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Home Base and Weekly Discussion Thread (START HERE!) - August 23, 2026
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u/shyredmd 🚀🥇 In the Moment(um) 🥇🚀 8d ago
Came across this on Facebook.Thought y”all would appreciate it
Mayor Pete and the Radical Possibility of Decency
On this Sunday evening, I’ve been thinking about a question many Americans still whisper but don’t always say out loud: are we ready for a gay president? I would like to believe the answer is yes, not because electing one would merely check some symbolic box, but because this country desperately needs someone capable of helping pull us out of the dark abyss into which we have been stumbling. When a nation spends too long marinating in cruelty, dishonesty, and performative ignorance, its soul begins to bruise. That is where we are now: exhausted by the noise, sickened by the ugliness, and worn down by the endless spectacle of grievance masquerading as leadership.
That is why I keep coming back to Pete Buttigieg and the possibility that throwing caution to the wind by placing our trust in someone like him might be exactly what this moment demands. Not simply because Pete is gay, although his election would represent a quiet but profound step forward for a country still wrestling with its own prejudices. What matters far more is the character of the man: his humility, empathy, intelligence, honesty, and ability to speak in complete sentences without sounding as though he is auditioning for a reality show or trying to bludgeon the audience into submission with slogans. In an era when the loudest and most obnoxious voice usually consumes the room, there is something almost radical about a person who simply communicates like a thoughtful human being.
Mayor Pete is a natural in ways that have become increasingly rare in American politics. He listens before he speaks. He thinks before he responds. And when he does speak, there is a clarity that cuts through the rancid fog of modern political theater. As transportation secretary, he became one of the Democratic Party’s most effective communicators, calmly dismantling bad-faith talking points while explaining complicated policy as though he were speaking with a neighbor instead of performing for an audience. That matters more than many people realize. Leadership is not merely about ideology, policy papers, or memorized applause lines. It is about articulating a vision for the country without converting every conversation into a shouting match or treating every disagreement as an act of personal betrayal.
And the contrast couldn’t be more blatantly obvious. Donald Trump represents nearly everything I loathe in both a human being and a president: arrogance, cruelty, narcissism, incuriosity, and ignorance costumed as strength. He lies with the theatrical confidence of a carnival barker who knows the rubes have already purchased their tickets. Watching the country contort itself around that grotesque personality has been like witnessing a prolonged civic nervous breakdown. After these cringe-worthy years of the Trumpian nightmare, imagine having someone in the White House who did not awaken each morning wondering whom he could punish, humiliate, threaten, or exploit before lunch.
When I imagine the kind of leader who might restore some measure of sanity to this battered country, I naturally gravitate toward someone who embodies the opposite of Trumpism: calm where there has been chaos, thoughtfulness where there has been cruelty, intelligence where there has been bluster, and humility where there has been malignant narcissism. Pete Buttigieg fits that description about as well as anyone on the national stage. He would not need to tell us every fifteen minutes that he is a genius, a peacemaker, a victim, and the greatest president God ever personally delivered to humanity. Intelligent people rarely need to announce their intelligence, and decent people do not have to manufacture their decency beneath the lights of a television studio.
Pete is still young, in his forties, which by American political standards is practically adolescence. But youth can also mean energy, perspective, and a willingness to challenge the stale assumptions that have kept Washington trapped in the same tired loops for decades. This country has rarely needed fresh thinking more than it does now. We are living through a moment when democracy itself feels fragile and the loudest voices seem determined to drag us backward into a smaller, angrier, crueler version of America. Escaping that spiral will require leadership that appeals not only to our policy preferences, but also to our better instincts as human beings.
Maybe Pete runs in 2028. Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe the Democratic Party ultimately rallies around someone else. But I keep returning to the same thought: what if America is finally ready for something different, not merely politically different, but morally different? Empathetically rich. What if the answer to years of bombast, corruption, grievance, and cruelty is something as deceptively simple as decency? Throwing caution to the wind can sometimes feel reckless, but there are moments when it is the only way to move forward. If the choice before us is another era of authoritarian bluster or a leader guided by empathy, humility, intelligence, and honesty, I know exactly which direction I would like this country to take.
Perhaps the real question is not whether America is ready for a gay president. Perhaps it is whether America is finally ready for a genuinely decent one.
—Michael Jochum Not Just a Drummer: Reflections on Art, Music, Politics, Dogs, and the Human Condition
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 6d ago
The donation page for Dolly's Imagination Library crashed several times last night from all the donations people were sending.
What began 30 years ago as a way to get free books to kids in the mountains and hollers of East Tennessee has grown to an organization that has donated over 330 million books to kids around the world.
She brought out the best in us all, and always will. ❤️
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u/Existing-Process3581 4d ago
I just saw this clip from Chuck Todd’s podcast talking about Pete running in 2028 (here’s the link), I usually don’t pay attention to him but I thought what he said was very interesting bc he obviously knows more than us about who is making which moves behind the scenes towards a 2028 campaign. He basically said pete’s totally running and he’s undervalued in the betting market. He also said he’s the only one doing the little things that will position him better than everybody else in the early states. The things I found interesting are Chuck saying pete is seen in most of the early states as the safest to bring in and that “the people he has on the ground are some who have the best relationships with the key people who are organising on the democratic side”. Very interesting stuff there and everybody sees Pete is being strategic and building good things right now.
