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
ARE FOR.
ARE FOR. AND I AM SADDENED FOR WHAT THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS BECOME IF
THEY EMBRACE THAT KIND OF
HOMOPHOBIC RHETORIC.
HOMOPHOBIC RHETORIC. >> Chris: AND HOW BIG AN ISSUE
DO YOU THINK THIS WOULD BE IN A
GENERAL ELECTION?
GENERAL ELECTION? CLEARLY THEY THINK IT WOULD BE
AN ISSUE.
AN ISSUE. THE IDEA THAT YOU WOULD NEED,
AND YOU HAVE REACHED OUT TO
SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES, MANY OF
WHOSE VOTES YOU NEED, BUT WHO
MIGHT HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR
SEXUAL ORIENTATION.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION. >> Mayor Buttigieg: WELL,
HERE’S MY GENERAL RELATIONAL --
MY GENERAL ELECTION EXPERIENCE
ON THIS.
ON THIS. I CAME OUT DURING A GENERAL
ELECTION IN SOUTH BEND AND THIS
WAS AT A TIME WHEN MIKE PENCE
WAS THE GOVERNOR OF INDIANA, AND
WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WOULD
HAPPEN.
HAPPEN. I TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED, I GOT
REELECTED WITH 80% OF THE VOTE.
IN MY GENERALLY DEMOCRATIC, BUT
SOCIALLY CONSERVATIVE COMMUNITY,
MORE THAN I HAD THE FIRST TIME
THAT I RAN FOR OFFICE.
THIS ELECTION ISN’T ABOUT ANY OF
US CANDIDATES.
US CANDIDATES. IT IS ABOUT VOTERS LIVES.
AND WE ARE THE ONES TRYING TO
GET VOTERS A RAISE, WHERE THE
ONES TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE IS PAID FAMILY LEAVE.
WORKING TO END ENDLESS WAR,
SERIOUS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE,
ACTUALLY PREPARED TO DO
SOMETHING ON GUN VIOLENCE.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO LGBTQ
ISSUES, THIS IS I THINK THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING, NOT THE
TREATMENT OF CANDIDATES, IT’S
WHAT’S HAPPENING TO INDIVIDUALS
AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
FROM BRAVE SERVICE MEMBERS WHO
HAVE THEIR CAREERS THREATENED BY
THIS PRESIDENT, TWO KIDS
EXPERIENCING BULLYING RIGHT NOW
IN THIS CLIMATE.
WE CAN DO BETTER AND YOU DON’T
HAVE TO BE A DIEHARD DEMOCRAT TO
KNOW THAT WE CAN DO BETTER WHEN
IT COMES TO INCLUSION AND
EQUALITY IN THIS COUNTRY.
>> Chris: MAYOR, THANK YOU,
THANKS FOR JOINING US, WE WILL
BE WATCHING DEVELOPMENTS NEXT