# Who is Pete Buttigieg? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 12, 2019, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032 "2019-03-12T21:59:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/1 "2019-03-12T21:59:03Z")
And will his name work against him? (How do you pronounce it?) The [BBC say](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47504477) that he impressed at SXSW. > [@](#): > > If elected, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, would achieve a number of presidential firsts - the youngest president, aged 37, the first mayor elected directly to the White House, the first Afghanistan War veteran and the first openly gay president. The BBC put him joint top with Elizabeth Warren. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/2 "2019-03-12T22:10:32Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > And will his name work against him? (How do you pronounce it?) [His Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Buttigieg) says it’s pronounced /ˈbuːtɪdʒɛdʒ/, or BOOT-ih-jej if you (like me) haven’t learned how to read IPA notation. I’ve seen a few interviews with him; he comes across as extremely articulate, smart, and energetic. However, he started from close-to-zero name recognition in the U.S., and with a very crowded field (including the heavy hitters like Warren, Sanders, and possibly Biden, plus younger candidates who already have visibility, like Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and maybe Beto O’Rourke), I suspect he’s facing an uphill battle just to get awareness. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/3 "2019-03-12T22:29:27Z")
I’ll repeat what I’ve said before: Mostly what he stands to gain from this cycle is name recognition. If he’s smart, he’ll build that name recognition into a run for governor of Indiana or Senator at the next good opportunity (I don’t know off the top of my head what Indiana’s schedule is). And then after he’s held that position for a while, then he can make another run as a serious presidential candidate, call it maybe the 2032 election. He’s got a lot more plausible road to the Presidency than most people. But he’s at the start of that road, not the end. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/4 "2019-03-12T22:51:01Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’ll repeat what I’ve said before: Mostly what he stands to gain from this cycle is name recognition. If he’s smart, he’ll build that name recognition into a run for governor of Indiana or Senator at the next good opportunity (I don’t know off the top of my head what Indiana’s schedule is). And then after he’s held that position for a while, then he can make another run as a serious presidential candidate, call it maybe the 2032 election. > > He’s got a lot more plausible road to the Presidency than most people. But he’s at the start of that road, not the end. Indiana is a very Red state, so his chances at Senator or Governor are unfortunately very dicey. Which is probably why he took the risk of running for President at this stage. I expect that he will at the very least get a prime time speaking spot at the national convention. That is an effective launching pad for future Presidential runs - Obama being a recent example. Otherwise, he could be on the top of many VP lists. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/5 "2019-03-12T22:58:47Z")
He’s hardly known, not much chance of getting very far in the primaries, not much chance of a statewide seat in Republican Indiana, but certainly on to bigger and better things already. The media likes him and the eventual candidate will want his support. He’s no VP candidate either but easily could get a position in a Democratic Administration if he doesn’t just get a TV show first. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/6 "2019-03-12T23:37:50Z")
I saw him for the first time in his town hall the other night. Had never heard of him but found him to express himself very confidently and to have a firm grip on himself- none of that breathless deer in the headlights stuff like the guy on the town hall before him. But he was opening up for Tulsi Gabbard, who I had also never seen before, and came away thinking Gabbard was in a whole other league in terms of star power. But- in the Gabbard thread, dope pundits think she is shady or not to be trusted. I liked her far better, personally, but it is March 2019, and no way my first impressions are going to be the end of it. I can see a future for this guy- like others have said, he may just be raising his profile this cycle. Oh yeah, apparently “Budda jug” is pretty close for the pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2019, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/7 "2019-03-12T23:53:44Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Oh yeah, apparently “Budda jug” is pretty close for the pronunciation. Based on [this clip of him answering the question](https://youtu.be/0PWSxQ5RAe8?t=43), it sounds like the last “g” is a “j” sound, rather than a hard “g.” So, “Buddha jej” seems to be closer, to my ear. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/8 "2019-03-13T01:30:20Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > And will his name work against him? I don’t know what effect it will have on voters, but it will cause fifth graders to snicker. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/9 "2019-03-13T01:55:42Z")
His ancestry is Maltese. Not sure if that helps with the pronunciation. He is very intelligent, a charismatic speaker and young. He is very popular in South Bend. I already made a donation to his exploratory campaign therefore he is guaranteed to lose. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/10 "2019-03-13T13:29:18Z")
So, an up-and-comer? Or just another wannabe on the make? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/11 "2019-03-13T13:32:02Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > So, an up-and-comer? Or just another wannabe on the make? IMO, an up-and-comer. A talented young mayor with a bright future. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/12 "2019-03-13T18:21:20Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > But- in the Gabbard thread, dope pundits think she is shady or not to be trusted. I liked her far better, personally, but it is March 2019, and no way my first impressions are going to be the end of it. I can see a future for this guy- like others have said, he may just be raising his profile this cycle. Gabbard is a homophobe and a supporter of Assad. Fuck her, I hope she’s run out of the Democratic party. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/13 "2019-03-13T19:19:27Z")
As I understand it, she just doesn’t want to topple Assad and does not want to use the government to enforce religious morality. I am still looking into it, I only heard of her a week ago. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/14 "2019-03-13T19:50:13Z")
The _Washington Post Magazine_ ran a multi-page article on Buttegieg a month or so ago. It was fawning, to say the least. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/15 "2019-03-13T20:24:47Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > IMO, an up-and-comer. A talented young mayor with a bright future. But given his location isn’t a gradual upwards move - to senator or governor - blocked? So he really has to go for the big one, doesn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/16 "2019-03-13T20:31:33Z")
well there is a state called NY where they don’t seem too worried about a carpetbagger running for Senate ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/17 "2019-03-13T21:39:56Z")
> [@divemaster](#): > > The _Washington Post Magazine_ ran a multi-page article on Buttegieg a month or so ago. It was fawning, to say the least. Yes, [Jennifer Rubin is impressed](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/03/11/get-ready-buttigieg/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.13318e272431). But TBH, after reading her article, so am I. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/18 "2019-03-13T21:43:37Z")
At the very least, he should be able to get into the House, since presumably his district would have a large overlap with the city that elected him Mayor. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/19 "2019-03-14T01:28:11Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > But given his location isn’t a gradual upwards move - to senator or governor - blocked? So he really has to go for the big one, doesn’t he? I think his goal this cycle is to get his pronounced name known so the stumbles over it are over in the future, and to get some kind of national level position in the next administration, maybe a cabinet level post (VP may be too much to reach for). From that sort of a position a future run is just a heavy but not as impossible of a lift. And over 8 years Indiana may change and run for Senate might be realistic as well. _Minimally_ he can parlay this sort of exposure into a news network position that he can use to advocate for issues he cares about. ---
**Author:** ![gatorslap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gatorslap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gatorslap)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032/20 "2019-03-14T02:27:40Z")
I wouldn’t be so quick to write off his chances at statewide office in Indiana. It’s not that unusual for a Democrat to be elected governor in a red state (or a Republican in a blue state). Kansas is redder than Indiana, for example. Additionally, the last Democrat to represent Indiana in the US Senate left office less than 3 months ago. It’s not crazy to imagine another Democrat elected in the near future. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-pete-buttigieg/831032.md?page=2)