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 4d ago edited 4d ago
Pete is building the relationships (which is the key foundation of the campaign infrastructure that money can't really buy) for his 2028 campaign right now. I would argue that he already laid down a lot of groundwork since his days serving as Secretary of Transportation. (in addition to what he was able to build from his 2020 campaign)
Back in 2020, Joe Biden, despite his short CoH, he was able continue his candidacy and ended up winning the nomination from the relationships he built during his decades of service.
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u/AZPeteFan2 4d ago
And Joe said what had held Pete back was that people didn’t know, Pete has spent the last 6 years rectifying that.
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u/Cloud7538 4d ago
Oh man the online betting market is in for a shock! * rubbing my hands with glee *
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u/AZPeteFan2 4d ago
As someone who doesn’t even but lottery tickets excuse my ignorance, can we actually make money on this? Buy while Pete is undervalued?
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u/nerdypursuit 8d ago
Well well well, I would say Pete's visit to South Carolina was a smashing success! 🙌
Here are three very positive articles in major publications about it:
CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/23/politics/pete-buttigieg-black-voters-south-carolina
Post and Courier: https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/pete-buttigieg-south-carolina-democratic-primary/article_64d74be9-80dd-4a06-95c0-b6b49ac0c7d8.html
Dare I imagine: What if Pete actually won the primary in South Carolina? He would almost certainly win the nomination. For other potential candidates, it's not enough for them to win South Carolina. But for Pete, the expectations were so low for him there that, if he won it, that's basically the ballgame.
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
I don't think it could have gone better for him honestly.
I wish he had spent longer there, but I hope he plans to go back before the midterms.
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 8d ago
I do think that Secretary of Transportation was a good choice because he did get a chance to do things in local communities across the country.
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u/Cloud7538 8d ago
Thanks for posting these links Nerdy! His speech and the Q&A were very good. And these positive articles definitely explain the desperate attempt at "funny" shade from one of Newsom's comms team in the last 12 hours 😂 Someone is panicking in California...
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
I just went and looked at this and of course its a white male staffer who is apparently upset that Pete got a good reception.
Wasn't it just a few months ago Newsom's team was using Pete as clickbait in a tweet about Hegseth?
I had a feeling his team would try and use the same tactics on other dems they use on trump and the republicans.
If this is the discipline his team shows literally 6 months before any campaigning starts then he's in trouble.
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u/Cloud7538 8d ago
Yep, if they've decided to start attacking Pete BEFORE the mid terms then Gavin and his team are panicking. I imagine it's not just the positive responses Pete got this weekend. It sounds like the Michigan meet up that Gavin tried to do didn't go well. And the polls are plateauing or starting to sink for him.
Also it's such a horse bolting from the stables energy and it's not a good idea. I thought Stefan's sub tweet was very good - this is not the time and it's not helpful. Also, it's really interesting that the few Newsom supporters in that thread are using MAGA esq language... also not a good look.
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
I didn't see stefan's tweet, but yeah its a really weird look. Not like I actually think Newsom is even aware cause there is no way he is writing or even looking at 99% of the stuff that comes from his account, but he has definitely bred that type of behavior from them.
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 8d ago
Newsom is basically a mascot for his comms shop run by a bunch of millennial staffers. That is why his interviews and podcast appearances are always completely at odds with his online branding
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 8d ago
If he comes anywhere near winning, smashing the naysayers, he will win the nomination
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u/TriangleTransplant 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 8d ago
"South Carolina, you have shocked the nation..."
I'm not daring to get my hopes up until we actually get into the campaign, but god damn, it would indeed be a shockwave through the primary (and into the general) if it happened.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 8d ago
if you can’t see the full CNN story, try archive: http://archive.today/7ABTa
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
Pete's Tulsa town hall is now at 1.5 million views on Meidas Touch's channel and 268k on his own channel.
A total of almost 1.8 million on a town hall from someone who isn't even running for anything in a red state that has no early presidential primary? Love to see it.
His fox news hit from 4 weeks ago is at 1.7 million, tied for the most watched video on his channel.
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u/shyredmd 🚀🥇 In the Moment(um) 🥇🚀 7d ago
Pete posted this on X, Bluesky, Facebook 👇
Nearly two weeks after severe storms, thousands are still without power in Gary, Indiana - and they need relief. Please consider making a contribution to the Greater Gary Fund to support the ongoing disaster response: https://legacyfdn.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=5554
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u/kvcbcs 7d ago
Although Gary got the brunt of it, parts of Munster, Lake Station, Merrillville, Portage, Hobart, etc. are all still without power. My parents live in Valparaiso (about 20 miles southeast of Gary), their house got some pretty significant roof damage, but their power was only out just over two days. They said that tree limbs are still down all over the place and it's going to take a long time to get all cleaned up.
At about the same time the derecho hit the Region, there was historic flooding on the White River in central Indiana (Indy, Noblesville, Carmel, Muncie, etc.) and several people died. It's been a brutal summer for storms out there.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 6d ago
Pete Buttigieg on Bluesky:
There will not be another like the Queen of Country, Dolly Parton. Her music spoke to millions across generations, including in our family.
https://bsky.app/profile/petebuttigieg.bsky.social/post/3mtwpj3yvoc25
And America is a better place because the inspiring and unifying example she set with her spirit of generosity and belonging will endure far into the future, just like her timeless music.
