Pete Buttigieg‘s recent takedown of Ron DeSantis reminded viewers that the Transportation Secretary can speak intelligently on many more issues than just our chaotic airline industry (though he can certainly do that, too).
“Brilliant” was a common word in the thousands of comments on the DeSantis clip, and now one member of Team Pete has taken the opportunity to show just how articulate and insightful he’s always been.
Related: Buttigieg roasts Rubio for calling same-sex marriage bill a “waste of time”
Twitter user @chyeaok dug up a clip from Buttigieg’s freshman year in college, and it’s a far cry from most teenage discourse…or at least what we can remember of ours.
How about we take this to the next level?
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During a 2001 forum on George W. Bush’s first hundred days in office at Harvard’s Institute of Politics, then 19-year-old Buttigieg stepped up to the mic to address a panel that included former White House Communications Director David Gergen and New York Times political correspondent Richard Berke.
“Hi. My name is Peter Buttigieg and I’m a freshman here at the college. It’s my understanding from generations older than mine that most of the people in them who went into public service did so out of inspiration for a grand figure who was usually the American president,” the future presidential candidate said. “It seems like the presidency has now evolved into what’s called the MBA White House, or the corporate model.”
Related: Pete Buttigieg destroys Ron DeSantis over Martha’s Vineyard stunt
“What’s happened to the image of the American presidency? And just because we know more about the men who were president, is that magic really gone forever?” he asked.
Sharing the clip, @chyeaok commented: “Welp since Pete Buttigieg is trending, I’ll reshare one of my favorite clips of young Pete asking a question at a college event. Don’t let anyone tell you he’s fake or doing an Obama impression or something. He’s literally always been this thoughtful and introspective.”
Watch:
Welp since Pete Buttigieg is trending, I’ll reshare one of my favorite clips of young Pete asking a question at a college event.
Don’t let anyone tell you he’s fake or doing an Obama impression or something. He’s literally always been this thoughtful and introspective pic.twitter.com/EvmFNRdh3K
— chyea ok (@chyeaok) September 26, 2022
In a followup tweet, @chyeok provided the panel’s response:
My bad for cutting out the answer! It was long-ish and wouldn’t fit in its entirety in a Twitter length clip.
You can listen to it here at around 5:20https://t.co/syPp9QTbel
— chyea ok (@chyeaok) September 27, 2022
The clip was a hit:
Jeez…even baby Secretary Mayor Pete was brilliant. 😳
— Kortney, Brunch Democrat ⚖🍦🕺 (@KokoVeebs) September 26, 2022
Watching this video brought tears to my eyes. The question, the words, the way they’re posed… just beautiful.
— 💕☮️ (@CmooreTruth) September 26, 2022
He really is SO impressive.
— Quid Malmborg (@QMalmborg) September 26, 2022
If I had a son, I’d be so f’in proud if he were anything like Pete. 🇺🇸🌈👏☮️
— Dennis Votes Blue in 2022 (@MC_Scob) September 26, 2022
There aren’t many who could make David Gergen speechless, but Teen Pete seems to blow him away.
— Only 20% of Americans Have “Freedom” (@leafingbookstea) September 26, 2022
A favorite clip. Such a clear mind.
— Diana Serbe-Viola (@DianaViola16) September 26, 2022
One commenter even supplied another impressive college Pete clip, this time as a sophomore shortly after 9/11:
Pete Buttigieg in college, 2001, shortly after 9/11. I feel like instead of saying some random first word, Pete probably just went for a very thoughtful first paragraph at age… two. 😂 pic.twitter.com/WJijy5dCnH
— Gah! I’m just a fan sharing tidbits🏳️🌈 (@petetidbits) July 10, 2022
And tumbling further down the rabbit hole, “there’s the eighth-grade Pete who wrote this award-winning essay about the need for law”:
Then there’s the eighth-grade Pete who wrote this award-winning essay about the need for law. pic.twitter.com/GEfDg1NJJl
— 🌻🐝🚂 Roseville MN For DOTPete 🚂🐝🌻 (@Roseville4Pete) September 26, 2022
Related: Pete Buttigieg schools Fox New Reporter with perfect response to question
Norm
How cute, then and now.
TomG
Agreed
GayEGO
Way to go Pete and thanks for the highway/road work being done!
NateOcean
Is he running for something?
(Please say yes.)
RyanMBecker
Everyone is waiting for Biden to finally put his ego aside and admit that he won’t run (or shouldn’t run). Until then, no one — especially someone in Biden’s cabinet, like Pete — can form an exploratory committee or raise money.
Pete is my top choice, and I’m not even gay. I hear the same sentiment from others, including Republicans.
Herman75
He’s been more visible lately, and in a way that is fitting of being President.
ZzBomb
He’s the kind of leader we need in the WH. Well spoken, thoughtful, intelligent, compassionate, and even handed.
dougie
I agree 100%. But, unfortunately, those are the qualities that turn off almost 50% of the American electorate (and 120% of the GQP) who seem to be looking for the direct opposite qualities in public officials.
