# From Mayor Pete to President Pete: It's gonna happen **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 20, 2022, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276 "2022-07-20T19:55:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/21 "2022-07-21T12:07:05Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > What accomplishments can he point to thus far as Secretary? Not being married to Mitch McConnell. Seriously, the cabinet secretaries are not there to make headlines, they’re there to keep the wheels of bureaucracy running and to advocate for his/her department. I think he’s been capable. At the very least, Biden doesn’t have a Secretary of Education who doesn’t believe in public education. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/22 "2022-07-21T12:15:19Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > Think he might’ve been referring to Buchanan. Who was maybe gay. According to Andrew Jackson, that is. Oh I know. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/23 "2022-07-21T12:42:51Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > In case y’all didn’t notice, the Buttigiegs [recently relocated to the Great Lakes State.](https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2022/07/07/sec-pete-goes-pure-michigan-00044487) And while the family may love cherries and lake life, and while they may enjoy being closer to Chasten’s parents, I suspect their move to Traverse City, MI, is actually a shrewd political move for an ambitious young Democrat No idea whether his move is a political play, or simply their stated intention of being closer to Chasten’s parents, but in any case I welcome Buttigieg and his family to the great state of Michigan. The Traverse City area is beautiful. Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam, Circumspice! > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I’m getting more and more confident that Gretchen Whitmer will win re-election in November **(it’s a total clown show the state GOP has put together to challenge her)** (Bolding mine) No doubt. I can’t stand Kevin Rinke’s constantly running ‘zombie’ ad. “why do dead people always vote Democrat?”. This Big Election Lie BS has got to stop. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MjORDXjDrgk/maxresdefault.jpg "Why is Kevin Rinke's 'zombie' ad garnering controversy?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjORDXjDrgk) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/24 "2022-07-21T13:00:36Z")
I see Pete winning in the coming years. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/25 "2022-07-21T13:14:43Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > I haven’t seen much evidence that Buttigieg has much appeal outside of a slice of college-educated, white, left-of-center Democrats (which may explain his popularity on this board). This does describe me, and I am among those who agree that Buttigieg would make an excellent Chief Executive. But I agree that his appeal, at least now, appears limited to a narrow demographic. Nevertheless, I think that a young, well spoken man who doesn’t rattle under pressure (and who brings military experience) is a prime choice. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/26 "2022-07-21T13:29:32Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > I haven’t seen much evidence that Buttigieg has much appeal outside of a slice of college-educated, white, left-of-center Democrats (which may explain his popularity on this board). He notably cratered with Black voters during his Presidential campaign. I agree with this. I know a good amount of leftists absolutely loath him (as they do with most any neo-liberal these days). And a lot of others have mocked him for not having any there there (his health plan during the Presidential campaign was a carbon copy of Beto O’Rourke’s for instance). I guess time will tell, but I think his popularity is very overstated by the type of folks who post on this board. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/27 "2022-07-21T14:10:56Z")
Actually, I’m referring to a Buttigieg interview, not any specific President. > **[Pete Buttigieg says the U.S. has probably already had a gay president | CNN...](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/06/17/politics/buttigieg-us-probably-had-a-gay-president-interview-trnd/index.html)** > > Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg says it's likely he wouldn't be America's first gay commander-in-chief if he's elected in 2020. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/28 "2022-07-21T14:50:49Z")
I’m a strong supporter of Pete, but I think he will take the George H.W. Bush path to the presidency. He will hold top level positions in Democratic administrations until he either runs for President again or is picked as VP. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/29 "2022-07-21T14:57:18Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > Electing a gay president will be a tough sell for a lot of people, even in the quite likely event that the Republicans nominate a fascist on their side. We’ve probably had a gay president before. Yes, he was in the closet, and unfortunately he was our second worst POTUS (in first place until Trump), but it’s likely that James Buchanan was gay. > [@MrDibble](#): > > You mean “electing an _out_ gay president”, right? Exactly 😜 ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/30 "2022-07-21T15:01:02Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I’m referring to a Buttigieg interview, not any specific President. But if we had to pick a possibility, Buchanan is the most likely choice. If Pete Buttigieg made it to the presidency, it would do great things for the gay community. One thing I (a heterosexual male) learned when I moved to Ft Lauderdale (which has a very large gay population) is that masculine and feminine are distinct from gay and straight; meaning that just because a man is feminine does not mean he’s gay, and just because he’s masculine does not mean he’s not gay. Pete Buttigieg is a very masculine gay man. I think it would be amazing for the country to see that in the national spotlight - he is military tough, and would make for a rugged manly leader, and that would be a revelation to so many people. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/31 "2022-07-22T00:51:13Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I think he’s been capable. Capable doing what? What has he accomplished? ---