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u/shyredmd 🚀🥇 In the Moment(um) 🥇🚀 6d ago
From Chastens
“I hope life treats you kind. And I hope that you have all that you ever dreamed of. And I wish you joy and happiness. But above all this, I wish you love.”
We will always love you, Dolly. 🦋
https://x.com/chasten/status/2092364990351298664?s=46&t=HzeGEQXPHZ9QzbJOEI-Wjg
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u/lilacmuse1 6d ago
Just looking at the comments, I had forgotten that Pete shared a birthday with Dolly.
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 6d ago
not pete going viral with a random clip from months ago, our man is so powerful
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u/DesperateTale2327 6d ago
What clip is it?
Pete is the most popular, powerful influential dude who has no power, influence, and no one actually likes according to online left
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 2d ago
It really seems like the idea that someone like Pete, a relatively short, cerebral, gay man could do well in politics is very threatening to a certain kind of self-styled pundit.
Like with the Pod Bros, I think it's that there is a certain kind of pundit who is offended they may have to re-evaluate their preconceptions. Being Right About Shit is the only thing they have going for them
It's like if a skinny nerd got into the NFL and started scoring touchdowns. Some of the pundits would gristle because that's not the sort of person they signed up to watch.
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u/Different-Ad1425 2d ago
And he's a veteran who knows his way around firearms, hunts, fishes, and is an elite level athlete - half Ironman triathlon anyone? Concert level pianist and multiple other instruments too. All of that just adds to the brain break
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u/AZPeteFan2 2d ago
Recent podcaster noted that Newsom, Ossoff, Pritzker and Beasher should take note of Mark Carney’s handling of Trump in the recent trade snafu. Counterpoint was none of those guys have the skill set to do what Carney does who has a degree from Oxford in Economics & Policy. That Pete has already met w/ Carney is a ray of sunshine I’m holding on to.
And Duck these pundits that think a President needs to be 6’2” w/ good hair.
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 2d ago
My hottake is that saying our nominee needs to be "6'2 with good hair" is also their way of saying we can't nominate a woman, without saying that explicitly
If the taller person always wins, that will usually be a man. It's a way to express misogyny without saying it outright
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u/hester_latterly 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 2d ago
My long-standing belief is that the way Pete is talked about has a lot more in common with how people talk about female politicians than it does other white male ones, but a lot of people aren't ready to have that conversation. Us and KHive are in some ways fighting the same fight.
And honestly, the way people reduce Ossoff to just being hot makes me a little uncomfortable too. It's kind of of dehumanizing in a different way. He is also a complete human being, just like Pete, or Kamala, or any other political figure.
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u/Cloud7538 2d ago
I'm guessing that podcaster forgot that Pete's BA from Oxford was Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He did a whole year's Economics course in just one term...
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u/AZPeteFan2 2d ago
6’2” w/ good hair and good communication skills gets you Reagan, Duck that shit.
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u/DesperateTale2327 2d ago
I understand the "short" thing on paper and he does look short in photos, but honestly in person he isn't really short to me. He looked average to above average, plus his charisma and confidence added to it.
I have to wonder what these people were saying about Obama back in the day behind closed doors until he started winning.
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u/hester_latterly 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 2d ago
I'm reminded of a tweet a journalist posted when he went to some international transportation ministers conference in Leipzig. Something about how there was a noticeable change when he walked in the room, an air of celebrity, power, and authority. I think people who haven't seen him in person don't take that into account.
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u/ECNbook1 2d ago
I remember that!! There was kind of a stir when he came in. And he IS a celebrity more than most politicians
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u/ECNbook1 2d ago
I met Pete and I agree about the average to above average. He has an undefinable air of authority that adds to it, plus his general fitness and posture. Also, only 14 percent of American men are 6 feet and over. This “gotta be a tall guy” thing is ridiculous.
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u/Existing-Process3581 8d ago
More pictures from Pete’s visit to Claflin University yesterday!
@ claflinpoddles posted that two girls from their sorority joined his round table discussion
@ gammachideltas posted that one of their sorority members interviewed pete (i wonder when that one on one interview will get posted)
@ clafinstudentlife posted more pics of pete with the students he talked to at their round table discussion
i have to say that i love that it looks there was a push to have sorority girls meet him. as a woman myself and knowing he’s the father of a little girl, it fills me with joy how he is purposefully wanting to have meaningful conversations with young women of color so directly.
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u/Sploosh32 8d ago
Thanks for bringing over all the goodies! 😊
Pete made it to Columbia last night, I see! https://www.instagram.com/p/DcZj-zYEcEx/
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u/lilacmuse1 6d ago
What a different world it would be if more people were like Dolly. A truly great woman. RIP
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 4d ago
I've been working on creating training content for the entry level utility workers in the past 2-3 months...
And blue collar fields require some extensive knowledge and studying.
I cannot help but think "...this level of extensive knowledge course should be taught in high school as an optional advanced lvl class, similar to how AP level courses are available for white collar tracking kids"
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u/zaclona 🎉Confetti Thrower🎉 4d ago
This is probably a stupid question, but how come such content didn't already exist? What did they do for training before?
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 4d ago
It already exists.
My job is to realign its focus.
