Van Jones: Pete Buttigieg 'Falls Off A Cliff' On Black Issues

[BuffaloJackalope]

The CNN host called Buttigieg “a great candidate,” but said he doesn’t yet “have the touch” on racial matters.

...

“You watch Pete in this debate. They brought up the issues around farm subsidies. He lights up. He was unbelievable,” said Jones. “He was great. He was confident. You just had the sense that this guy has thought about this. He’s talked to 100,000 people who are all farmers. He knows what they need. He’s ready for business.”

But when “the issues around Black stuff comes up, it’s more studied,” Jones noted. “It’s more prepared. It’s more careful. It feels like he feels he’s on some thin ice and I just don’t understand why.”

Jones said he understood why Buttigieg attempted during the debate and on the campaign trail to liken his struggles as a gay man to those faced by Black Americans. But Jones argued Buttigieg “doesn’t do it right.”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/van-jones-pete-buttigieg-black-issues_n_5dd68351e4b0e29d727fc4b7

Mayo Pete just isn't ready for prime time.

[donkeypoofed]

1. I stopped listening to Van after the "he became President tonight" comment

I have zero use for Van Jones after that.

[cwydro]

11. Same here.

Can’t stand him.

[BannonsLiver]

2. Van is a stooge

[Cha]

23. A strange

stooge.

[LeftTurn3623]

3. I compeltly disagree with Van Jones -

Buttigieg was clearly prepared for a question about his relationship with the African American community. True to his contrarian style, he began his response by agreeing with Harris. He cited common ground with the plight of African Americans and other minorities by virtue of his own sexual orientation. He addressed the issue with humility, grace, and an acknowledgement that he needed to continue to build his relationship with African Americans. It was an elegant, thoughtful, and emotionally revealing answer.

Buttigieg: "My response is, I completely agree. And I welcome the challenge of connecting with black voters in America who don't yet know me. And before I share what's in my plans, let me talk about what's in my heart and why this is so important. As mayor of a city that is racially diverse and largely low income, for eight years, I have lived and breathed the successes and struggles of a community where far too many people live with the consequences of racial inequity that has built-up over centuries but been compounded by policies and decisions from within living memory…

And I care about this because, while I do not have the experience of ever having been discriminated against because of the color of my skin, I do have the experience of sometimes feeling like a stranger in my own country, turning on the news and seeing my own rights come up for debate, and seeing my rights expanded by a coalition of people like me and people not at all like me, working side by side, shoulder to shoulder, making it possible for me to be standing here. Wearing this wedding ring in a way that couldn't have happened two elections ago lets me know just how deep my obligation is to help those whose rights are on the line every day, even if they are nothing like me in their experience."

Pause for a moment and consider the last two paragraphs. This is not a quote of a written response, it is a verbatim transcript of an answer given spontaneously in the moment. No "uhs" or "ums," just fully fleshed out paragraphs delivered on cue in real time. On this stage -- and perhaps in his generation of politicians -- Buttigieg is without equal as an orator.


http://www.borntorunthenumbers.com/2019/11/btrtn-incoming-outgoing-cool-pete-can.html

[LanternWaste]

6. No. Pete is clearly off his game in regards to minority relations.

He lacks the passion and excitement in this that he allows other topics. There are reasons he polls so incredibly poor with minority voters, and bumper sticker slogan won't change that weakness.

He reminds me of an inexperienced boxer stepping into the ring for the first time against a pro.

Give him time, he'll ripen and wisen. Until then, he's ok where he is.

[Amishman]

17. Yup, he isn't quite ready in all areas

He absolutely has the abilities and character, just needs a little more experience.

My ideal situation is Biden / Mayor Pete 2020, Biden chooses not to run for reelection in 2024 due to age, and Pete steps up.

[Celerity]

15. +100

[BootinUp]

35. +1

[dsc]

4. Now just imagine for a moment a black candidate were misnamed or a woman

but a gay male, fair game I guess.

[demmiblue]

12. DU has been this way regarding the LGBT community as far as I can remember. n/t

[OldRed2450]

5. Van Jones is not credible

[rogue emissary]

7. I can't stand Pete but Van lost all credibility since

He declared Donny Presidential after one phoned in speech.

[Quackers]

27. I can understand him not being your preferred candidate, but what is it you can't stand about him?

I’m honestly curious.

[rogue emissary]

33. I'm trying to avoid being too negative and adding to toxic nature of the primary.

So I won't go into all the problems I have with Pete, what started my dislike of him. Goes back to when he ran for the DNC chair. He loved to talk about how he's a proud gun owner, goes shooting with his partner, etc.

I'm tired of our candidates capitulate to gun owners.

[Calof]

8. Jones is a Gabbard supporter

Previously a Sanders supporter. Bernie is his second choice.
Gabbard actually announced yet candidacy in Vans show.

[Cha]

24. Gack.. trump war room giving TG high fives..

Link to tweet

[TidalWave46]

9. Is this an endorsement for Mayor Pete?

Cause Jones just ain't right.

