FENT FLYING HE WAS EVENTUALLY DRAGGED OUT OF THE AMBULANCE.
YIKES INDEED.
YIKES INDEED. POLICE HANDCUFFED HIM AND TOOK
HIM INTO CUSTODY.
>> AS WE MENTIONED TODAY IT IS
PRIMARY DAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATES ARE APPEALING TO
VOTERS IN THAT STATE.
FORMER SOUTH BEND, INDIANA MAYOR
PETE BUTTIGIEG IN THAT STATE.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> GOOD MORNING, THANKS FOR
HAVING ME.
HAVING ME. >> MR. MAYOR, WE’LL TALK ABOUT
SOUTH CAROLINA BUT FIRST YOUR
REACTION TO THE ADMINISTRATION’S
HANDLING OF THIS CORONAVIRUS
SITUATION RIGHT NOW GIVEN THIS
SPREAD OF THE VIRUS IN NOT JUST
CALIFORNIA BUT OREGON AND
WASHINGTON STATE AS WELL.
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE
GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE AND WHAT
WOULD YOU BE DOING DIFFERENTLY?
>> WELL, I’M VERY CONCERNED WITH
LIVES ON THE LINE AND A HUGE
IMPACT COMING TO OUR ECONOMY.
IT’S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT
THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE WHITE
HOUSE HANDLE THIS IN A WAY
THAT’S BASED ON SCIENCE AND NOT
BASED ON POLITICS.
I WAS PARTICULARLY DISTURBED TO
HEAR THE WORD HOAX USED BY THE
PRESIDENT RECENTLY IN TALKING
ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
OUR LIVES DEPEND ON THE WISDOM
AND THE JUDGMENT OF THE
PRESIDENT AT A TIME LIKE THIS,
AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE SEEING IS
NOT ONLY A RELIANCE ON SCIENCE
AND AN INSISTENCE ON MOVING
POLITICS AWAY FROM THIS BUT THE
KIND OF COORDINATION THAT IS
UNIQUELY THE LEADERSHIP ROLE OF
THE WHITE HOUSE.
THAT’S HERE IN THE UNITED STATES
COORDINATING THE PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE SECTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT
SCREENING, TREATMENT AND
EVENTUALLY A VACCINE BECOME
AVAILABLE, AND IT’S
INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION.
INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION. LOOK, THIS VIRUS DOESN’T CARE
WHAT COUNTRY IT’S IN.
IT DOESN’T RESPECT BORDERS.
IT’S NOT GOING TO BE STOPPED BY
A WALL.
A WALL. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS
WHERE THOSE INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONSHIPS ARE SO IMPORTANT.
UNIF RNTLY, THOSE RELATIONSHIPS
HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED.
>> MAYOR BUTTIGIEG, WE DO WANT
TO GET TO SOUTH CAROLINA AS
WELL.
WELL. POLLS SHOW FORMER VICE PRESIDENT
JOE BIDEN HAS A COMMANDING LEAD
THERE.
THERE. HE SAYS LAST NIGHT IF HE WINS
BIG HE WILL BE THE NOMINEE.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT
ASSESSMENT?
ASSESSMENT? >> NO, I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE
POSITIONED TO BECOME THE
NOMINEE, BUT, YOU KNOW,
CERTAINLY THE COMPETITION IS
HEATING UP IN STATES AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. WE’RE EXPECTING A COMPETITIVE
FINISH HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA,
AND THEN ONTO SUPER TUESDAY
WHERE IT’S LITERALLY A COAST TO
COAST RACE.
COAST RACE. SO WE’RE WORKING HARD AND WE’VE
GOT ORGANIZERS IN EVERY STATE.
>> MAYOR, IF IT ISN’T YOU WHO
SHOULD BE THE NOMINEE?
>> OBVIOUSLY WE’RE CAMPAIGNING
ON THE IDEA MY VISION IS THE
RIGHT ONE.
RIGHT ONE. I KNOW SENATOR SANDERS IS IN THE
LEAD RIGHT NOW.
I RESPECT HIM.