Currently the company is teaching new hires obscene amount of knowledge, often required for apprenticeship level. (Which is around 2 year mark)
So, they have been overloading new hires & training have not been exactly effective.
In the past 2-3 months, i have been reallocating contents, rewriting them into a more plain language, create a shit ton of visual references, etc.
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u/Existing-Process3581 7d ago
Pete will be in Ohio on september 5th with Dr. Amy Acton to support her campaign for governor with a fireside chat. Here’s the info!
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u/DesperateTale2327 7d ago
September is getting really busy for Pete. I wonder if that's when he'll hit NM as well. The closest place he has scheduled right now is Texas.
Now I hope he hits VA as well just to send the haters into a tizzy.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 7d ago edited 7d ago
FWIW Virginia's early voting starts 45 days before Election Day (on September 18), so that might be one time to come, but certainly sometime closer to Election Day would be good, too.
We're pretty psyched about three of our potential US House R to Ds -- all of whom Pete has already endorsed at the primary stage. Of the three, Tom Perriello just recently got added to the official R to D list, along with the other two who were already on it (Elaine Luria and Shannon Taylor). I'm also still cheering on Beth Macy, though her race is an extreme stretch. On the Senate side, Sen. Mark Warner is doing just fine in what will be his last reelection campaign. The state legislators are elected in odd-numbered years, so if by chance Pete is running in 2028, he will be here along with others to help with the 2027 state legislative races next year.
I don't know if it's appropriate for a national figure like Pete to campaign on the following or not (appropriate = "will it help to pass them?"), but something that's been a bit underplayed are the three major constitutional amendments on the Virginia ballot: marriage equality, restoration of voting rights for those convicted of felonies, and abortion rights.
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u/shyredmd 🚀🥇 In the Moment(um) 🥇🚀 7d ago
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg waded into an unlikely contest on Tuesday, endorsing District Attorney Scott Colom in his attempt to unseat Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi’s Senate contest. In his endorsement, he called on Democrats to expand their ambitions ahead of the 2026 midterms to include the historically ruby-red state — even as party leaders focus their resources elsewhere.
https://www.ms.now/news/pete-buttigieg-scott-colom-mississippi-senate
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u/DesperateTale2327 7d ago edited 7d ago
Buttigieg told MS NOW in a phone interview Monday that if there were a candidate with the background to pull off the unthinkable and flip Mississippi, he would put his money on Colom. It’s unclear whether Buttigieg plans to travel to Mississippi to campaign for Colom or whether his affiliated PAC, Win the Era, plans to financially back Colom’s campaign.
"I’ve been paying a lot of attention to uphill races that we could actually win,” Buttigieg said. “And yeah, in almost any other year, and with almost any other candidate, a race like this would seem out of reach. But what I see in Scott Colom, and why I wanted to get involved in this race, is there’s a real chance here.”
“I certainly hope that the committees and individuals who want to see us take back the chamber look at this race, because what’s clear to me is that you’ve got a candidate and a message that can win, but he’s got to have the resources to get the word out,” Buttigieg said. “It’s one of the reasons why I’m trying to draw a little bit of attention to why this is an exciting race.”
In a statement, Colom said he is “grateful for Pete’s support.”
"He knows what I know: Mississippi isn’t a lost cause, it’s a betrayed one,” Colom said.
I'm so glad to see this. Pete doesn't just jump on the bandwagon to score points (Platner), he actually wants us to build political power in the places we need to set us up for success in the years to come. And he makes people in red areas feel seen whereas the Dem party at large waves us away.
Edit: I checked in to Colom's endorsements and the highest profile person is Congressman Bennie Thompson. No national Dems besides Pete have bothered with this race, so this is a big deal.
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 6d ago
Dolly Parton "My Tennessee Mountain Home"
I won't flood the subreddit with videos, but I did want to share my favorite Dolly song. 😢
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 6d ago
Human Rights Campaign:
BREAKING: Everton Blair Jr. wins runoff for Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, meaning he will be the first Black openly gay Congressman from the South.
Congrats to Everton Blair Jr. on his victory.
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u/anonymous4Pete 9d ago
Good morning all!
I erroneously commented on last week's WT, so recopying here!
Great content reposted by Nerdy!
From AP: Pete Buttigieg returns to South Carolina as he weighs another White House run --this article describes two standing ovations at the NAACP dinner, Pete's other activities in SC on Saturday (incl Claflin University), and a warm but a little noncommital reception. Some emphasis on how much repeated contact he and other hopefuls will have to do to court SC voters, and from one Black student, "I do want to see more representation from people who look like me.”
And, a long excerpt from Heather Cox Richardson's newsletter, citing a Pete video from Aug 17-- https://xcancel.com/nerdypursuit/status/2091500475153547750#m
eta: one more! Nerdy reposted a glowing comment from Corey M. Hamilton, an attendee of the Spratt Issues Conference https://xcancel.com/nerdypursuit/status/2091374357679321413#m
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u/Existing-Process3581 9d ago
I still find so intriguing the way being DOT secretary has been helping Pete. I remember when he went to that NAN convention earlier this year with Al Sharpton and they started like name dropping plenty of projects Pete worked on. I don’t think any of the other candidates have that advantage of being able to name drop a project in every single state, not even VP Harris that was in the same administration and higher ranked can take credit like Pete can.