Fahd
Is he perfect? I’d say, close. Possible weaknesses: stature (not tall), his last name starts with “Butt” which the MAGA people might mock. Anyway, I think both a Warren Buttigieg or Biden Buttigieg ticket in 2024 could be winners.
Neoprene
Buttigieg – Warren, not the other way around, or she’ll sink the ticket talking about all her plans with no understanding of how to pay for them. BTW Liz, I want my 200 bucks back from 2020!
smittoons
Booting Harris from the ticket=internal uprising. Biden and Harris should gracefully bow out due to their (unfair) approval ratings, but he’s stubborn and she probably needs her shot even though the prospects are grim. People love to deride Hillary, but when she ran she was coming off a glowing approval rating and an imposing resumé.
If the tables aren’t cleared for him, Buttigieg is young and can afford to play nice for another cycle or two until it’s his turn. The trick will be to remain visible for the next four years regardless of if the Democrats are out of the White House in 2025. Indiana isn’t a great place for him to run for statewide office, he’d have to move and run for senate or governor in a friendly state, or take a new Cabinet job with a reelected Biden (doubtful he’d want to stay with Transportation for longer), or take a private sector job with high visibility and a soapbox.
Zombiez8mybrain
Considering that Harris was one of the first to drop out of the Democratic Primary race, I would disagree that dropping here from the 2024 ticket would cause any type of internal uprising within the party. Many of us didn’t want her then, and don’t want her now. Biden promised us a black woman as his running mate, and that’s what he delivered.
I would vote for Secretary Mayor Pete in a heartbeat, should he choose to run for President. Through his interactions with protesters/hecklers/etc during his Primary run, he was the only candidate that gave the impression that his aim was to be the President of the Untied States, not the President of the Democratic Party or the President of the Republican Party.
smittoons
@Zombiez – black voters delivered Biden’s primary and general election wins. Regardless of how popular Harris is, if she is removed from the ticket for any reason other than her own volition, that will create an uprising in the party.
Neoprene
He’s so stankin cute.
LumpyPillows
In a more perfect nation, Pete could and should be president.
barryaksarben
it astounds me how smart and professional this guy was and is. Contrast to anyone in the GOP right now and you can’t help but wonder what the F happened to the GOP and I think you have to go right to NIXON. I think Pete would make a GREAT president
fur_hunter
………Mayor Pete has shown time and time again that he is not stupid and is informed on current events. He also has a terrific way of calmly answering questions in a way that anyone who knows the English language would understand. He has the ability to call out lies being told by individuals and puts them in their place. He is young and I hope will continue to stay in public office.
bachy
Yes. Buttigieg submits very clear and coherent arguments and opinions. After four years of Trump’s fumbling idiocy and bullshit, coherence feels like a gift to the American ear.
humble charlie
after they stabbed bernie sanders in the back, i’d never vote for harris, warren or buttigieg. just because someone is either a woman or gay does not mean they are not totally corrupt or ethically challenged. being “cute” isn’t enought.
bigrawtop
How did they stab BS? Oh my. BS supporters mocked Pete and spread lies about his campaign. If anyone should apologize, it’s the Berners.
LumpyPillows
Bernie is a loser. Sorry. I would suggest your understanding is corrupt. You’re the archetype for why democrats lose. MAGA-like brain in many respects.
CNY1983
forget anything else about him, he’s the perfect person for the USA now. in the opposite direction of where we seem to be going. if only we organized enough to get him elected.
MinnesotaNotNice
Pete will be president of the United States, hopefully sooner than later, and I look so forward to that.
Kangol2
Pete Buttigieg is a smart man and would probably be a very good president. His challenge to winning the general election is White voters, who have tended to vote for the Republican candidate over the Democrat in every presidential election for decades. No Democrat has received a majority of the White vote for some time, but Democrats have nevertheless won the popular vote in the general election in 6 of the last 8 contests (Biden in 2020, Obama in 2012, Obama in 2008, Gore in 2000, Clinton in 1996, Clinton in 1992) because a coalition of voters of all races, including overwhelming support from Black voters, Latino voters, Asian American voters, and young voters, have pushed them over the margin of victory. In some cases–Biden, Obama in both elections, etc.–the vote totals were in the millions; in others, like Gore’s run in 2000 or Clinton’s plurality in 1992, it was much closer.
LumpyPillows
The problem is that the democratic edge with Latinos is fading due to poor messaging and an inherent conservative streak with religious Latinos. We should be concerned.
My hope is that more whites come to their senses with the horror that is the republican platform.
smittoons
7 of the last 8 elections. Hillary also won the popular vote.
johncp56
If I were close in age and on his level, i,d have dated this guy
Dreeny
I think Chasten’s got this, john. 🙂