I RESPECT HIS IDEALS BUT THIS IS
MOMENT WE NEED TO BRING AS MANY
PEOPLE TOGETHER AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK THAT’S HOW WE’RE GOING
TO BUILD THE MAJORITY THAT WILL
DEFEAT DONALD TRUMP.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A DIE HARD
DEMOCRAT TO BE DISTURBED BY THE
ACTIONS AND BEHAVIOR OF THIS
PRESIDENT AND TO WANT THINGS TO
CHANGE IN THIS COUNTRY.
I’M OFFERING THE CHANCE TO TURN
THE PAGE AND MOVE OUT OF JUST
THE CHAOTIC AND DIVISIVE TONE
WE’RE EXPERIENCING IN OUR
POLITICS.
POLITICS. BECAUSE WE HAD TO RIGHT VISION
AND RIGHT MESSAGE VOLUNTEERS
EMERGING TO BE PART OF THIS
EFFORT.
EFFORT. PEOPLE CONTRIBUTING ON
PETEFORAMERICA.COM.
PETEFORAMERICA.COM. I BELIEVE THAT MESSAGE IS GOING
TO CONTINUE TO CARRY US ONTO
NOMINATION AND TO WIN IN
NOVEMBER AND DONALD TRUMP’S
PRESIDENCY.
PRESIDENCY. >> MR. MAYOR, AS YOU KNOW RIGHT
NOW MODERATES IN THE RACE ARE
SORT OF DIVIDING UP THE MODERATE
PART OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. MANY DEMOCRATS SAY THAT SPLIT IS
BASICALLY GIVING THIS ELECTION,
GIVING THE NOMINATION TO BERNIE
SANDERS GOING FORWARD.
SO IS YOUR STAYING IN THIS RACE
ULTIMATELY HELPING BERNIE
SANDERS?
SANDERS? >> WELL, LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY.
WHY WOULD YOU STEP ASIDE FROM A
RACE TO ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE WHO
ARE BEHIND YOU?
RIGHT NOW I HAVE THE MOST
DELEGATES BESIDES BERNIE
SANDERS, THE MOST VOTES --
>> BUT HE’S WAY AHEAD OF THE
POLLS IN ALL THE SUPER TUESDAY
STATES.
STATES. >> WE SHOULD PROBABLY
CONSOLIDATE AROUND AN
ALTERNATIVE.
ALTERNATIVE. THAT’S RIGHT.
THAT’S RIGHT. SO IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR
SOMEBODY OTHER THAN SENATOR
SANDERS LOOK HE’S VERY MUCH IN
THE LEAD, BUT MOST DEMOCRATS ARE
LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND OURS IS THE LEADING CAMPAIGN
FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR THAT
ALTERNATIVE.
ALTERNATIVE. I’M OFFERING REAL BOLD,
MEANINGFUL PROGRESSIVE CHANGE,
BUT A WAY TO DO THAT IT CAN
ACTUALLY GATHER TOGETHER AND
ENERGIZE RATHER THAN POLARIZE
THAT AMERICAN MAJORITY THAT
WANTS TO SEE WORKERS EMPOWERED,
SEE WAGES GO UP, BELIEVES IN
PROVIDING HEALTH CARE TO
EVERYBODY WITHOUT FORCING ONE
PLAN ON EVERYBODY AND INSISTS WE
TAKE REAL ACTION ON GUN ACTION
AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
THAT’S AMERICA’S AGENDA AND I
BELIEVE MY CAMPAIGN HAS THE BEST
POTENTIAL TO DELIVER THAT, TO
DEFEAT TRUMP WITH A DIFFERENT
KIND OF VOICE FROM THE HEART OF
THE COUNTRY, SOMEBODY WHO SERVED
IN UNIFORM, SOMEBODY WHO’S
CALLING OUT TO PEOPLE WITH A
MESSAGE OF FAITH THAT GOD DOES
NOT BELONG TO ANY POLITICAL
PARTY.
PARTY. I BELIEVE THIS IS HOW WE GATHER
TOGETHER THE MAJORITY NOT JUST
TO BEAT DONALD TRUMP BUT WE SEND
TRUMPISM AND EVERYTHING
ASSOCIATED WITH IT INTO THE
HISTORY BOOKS FOR GOOD.