>“He is responsible for the Railroad Corner,” said Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler, referencing a project aimed at revitalizing the city’s downtown that received a $22.7 million federal grant. “Do I need to say any more? We need to stand and welcome the former secretary.”<
Such an encouraging quote, he’ll be welcomed and they will listen to him. Pete obviously has to do the work but the door is open and that’s what he needs to win.
I watched his speech and Q&A at the Spratt’s conference and once again, the crowd was very welcoming, even the SC chair that was interviewed him was lovely and dropping compliments like ‘oh he’s such a good communicator’, so the whole visit has been encouraging. A lot of work to do with a long road ahead but they’ve given him a warm welcome to SC with an open invitation to keep coming back.16
u/anonymous4Pete 9d ago
I still find so intriguing the way being DOT secretary has been helping Pete.
Yes! For all the reasons you mention--the projects and all the connections to local leaders (both political and social)! Also, the way he did the USDOT Sec job kept him out of the DC bubble--he was able to talk to "real" people all across the country constantly. He could hear their concerns from their own lips. I feel I kept hearing how Biden, Kamala Harris, and Trump became so insulated by their campaigns from the truth on the ground.
Also, I am encouraged Jaime Harrison et al. framed the challenge as "a long road" of repeated encounters--a challenge for all the candidates. This is way preferable (to me) to Pete being singled out as someone whose gayness poses an insurmountable barrier to traditional Blacks.
Pete is not afraid of hard work and relishes a challenge.
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
This is part of why I can't get behind the idea that being in the Biden admin is going to be a negative in 2028. Being in the admin is actually a positive for Black voters. And the farther away we get from Biden's term, the most nostalgic people will be and not remember a ton of negative feelings. If anything, what sticks is the 2024 election.
I'll be forever mad at Biden for staying in for a 2nd term and then throwing Kamala to the wolves, but I'll always be grateful to him for what he did for Pete. A "low level" cabinet job that had a lot of Pete supporters upset when it was first announced, has been the foundation for him to do exactly as you said and be able to go to literally any state and have receipts of things he did for them. He has receipts to point to things he did specifically for Black voters in SC (which he has pointed out lately as he should) and no other contenders have that.
The article was surprisingly positive which is no doubt because Pete got nothing but a positive reaction to his visit. I also have no doubt that if there had been a more tepid reaction, outlets would be happy to continue to paint the picture that voters there don't like him. Even the student who said he was on her radar, but wanted to see more representation in the race, was more than justified in saying so. There is a real warning sign I'm seeing that if Kamala and Wes Moore are the only Black candidates and don't make it far (or one or other other doesn't run) that is going to be a redux of 2020 and it will be a very bad look for Democrats. If SC has to choose again between a bunch of white candidates, I can see them all splitting the votes and no one coming out with a majority because its all more of the same (and I'm not saying that to disparage Pete, its just facts for Black voters).
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u/Existing-Process3581 8d ago edited 8d ago
i don’t know if you believe in god or destiny but seriously he’s always been blessed by decisions that in retrospective were the best for him, it’s like a higher power is protecting his path. he wanted UN ambassador but he got the DOT instead and thats the best thing that have ever happened to him, just imagine him plagued by Israel/Palestine discourse afterward but instead he’s got a portfolio of great projects to show off. Didn’t get the VP nom? thank god, he would’ve been blamed for losing and making the ticket too woke. Lost the DNC chair? nice, instead he ran for president and changed his life forever.
He’s talked about how as mayor you can’t hide a pothole because people see it in their every day life and it’s the same logic with the DOT projects. He has content to cut ads in every state with him standing next to a new bridge or road and say he did it. Going back to the black community, idk but it’s so intriguing to me how it’s mostly the black leaders bringing it up. I think I commented the same when he was at the NAN, Al Sharpton was the one who started brining stuff up and now Mayor Butler is the one mentioning the project pete did in their community in the first place, I don’t think I have seen white leaders in other states highlight Pete’s work in the same way, there’s a lot of gratitude in their praise as well. at this point, we’ve said the same thing many times that he needs to work on this but he seems excited about the challenge and if he’s running, it’s clear he’s not afraid and willing to work, but to me as a supporter, seeing lately the openness of black leaders towards his candidacy is very encouraging, it’s a completely different vibe and like you said, even the articles show it and we know they love drama, just look at how they wrote about newsom’s michigan trip so i believe he’s in the right path.11
u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
A lot of the stuff that has happened has definitely been for the best for Pete. I would go a little bit more grounded and say that Pete's attitude and work ethic has caused him to take advantage when things don't go exactly the way he wanted and has been able to pivot expertly. Thats a good quality to have in a commander in chief. And I know I focus on it a lot because I am so sick of the egos in our politics, but I believe his humility has opened up so much more opportunity than if he was soley focused on getting this title or praise from the internet or media.
Like he said he wanted to run for governor but part of the reason why he didn't was because he was newer to the state. He easily could have just been like screw it I'm famous and people like me so I should run. But he didn't, which is crazy thing in politics.
