In the world and in the nation that we live in today we are in desperate need of a fresh, young, and diversely experienced voice to help bring our country out of the gaping hole of darkness that we have been dropped into. We are living in a nation that is more divided than ever before. We have seen way too often one type of person running this country. Old Rich White Men! Take a look at history. A high majority of all people who occupied the White House were older white men who came from wealthy families or acquired their own wealth. It took over 200 years to get an African American Man to get elected into the White House. However, we have a very bright future ahead of us. And that Future is Pete Buttigieg. 

Pete Buttigieg was a star in politics since the day he got into it. Not only are we in need of younger and fresher voices, we are also in need of voices that represent what America truly looks like. America isn’t filled with a bunch of rich, white, old men. American is Gay. America is Black and Brown. America is middle class. America is diverse and that is what makes us great. Not Donald Trump, but our values. Looking at the 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary race  there was on person who stood out and who preached the importance of American Values. That was an openly gay 37 year old who was the Mayor of South Bend Indiana Pete Buttigieg. Him along with his Husband Chasten Glezman-Buttigieg preached the importance of following our true American values. 

When the Democratic Primaries first began Pete Buttigieg started barely on the polling list during his time in an  Exploratory Committee for President of the United States. However, as he continued to speak up, Americans started to listen. It was on the day that he officially launched his campaign that he attracted thousands of people to come hear him speak at his announcement event in South Bend on January 23rd, 2019. Much before his candidacy for president not many people knew Pete as he was just a Mayor from South Bend Indiana. However, there was something about Pete that stood out to Americans but what was it? It may have been because he was Gay and maybe people were ready to see a diverse political field. It may have been because he had an incredible educational record, gradpuating from Harvard University and from Oxford University as a Rhode Scholar. It may have been because of his service in the Naval Reserves and Intelligence Office from 2009-2017. Maybe it was because of his record in South Bend of bringing back to life a dying city with his plan of 1000 houses in 1000 days to rebuild and re-envision black and low Income neighborhoods in South Bend. Or maybe it was because he was young, new, and had a fresh voice to offer America. It could have even been his demeanor as an incredibly poised and calm individual. Nevertheless Pete Buttigieg made some real ground in this years Democratic Primary polling from barely on the polling list to dropping out merely trailing behind the three biggest political figures on that stage. Former Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Senator Elizabeth Warren. 

I think one thing about Pete that stands out the most however is his intelligence. He was a very smart and well spoken individual. Oftentimes people would ask if he secretly knew all of the questions beforehand in the debate because his answers seemed so rehearsed and prepared. However, no such prior knowledge or preparation occurred, that was just Pete being Pete as many of his supporters called it. Pete Buttigieg was deemed a debate performance winner on every single primary debate that was hosted in the Democratic Primaries due to this intelligent demeanor that Pete had. This was also appealing to the American people. . 

Pete Buttigieg’s intelligence also led him to a very tough decision that he had to make in order to help secure an unpolarized democratic party headed into the nomination. Pete sadly made the decision to drop out of the Presidential race for President on Sunday March1st in South Bend Indiana. Why? Well because he described it as “We have a responsibility”. A responsibility to prevent the Democratic party from being “Bought Out”or “Burned Down” as he described in the Debate just days prior to his withdrawal. Pete wanted to prevent, what he described as, the two most polarizing candidates from getting the nomination to go against Incumbent Republican Donald Trump in the general election. He believed that the two candidates that would be endangering the chances of a win for the democratic party were Senator Bernie Sanders and Former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg. Claiming that Bernie Sanders’ far left progressive agenda would further divide Americans and secure a win for Donald Trump and Mike Bloomberg would further divide the nation with ‘buying his way into the presidency. These two ideas are what Pete claimed would secure a win for Donald Trump. So Pete Dropped out at the Perfect time. Even his “failure” was intelligent. He dropped out 48 hours before Super Tuesday in hopes that his support would go toward Joe Biden, the candidate with the most closely related views, over Bernie Sanders or Mike Bloomberg. This paved the way for Vice President Biden and secured a pretty substantial win for Joe Biden on Super Tuesday. Now  this was not in an effort to discriminate or degrade Senator Sander of Mayor Bloomberg but instead to strengthen and secure the democratic party as a whole. 