[demmiblue]

10. Mayo Pete... aren't you precious (and Van Jones... lol)?! n/t

[tishaLA]

13. Nia-Malika Henderson's comments in that article are interesting

CNN political analyst Nia-Malika Henderson later suggested there was “something sort of more subtle that maybe Black people can pick up on that other people can’t.”

Former Vice President Joe “Biden seems like he’s comfortable around Black people, right?” Henderson asked. “And Pete Buttigieg doesn’t seem like he’s spent much time around Black people. And I don’t know how you get over that. I don’t know why he hasn’t really spent much time around Black people.”

[Celerity]

14. Mayo Pete? You should correct that typo, unless you wilfully typed that, in which case you should

be called out for a cheap, dodgy attack on a Democratic public figure.

Van Jones also has a history of questionable statement (far beyond Buttigieg) about our Party, so I take anything he says with a very large grain of salt. I disagree with his framing in this case.

[Celerity]

19. you truly need to stop (you repeated the Mayo Pete slur in another thread) and now are doubling down

You are attacking a public Democratic figure with smears, which is bullshit and does nothing but serve to divide us all.

[rzemanfl]

29. Technically, wouldn't a smear be cream cheese?

Couldn't help myself. I agree with you completely.

[The Valley Below]

16. I thought Pete Buttigieg's response was very compelling.

Suddenly being able to think and speak eloquently in complete paragraph is being "re-framed" as being too "careful" and too "prepared?"

This is so preposterous that I'd chuckle out loud, if this crap wasn't damaging the party's prospects.

Not the time for cheap politics. We can't afford such toxic tactics.

[Celerity]

20. the OP's not operating in good faith, they are slurring Buttigieg as 'Mayo Pete' on multiple threads

and now is doubling down and further smearing him in post #18 (when I called this out) by replying:

Why? Because the gay, war hero, Red-state mayor is the most boring white-bread person up there?

[Hav]

21. Don't worry

I did my duty with joy. And if a certain someone continues like this, he won't be here long.

[The Valley Below]

22. Sorry to see that.

[Gothmog]

25. Black South Bend leader endorses Biden, rebukes Buttigie

Link to tweet

The longest-serving African American man on the South Bend, Ind., Common Council is endorsing Joe Biden for president, a rejection of Pete Buttigieg that highlights the South Bend mayor’s struggle with black voters.

Council Vice President Oliver Davis told POLITICO that while it’s nice to see someone representing Indiana in the Democratic presidential primary and bringing national attention to South Bend, Biden is more experienced.

“When you’re flying in the middle of a storm, you want to make sure you have steady, experienced leadership,” Davis said. “I believe that Vice President Biden has demonstrated throughout the years by having a steady hand, he can help lead us through these times, and with all of the challenges we face nationally and now even internationally, he has the relationships, has the skills, and I think he can bring us together in different ways.”

Story Continued Below

But Davis also scolded Buttigieg, saying the mayor’s woes attracting support from communities of color “is not a new problem for him.”

“For us, this has been a consistent issue that has not gone away,” Davis said.

[Squinch]

26. Van Jones is an imbecile.

[BootinUp]

36. great word thats not used enough, lol.

[Gothmog]

28. BIG! South Bend Councilman Oliver Davis Endorses @JoeBiden

Link to tweet

[emmaverybo]

30. Good endorsement. Joe Biden's experience can be an invaluable asset in these times. We also

need someone who can speak from the heart to hearts throughout America, to heal and unify us around shared values of decency, compassion, and equality. That person is Biden.

[Celerity]

31. no, not a good endorsement, he is anti-LGBTQ with a history of supporting outright raging

homophobes against Buttigieg and is a long time political foe with ulterior motivations (one being he just got crushed in the South Bend Democratic mayoral primary by the Buttigieg backed candidate) and also a history of non stop attacks (often being promoted and amplified by the TYT/BoB/JD/Sirota/Jacobin far left social media penumbra) since Pete announced his candidacy.

see

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287356020#post18

[ecstatic]

32. I think Pete does a great job speaking on black issues.

I love how he answers questions in a more thoughtful way--for example, on the super annoying question about why he's polling so low with African Americans, he doesn't run to that offensive stereotype about blacks being more homophobic than other groups. It's very simple: He's polling low because his electability is in question, but I also agree with Pete that he's polling low because many people don't know who he is (both literally and figuratively speaking).

That being said, I abruptly fell out of love with Pete while watching him on a townhall on CNN (I think). I was blindsided by the whole police chief scandal. When he was explaining what happened, I just fell out of love. It was instant, like a lightbulb going out. I still like Pete and I think he's very smart and articulate, but the glow is gone, at least for me. I now view him as a very young, Obama wannabe. It seems like he goes out and thinks to himself, how would Obama act or answer this question? I know it sounds harsh, but this is just my honest perception of Pete right now.

[BootinUp]

34. Well, if Van Jones says it, it must be!

I think what we are seeing is a little fear of the unknown with Pete. In other words I still think Pete can win people over. He just needs a fair hearing.