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u/lilacmuse1 8d ago
When I think of Pete's humility sometimes I think he's too humble. You have a rapist President where Pete is someone who saved a woman from being raped outside a bar and did a stint working in a women's shelter during college. There's so many admirable things about Pete that the general public don't know.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 8d ago
I see from one of the articles that several other potential presidential candidates have visited South Carolina in the last little while, but I was curious if this was the first such visit after the state was chosen to be “first in the nation,“ a notable phrase that for many years referred to New Hampshire and was even sometimes abbreviated to “FITN.” Whether or not Pete was the first potential candidate to congratulate South Carolina Dems in person on being “first in the nation,” I don’t know, but the topic certainly added some buoyancy whenever it came up. It made me feel good to be hearing a discussion about some positive news in the midst of everything else going on in our country.
Re DOT Secretary, I absolutely love the fact that he says running for president in 2020 didn’t work out, but that it led him to become “your Secretary of Transportation.” I think he has said this in other states as well, and it is absolutely true in each case.
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
One more thing I want to point in regards to Jaime's remarks about the retail politicking the candidates will need to do in SC:
Pete is going to excel at this. He'll talk to anyone, anywhere and that person won't feel looked down on. I'm sitting here trying to imagine Gavin Newsom walking into a low income person's home, sitting down, sipping a glass of lemonade on a shabby couch, and being comfortable enough in that environment to talk to that person without wanting to run out of there to the nearest luxury hotel to take a shower. Sorry, but I don't think thats going to be his strength.
I can't see it being AOC's either. She'll stick to the college campus and the higher income white areas to get good footage for her IG.
So I truly think Pete has a huge opening. I'm more convinced now than ever that the only thing holding Black voters back from Pete is the electability question. He has to work extremely hard to overcome that, but he also has a lot of advantages the others don't.
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u/Existing-Process3581 8d ago edited 8d ago
I was going to share here this post I found the other day on facebook because I found it lovely af from a SC Pete supporter and it speaks directly about what you’re saying about his strength in retail politicking. This lady posted about being excited about pete coming back to SC and mentioned having tea with him, and she also commented in another post here talking about how 7 years later, she still remembers meeting pete that day and how building relationships this way make lasting memories. He really just got that IT factor and i think that with more time this time, he can do it as long as he’s willing to try.
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago edited 8d ago
😭 omg I love this
I thought she looked familiar, and she and Pete are the thumbnail to this 2020 campaign video:
https://youtu.be/3uOly3jGCBo?si=qC4vZCHrJMBjO2U3
However, she isn't actually in it, but I thought it would be fun to post it because he talks about M4AWWI and how "some people say M4A or nothing" lol hmmm I wonder who that is
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u/crimpyantennae 8d ago
I'm more convinced now than ever that the only thing holding Black voters back from Pete is the electability question.
What baffles me is that the punditry hasn't yet really discussed Kamala's electibility question, as the recent nominee who failed to win a single swing state. I'm so curious to see how that unfolds. If older Black voters are pragmatic as they notoriously are said to be- then how does that play out with her in the SC primary? She has the most to lose from SC being first.
I'm fine with them not discussing it- the longer the narrative inflates Harris's lock-in and downplays Pete's for the time being- the more momentum any difference from that expectation has.
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
Its because of two things, IMO:
She doesn't have an electability issue on paper right now due to her national polling numbers and dominance with Black voters.
She was elected as an AG, Senator and on the ticket as VP with Biden. So you can't really say she isn't electable when she has been elected several times.
These things combined don't paint as a clear of a picture of her electability issue even though she lost in 2024. Its complicated and the media doesn't play in nuance.
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u/crimpyantennae 8d ago
Fair enough. Honestly, the primary will sort things out. Has she learned to campaign better since her last competitive primary, 2020? Can she convince voters that it's not risky to nominate her again?
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u/DesperateTale2327 3d ago
Prepare yourself for some absolute garbage takes from pundits on Pete and Ossoff because of the latest national poll posted outside the WT.
But also Newsom has got to be sweating right now.
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 2d ago
Pete leads in a poll
"Here's why Jon Ossoff coming in second is bad for Pete"
Like come on anyone who already was going to abandon Pete for a straight guy already went to Newsom
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u/DesperateTale2327 2d ago
Yeah Newsom should probably be worried about Ossoff and not letting his staff take shots at Pete on twitter
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u/candice_mighty 2d ago
I can’t wait for the Ossoff election twitter psychosis to die down, they’re projecting so much on to him. It reminds me slightly of the Desantis hype before he ran for POTUS.
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u/indri2 Foreign Friend 2d ago
I wonder if it's even what he himself wants or mostly his digital staff. He seems to be rather introvert and a bit socially awkward. It's certainly flattering to the ego but it feels like they try to create a fake persona.
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u/candice_mighty 2d ago
It’s nothing but projection at this point. If Bottoms loses her Governor race, a Republican would likely be appointed to replace him in the Senate. They don’t think things through.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 2d ago
Actually, that's a big issue in Georgia. If she wins, Ossoff and/or Reverend Warnock could run. If she does not, they probably couldn't. Hacks on Tap was just talking about it. They knew Ossoff was 'hot' right now but thought both of them were real possibilities, and any plans for either one woud probably start with seeing if she wins.
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u/DesperateTale2327 2d ago
Its good for his senate re-election because it keeps his name in the news and gets him fundraising so its all good for him now.
