Pete Buttigieg has again defended himself from criticism from Fox News’s Tucker Carlson. Last week, Carlson commented on the Transportation Secretary taking paternity leave, suggesting he was, “trying to figure out how to breastfeed.”
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union yesterday, Buttigieg said, “As you might imagine, we’re bottle-feeding and doing it at all hours of the day and night.
“And I’m not going to apologize to Tucker Carlson or anyone else for taking care of my premature newborn infant twins. The work that we are doing is joyful, fulfilling, wonderful work. It’s important work, and it’s work that every American ought to be able to do when they welcome a new child into their family. I campaigned on that.”
Transportation @SecretaryPete: “I’m not going to apologize to Tucker Carlson or anyone else for taking care of my premature newborn infant twins. […] We’re pretty much the only country left that doesn’t have some kind of national policy for paid leave.” https://t.co/MHVeOL6cus pic.twitter.com/XUTnN4fz5d
— The Hill (@thehill) October 17, 2021
Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, announced they’d become fathers to twins Penelope and Joseph in August. Buttigieg took paid paternity leave but is now back full-time at his job.
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Related: Meghan McCain gets iced out of Pete Buttigieg’s baby celebration on Twitter
This is not the first time Buttigieg responded to Carlson’s criticism. Last week, he told MSNBC,
“In [Carlson’s] case, I guess he just doesn’t understand the concept of bottle feeding, let alone the concept of paternity leave. But what is really strange is that, you know, this is from a side of the aisle that used to claim the mantle of being pro-family. What we have right now is an administration that’s actually pro-family,” Buttigieg said.
Sec. Pete Buttigieg calls out Tucker Carlson for the attack on his parental leave, “This attack is coming from a guy who has yet to explain his apparent approval for the assassination of Harvey Milk, ” pic.twitter.com/DsyQgCyUNO
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) October 15, 2021
Buttigieg also said that Carlson’s comments may have been motivated by other factors.
“This attack is coming from a guy who has yet to explain his apparent approval for the assassination of Harvey Milk, so obviously, we know there’s some dark places where some of these attitudes come from.”
Carlson’s 1991 yearbook from his senior year at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut listed him as a member of the “Dan White Society”. Dan White is the name of the man who assassinated the gay politician, Harvey Milk.
Others on the right have criticized Buttigieg for taking paternity leave when the country is facing supply chain issues. However, Buttigieg reassured CNN’s Jake Tapper he stayed in touch with his office.
“Even though I’ve been on paternity leave, and I’m proud of it, obviously given the nature of my job, when you take a job like mine, you understand and accept that you’re going to have to be available 24/7, depending on what’s going on, and you’re going to have to engage, and I did even if that meant taking a phone call or making a decision from a hospital room.”
Related: Tucker Carlson’s attempt to ‘own a lib’ ends in embarrassment
Meanwhile, clapping back to Buttigieg’s clap back, Carlson has continued to criticize the lawmaker. On his show on Friday, he referenced the controversy that blew up around his “breastfeeding comments.”
“Last night on this show we made a brief, offhand joke about the Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and this morning we discovered our error.
“It turns out that Buttigieg is not a dwarfish fraud whose utter mediocrity indicts the class that produced him. No, not at all,” said Carlson.
“Pete Buttigieg was once the mayor of South Bend, Indiana. So understandably, going forward, we are under strict orders from the Biden administration to take Pete Buttigieg very, very seriously.
“And of course we will. Our mistake.”
Chrisk
The only one that should apologies is f*ck face carlson.
SFMike
Republicans NEVER apologize.
sfhairy
Pete served in the military, the Navy, and served in Afghanistan. Tucker was on dancing with the stars and got eliminated after doing the Cha-cha.
queerty02
So Tucker danced but Pete murdered people and helped commit war crimes?
LumpyPillows
We should stop apologizing. Pete’s so brilliant – I wish all our leaders were this good.
tommyb9
Is brilliance being another corporate and military industrial complex crony who says a lot to gain traction but gets nothing done?
LumpyPillows
Ah, Tommy, you tool for the tone deaf left that can’t win an election against a fascist.
queerty02
Pete is brilliant at corruption. At least Tucker Carlson tells you where he stands.
LumpyPillows
Corruption? WTF? Anyone siding with Tucker is a loser in my book.
Mr. Stadnick
I pity anyone who listens to and takes any form of advice from Tucker Carlson.
Max
the “breastfeeding” comment by Tucker was juvenile and showcases what a giant jerk he is.
Secretary Pete appears to be somehow be working in some capacity despite being on paternity leave. appearing in news interviews is just one thing he’s doing still.
tommyb9
When doing TV interviews as a politician is considered “working”, Trump really changed how things are done in DC.
Babs
Tommyb or Tommybutthead’s reply is ridiculous. Pete and all government workers are at work when being interviewed. It’s part of their job to keep the public in the know. That includes responding to a jerk like Tucker who has taken time to be interviewed at rallies for Trump. I am so grateful that Pete was able to take time off to care for his small infants. What’s the matter, is Tommyb and Tucker jealous they aren’t as loved by the public as Pete?
queerty02
It’s true. Rats don’t have breasts. They lactate from nipples all across their torso.
tommyb9
This is rich. Wait so Buttigieg is taking paternity leave while the vast majority of American women (let alone men) don’t get leave when they have a child. How about you get to work and actually get something done?
Kinkslola
Bite me!
Den
You seem not to understand what a valid point of argument is.
Should someone not take advantage of benefits just because others don’t have them, especially when the administration he works for is fighting to get those benefits for all: despite opposition from a backwards thinking party you clearly seem to support?
Buttigieg was in contact with his office, and able to deal with issues as necessary. And, despite the desire of all right wingers to see all problems as simple (you are incapable of complex thought) supply chain issues and clogging of the ports are multi tiered issues having to do with the effects of a pandemic on inevitable globalization of production and distribution.
cubcmh
60% of US workers are covered by FMLA. 40% without childcare leave is a lot, but not a majority.
Regardless, Pete works for a federal agency that is covered by FMLA. He has a legal right to 2 weeks, plus the right to convert vacation and sick leave for up to 12 weeks off total.
Let’s stop bashing people for exercising their rights.
Bosch
Yeah, how dare he try to be a good parent?!
I get the feeling you need to examine why this upsets you so much.
Kevan1
@Tommyb9 Your stupidity and ignorance shows. No one needs to waste anymore time with you.
LumpyPillows
Tommy is a tool.
Fahd
There ought to be a law. If they aren’t already, employers with more than a certain number of employees – say 100 – should be required to offer paternity leave as a benefit. Why is the U.S. so backward when it comes to benefits that are taken for granted in most other industrialized democracies?
Buttigieg’s robotic technocratic style sprinkled with occasional snark doesn’t give him the wide appeal that Biden or any other democratic political winner needs to have, but now having the children definitely helps soften his image. He could go far!
As for Tucker Carlson, what a waste of time. Anyone who watches his show has certainly got a screw loose, so I don’t know why Pete is even engaging with him.
Rugby8
Carlson is an ass.
Perhaps the idiots at Fox actually think his is Comedy Show – but don’t have the sense that he’s not funny – he’s just an ass
Jim
“If you bungle raising your children, I don’t think whatever else you do matters very much.”
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onasis
You go Pete
BoomerMyles
Tucker needs to visit an open carry state.