Pete Buttigieg Is Fighting, and Winning, a Battle Over Religion With Mike Pence

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Pete Buttigieg is scheduled to officially announce his candidacy for president this weekend. The 37-year-old South Bend, Indiana, mayor has been steadily climbing in the polls — and in our 2020 Democratic candidate leaderboard — since announcing in January that he was forming a committee to explore his chances of landing the party’s nomination.

But it wasn’t until March that Buttigieg’s transformation from long-shot with a hard-to-pronounce last name to legitimate contender began in earnest. During a CNN town hall event at South by Southwest, Buttigieg, an openly gay Christian, was lauded for his deft performance, including how he questioned Mike Pence’s adherence to his faith, wondering whether the pious vice president stopped “believing in scripture when he started believing Donald Trump.”

“How would he allow himself to become the cheerleader for the porn star presidency?” said Buttigieg. The comments drew national headlines. They were also not the last he would make regarding Pence’s Christianity. The latest shots came during a Friday appearance on Ellen, a preview of which was released Thursday.

“I don’t have a problem with religion,” Buttigieg said. “I’m religious too. I have a problem with religion being used as a justification to harm people and especially in the LGBTQ community. So many people, even today, feel like they don’t belong. You can get fired in so many parts of this country just for who you are, and that’s got to change. I’m not interested in feuding with the vice president, but if he wanted to clear this up he could come out today and say he’s changed his mind that it shouldn’t be legal to discriminate against anybody in this country for who they are. That’s all.”

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/pete-buttigieg-is-fighting-and-winning-a-battle-over-religion-with-mike-pence-821535/

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Pence is a hypocrite; Pete is not.

Pence claims to be a Christian, but his actions against the LGBTQ community shows his hypocrisy.

Pete does not harm people via his Christianity. He stands completely opposite Pence in that regard.

[customerserviceguy]

2. Pete has picked this battle wisely

and only he could have done so.

[defacto7]

3. That's the thing that really gets me about Pete..

There's not a hypocritical bone in his body. What he says is what he thinks, no lies, no covering up, it's all there front and center. That's the polar opposite of Pence.

[Hortensis]

13. :) Sounds like a new cult forming on this thread. Don't set

Buttigieg up for a fall. He's a politician, and using high-level social and communication techniques is a very important skill. He can be a good guy without being without guile or fault.

I really hope for a good response that grows, one that proves he did choose this topic wisely. I've read that large numbers of people are now identifying as without religion, particularly young people, who left or never joined organized religion probably in significant part because of its corruption to serve political goals. It really sounds as if Buttigieg is talking to both them and to troubled Christians by addressing this and calling out Pence's conflict with the teachings of Jesus. Which will be very interesting to see play out. The only way he can "win" is by drawing voters with this issue. Go, Pete!

“I don’t have a problem with religion,” Buttigieg said. “I’m religious too. I have a problem with religion being used as a justification to harm people and especially in the LGBTQ community.

[cpamomfromtexas]

4. I think he may be my favorite so far. How do we change

Preferences?

[True Dough]

6. Let me be of assistance, friend!

Go to the Democratic Primaries forum. You'll see the blue bar near the top. On the right side of that blue bar, it reads "Your preference" with the candidate's picture next to it. Click on "Your preference." From there you can come on over the the Pete party. We'll keep a seat warm for you!

[Blue_true]

11. On the rankings bar above (that gives percentages)

Press the "More" choice. That takes you to another page. Look for the blue text that say to participate in the forum a member must set a preference. Click on the blue text, that brings you to the page to make a preference, chose then confirm below your choice. Then back out. The next post you make should show your new preference.

[PatrickforO]

5. Pete just keeps getting better and better.

Definitely my favorite.

[bitterross]

7. I'll believe Pete is winning when Evagelicals switch

I love Pete. Love everything about him.


I'll believe he's had an effect when I see Evangelicals who voted for Trump switch and vote for a gay man.

[ooky]

8. The unfortunate reality.

He's a brilliant guy who would be an incredible president. And the idiotic homophobe white evangelicals won't give him a chance.

[marlakay]

9. Saw a republican on CNN

Talking about him tonight he went on and on about abortion, that seems to be all they talk about like the Bible says nothing else, but doesn’t even mention it.

The democrat said I have four words. Stormy Daniels Access Hollywood.

[crazytown]

10. Democratic nominees get 16-24% of White 'born again' evangelical votes

Pew Research Center / Exit Polls

[loyalsister]

12. He addresses religion masterfully

If he's not the guy, any candidate would benefit from having his voice on the stump as part of their campaigns.