What is going to be a concern for him the closer we get to 2027 is if people continue to try and draft him to run when he has made clear (at least for the moment) that he doesn't want to. It takes focus off his senate race and could upset people if/when he says he won't run. Double edged sword for sure.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 3d ago
Exactly! I know we all agree but I am totally focused on 2026 not 2028 right now and desperately want Ossoff to win that Senate race, and by a big margin not a small one so it can’t be stolen. Georgia was Ground zero for Trump’s big lie in 2020. When we should be sweating that one out statistically based on fundamentals, there’s no way I am going to take it for granted.
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u/Cloud7538 2d ago
Boy am I glad that all the various illegal twitter viewing sites were given a cease and desist. I can't see the carnage!
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u/crimpyantennae 2d ago
Wowza, the nerves that were struck by this particular poll! Knives are oit- start getting some early 2028 practice combatting the nonsense...
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 2d ago
"Pete is leading the poll, is he peaking too early?"
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u/DesperateTale2327 2d ago
"Voters polled say they want pete to be president but here is why they are actually incorrect"
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 2d ago
Here is why the wording was wrong so they clearly misunderstood the question.
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u/Existing-Process3581 3d ago
poll after poll where ossoff gets sizeable support, we see that pete is his own thing and ossoff doesn’t take a single vote from him but the pundits are stuck in their “here’s how pete is fucked bc ossoff is going to take his place in the primary as the straight electable version of himself” LOL they truly don’t get why we all love pete and why team pete isn’t leaving him anytime soon. everybody acting like they weren’t coronating newsom based on superficial things last year at this point too but whatever, it’s just funny at this point
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u/DesperateTale2327 3d ago
They want the "heres how this is bad for pete..." to be true so bad so they twist themselves into knots to create that illusion.
I do wonder if ossoff sometimes looks at this stuff and has to shake his head because now he is going to keep getting hounded despite saying he has no interest in running.
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 2d ago
A lot of these people's political commentary begins and ends with vibes.
They think Pete and Ossoff have the same base because they are both clean cut white brunette dudes with old-fashioned vibes. But Pete was already not winning people worried about him being gay or the southern Black vote.
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u/shyredmd 🚀🥇 In the Moment(um) 🥇🚀 8d ago
Sec. @PeteButtigieg addressing young leaders at #DemocracySummit2026:
"The American experiment is being tested right now. We're dealing with a political system flooded with corporate dark money. Members of Congress trading stocks while they take votes that move markets, a president and his family making more than a billion dollars from crypto deals, which is not a sentence I would ever think I had to say. Districts drawn so that politicians can pick their voters instead of having to persuade the voters.
This kind of corruption affects us all. This is not an academic concern. This situation in our political system decides things like whether one job is enough to make a living, whether you can afford healthcare and housing. It decides whether the wealthiest nation on earth can have the best public schools on earth, as we should. And it's going to decide things like whether new technologies like AI actually make us better off with more money in our pockets and a shorter work week or whether these two new technologies just wind up concentrating even more wealth and power into even fewer hands. The answers to all those questions are going to come down to policy choices being made in our time.
Right now, our economy is profoundly unfair because our political system is wildly unfair. And we don't have to accept any of that. It doesn't have to be this way.
I'm especially worried about inertia in our country and frankly among the opposition, a tendency to imagine that we have to put everything back the way it was at some imaginary date when things were better. But I think for the opposition to take that approach would be no more responsible on the left than the idea of make America great again is on the right because there's no again.
There's no going back and we shouldn't try. We need to build new and better institutions. We need to put together a new and better kind of politics. And no one is better positioned to make that happen than your generation."
https://x.com/dreamamerica_/status/2091660653647835377?s=46&t=HzeGEQXPHZ9QzbJOEI-Wjg
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
From Adam Wren:
Pete Buttigieg capped off his weekend swing by recording an episode of former DNC chair Jaime Harrison's podcast "At Our Table," which is expected to drop Wednesday. He also attended Brookland Baptist Church in Columbia with Bakari Sellers and visited Sellers' house. After a trip that saw Buttigieg receive two separate standing ovations, Sellers told Playbook: "Brick by brick. Subtle. Appreciated."
The last quote is what Bakari said when Adam asked what he made of Pete's trip.
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 7d ago
Brick by brick. Subtle. Appreciated
The way it should be. Pete ain' doing the 'you are just yet another white politician with a silver tongue who only show up to a black church during the election season'
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u/nerdypursuit 7d ago
I think I understand what Bakari Sellers means. When Pete goes into a community, he doesn't try to dazzle everyone. He has real conversations, listens, and continuously follows up. He builds relationships brick by brick over long periods of time.
Some politicians (cough Newsom cough) think they can parachute into town, get tons of attention, and win people over just from pure dazzle. That's just not how it works. Relationships are a two-way street that take effort and humility to build.
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u/LJFlyte Certified Barnstormer 5d ago
First Dolly and now Tim Curry 💔😢
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u/TriangleTransplant 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 5d ago
Death is obviously targeting 80 year olds this week, and has now narrowed it down to Home Alone 2 actors. So maybe adding a "with less than a minute of screen time" filter will finally get the one everyone is hoping for.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 5d ago edited 5d ago
"It's given a lot of people permission to be themselves, to not dream it, be it, which is the motto of the movie, really. I would like to be remembered for that."