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/32 "2022-07-22T01:17:13Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > But I agree that his appeal, at least now, appears limited to a narrow demographic. Nevertheless, I think that a young, well spoken man who doesn’t rattle under pressure (and who brings military experience) is a prime choice. I think he’s been exposed enough to the public that he should be more popular than he is. I get his favorability right now is probably tied down by being in a middling to unpopular administration, but I don’t think he’s done anything to rise above that and his head-to-head polling with Trump in 2020 wasn’t good. The last 5 presidents, love or hate them, were personalities and people can see the polish too much with Buttigieg IMO. I think we’re finding out that trying to recreate Obama is a tall order. Obama wasn’t just an extremely composed politician who said the right things at the right time. He also knew how to empathize and make people connect with both the optimism and the anger and frustration of the moment in his 2008 run. It’s really tough to get the combo, and really if you have to choose one or the other, the other people who have won presidential elections of late just had the emotional side. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/33 "2022-07-22T14:11:07Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Capable doing what? What has he accomplished? This is the third time you had posted this “what has he accomplished” crap. Presidents are elected based on what they promise for the future. Extremely few are elected on past accomplishments. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/34 "2022-07-22T14:22:52Z")
see 2016 election for proof of the above. he has accomplished more than the last 2 republican presidents. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/35 "2022-07-22T17:17:45Z")
I’d say effectively running a massive federal department, and overseeing the rollout of the largest bipartisan infrastructure legislation in American history are both pretty impressive. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/36 "2022-07-22T19:28:43Z")
Statistically we should have had about eight women Presidents, and at least two black Presidents. Buchanan is a maybe, but like some Kings of GB, etc, it is so hard to judge stuff that long ago. I would hardly call Buchanan “likely”. The problem I see us that than America getting more tolerant of gays, the GOP seems to be getting more hostile. DeSantis supporters are claiming that Disney “grooms” kids to be gay, trans etc- in full an open ignorance of homosexuality really works. > [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Capable doing what? What has he accomplished? Good mayor , good public speaker, and he does his cabinet work well. But you make a point- he needs to be a Senator or Governor … or at the very least a Veep or Representative before we know how he will handle the Oval Office. Maybe Secretary of State. I like him, and hope he will get a position that can catapult him to the Oval Office. > [@rocking\_chair](#): > > see 2016 election for proof of the above. Yes, and look how that turned out. trump is actually an argument **against** letting unqualified persons into the Presidency. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/37 "2022-07-22T20:08:25Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Statistically we should have had about eight women Presidents, and at least two black Presidents. Neither of those can really stay in the closet. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/38 "2022-07-22T20:13:57Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But you make a point- he needs to be a Senator or Governor … or at the very least a Veep or Representative before we know how he will handle the Oval Office. Maybe Secretary of State. Representative won’t do it. Have to be a Senator or Governor (or VP - though I don’t know if necessarily bring in a demographic that a future Democratic nominee would need). And I doubt he’ll be selected as Secretary of State until he actually gets to be a Senator or Governor first. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/39 "2022-07-22T20:20:20Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Representative won’t do it. Have to be a Senator or Governor And that plan’s well underway with his recent move to MI! ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276/40 "2022-07-22T20:36:29Z")
If he can win a race there. Andrew Yang thought he could waltz into the NYC Mayoral race and that did not end well for him. I’m not convinced Buttigieg will win either Stabenow’s seat (if she’s willing to to retire) or win a contested Governor’s election. Besides, if I was Whitmer, the best thing to do would be to fully serve 2 terms as Governor and start her Presidential bid for 2028 as soon as your second term ended. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-mayor-pete-to-president-pete-its-gonna-happen/968276.md?page=3)