Pete was also seen less than 24 hours before withdrawing and having dinner with Former President Jimmy Carter. We can assume that he met with him and discussed his withdrawal. However, what we can conclude from this is that Pete Buttigieg is NOT afraid to seek help when needed and is willing to take the advice and the constructive criticism from a much more significant icon. 

Even after  dropping out of the race Pete wanted to stay relevant and to help out in any ways that he could. He first took a much needed break for a couple weeks with his husband as I think we all would need after running a very competitive and very active campaign for a year. It wasn’t too long though that Pete headed back into the public spectrum with his first appearance since his suspension in an interview on The Today Show. He also participated in a very unique and unexpected appearance as the guest host of Jimmy Kimmel Live. Where he interviewed Sir Patrick Stewart, Tony Hale, and participated in a comedic series of events. This got a lot of publicity as it had never really been seen before. This is why many people loved Pete because he was literally willing to help and participate in any way that he could. He also before taking a break with his husband made a public appearance with Joe Biden to endorse him for the Democratic Presidential Nomination while also urging his supporters to join Joe Biden’s Campaign. This also opened up a door for Pete to get involved in the bulk of the Biden campaign. 

Pete later became very involved in the Biden campaign with all sorts of different tasks. However, his biggest effort on the Biden campaign was as a representative for the Biden Campaign. Pete did multiple interviews with all different news networks but mostly famously on Fox News where he represented the Democratic Biden campaign very well on a socially viewed as conservative news outlet. Answering tough questions, while keeping a respectful composure, and also spreading the awareness, beliefs, values, and policies of the Biden Campaign. This was in an effort to reach as many Americans as possible to help spread the voice of Joe Biden’s campaign and to help lay out, in the final moments before the election, the message and the importance of the Biden Campaign. With the work of Pete Buttigieg and other amazing workers, staff, and volunteers. The Biden campaign was able to projectably beat the Trump Campaign. So with the help, dedication, and commitment of Pete Buttigieg we as  Americans can now call Former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris the President and Vice President Elect and soon to be President and Vice President of the United States. 

Pete Buttigieg is a brilliant young politician who represents the diversity of America and has an amazing number of opportunities for the future. Joe Biden publicly states how much he reminded himself of his son Beau Biden. Who unfortunately passed away from cancer. A lot of people were touched by the Buttigieg campaign and were thrilled to see him in the Biden Campaign. Even without a presidential victory for Pete Buttigieg, he was able to reach out and touch the lives of thousands of people whether they were old, young, gay, straight, white, black ,etc. There is enormous opportunity for Pete and one that is being talked about very much is the very likely possibility of Pete Buttigieg being placed on Joe Biden’s Cabinet to be able to continue working closely with Biden to provide an administration that will greatly benefit the lives of millions of Americans for at-least the Next four years. I say at least because we have no idea where Pete will end up next. However, what we do know is that Pete Buttigieg’s political career and influence is far from over. 

Braiden A. McElhaney 

Sunday November 16th 2020

Description of the Author: 

My name is Braiden McElhaney and I have been researching politics for over 2 years.  I no longer, but previously did work for my local county’s Board of Elections. I have been making political content on social media for nearly a year now. I have participated in community outreach in what is now called Scouts of America and as an Eagle Scout.  I will be making a run for Student Senate at my college for the 2021-2022 school year, and I have volunteered for the Biden Campaign by making phone calls for them.  I believe that our country is in desperate need of growth and reform. I believe that it is the job of the government to help those in most need. I believe that Health Care should be a human right. I believe that human rights are at stake. The aspects of government that are implemented right now will affect the livelihoods of Americans for generations! It is also important for young people, who are the future of this world, to step up and make the change that they want to see. The Reason being is because whatever is implemented in government today will directly affect the livelihoods of the current generation.  

Sources 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.advocate.com/politics/2019/7/02/pete-buttigieg-sees-no-bump-post-debate-polls%3Famp

https://www.google.com/amp/s/abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/peter-buttigieg/story%3Fid%3D60731298

https://medium.com/the-moment-by-pete-for-america/pete-won-the-debate-9e1f382196ee

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/03/01/us/politics/pete-buttigieg-drops-out.amp.html

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/south-carolina-democratic-debate-full-transcript-text/

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9tbJ1w0bGs4