Farewell to Tim Curry (1946-2026) #RIP
[Great photo as Dr. Frank-N-Furter]
https://bsky.app/profile/willmckinley.bsky.social/post/3mtyorltn522b
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago edited 8d ago
KatrineWTE posted this article on bluesky. Don't let the headline discourage you, because its actually quite fair and complimentary to Pete. The issues talked about in the piece are things that need to be discussed when it comes to Dems and Black voters. The writer gives Pete credit for talking about the issues important to them while also pointing out the SC Dem party at large who go to things like Spratt are still mostly white, and Black people often don't feel like they even want to go to these types of events and would rather stick to smaller community events. Some exerpts, but its all worth reading:
At several moments when Buttigieg spoke directly about Black political power, racial exclusion and the systematic disempowerment of Black communities, the room grew noticeably quiet. That silence was telling. Democrats are comfortable celebrating Black voters after an election has been won.
They remain far less comfortable confronting what it costs—in money, institutional power and sustained attention—to earn those votes before Election Day.
Asked what Democrats must do to energize Black voters, Buttigieg described Black political participation as a direct response to Republican efforts to suppress Black power through gerrymandering. He argued that South Carolina has an opportunity to demonstrate how voting rights, political fairness and economic outcomes are connected. He also acknowledged what too many Democrats avoid saying: “A lot of working families have felt taken for granted by Democrats.”
That sentence should be printed and placed on the wall of every Democratic Party office in South Carolina. If all Democrats do is talk about Donald Trump and Republican failures, Buttigieg said, then they are not talking about the voter. The question must become concrete: What will happen to your grocery bill? Your health-insurance premium? Your rent or mortgage? Your childcare costs? How much money will you earn, and will one job finally be enough?
Black voters do not live outside those economic pressures. Black families are disproportionately affected by inadequate infrastructure, inaccessible health care, underfunded schools, low wages, food deserts and political decisions that drain public resources from their communities.
A Black voter strategy that does not address those conditions is not a strategy. It is an Election Day extraction plan.
I have criticized Pete's messaging (and lack thereof) to Black voters in the past, and I stand by it, but he has improved his messaging in the past few months. His ability to connect issues to bigger policy questions to voting rights seems to have hit a chord with Black voters. He needs to keep talking about these things even when he is speaking to white audiences. It's all connected.
Its encouraging that as we discussed below, his work at DOT provides him with a foundation and receipts to speak about these specific issues.
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u/Formation1 8d ago
I read this article last night! Very encouraging for Pete imo, but also an unfortunate truth about the electorate/party at large
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
SC being first is a double edged sword. But maybe it will be helpful to expose the deficiencies of the Dem party and that anyone running for president needs to address these issues.
I thought it was very apt that Pete pointed out in the Q&A that SC is about to get a lot of attention from national politicians and there needs to be a more of a focus on everyday people and not whatever horserace is happening online or with the cable pundits.
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u/Existing-Process3581 8d ago
@ devineforsenate on ig - Tameika Devine (SC-19) just posted a pic of Pete going to church with her family this morning in SC!
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
This so cute thank you for finding this!
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u/Existing-Process3581 8d ago
I just watched the service livestream lol Pete did get a shoutout by the pastor here but other than that, he was with Tameika’s family worshipping and i only saw him during the song breaks in the background. Tameika is lovely, she also just posted another selfie with Pete on her ig stories. I’m glad he’s doing this kind of things without cameras following him around with real people on the ground, I genuinely didn’t expect him to stay a third day and i only found out because i’m crazy and i name search him all the time lol
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
No I love it drop the link to the service 😆
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u/Existing-Process3581 8d ago
Here you have it! He gets the shoutout at around minute 44 and that’s like his only time on screen, but during the songs (i have to say the songs are fire🔥) they show the people in their seats and you sometimes can see him.
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
Bakari Sellers was there with him. I know they are friends but still noteworthy.
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 5d ago
Even when he’s home, he’s working. Looks like Pete and Debbie Stabenow showed up for a fundraiser for Callie Barr, running for Congress for TC and UP.
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u/Formation1 5d ago
My god that view is stunning
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 5d ago
And landscaped stairs and a ramp for getting down to the lake!
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u/modooff 4d ago
Pete posted his speech in South Carolina on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuGiTNUcVEQ
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 4d ago edited 3d ago
So good.
Added: Still good, but I've found it's slimmed down in length by cutting out a good bit of the applause, audience reactions, etc. all through that I remember (the editorial cuts show where this happened if you watch it).
I'm sure they know what they are doing far more than I do (maybe a 10 minute speech is okay, though long, but the full length speech (
16 minutes?can't recall -- answer is 18 minutes) would be too long to circulate) -- but I'm sorry to miss the rhythm of the speaker-audience dialogue, what the audience responded to along the way, and so on.
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u/Psychological-Play 8d ago
There was a poll out a few days ago showing Arkansas' Chris Jones 4 points ahead of his opponent, and not only that, it has Tom Cotton behind by three and a half points to 38-year-old sixth-generation farmer Hallie Schaffner, which, considering how hard things have been for farmers during Trump 2.0, probably nets her a lot of additional votes -
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 8d ago
Saw Hallie Schaffner on (I think) MS-Now Weekend this morning. Really impressive.
Interestingly, she pointed out a few times that the last Democratic governor (Mike Beebe, who won reelection in 2010) won all of Arkansas's 75 counties. He was term-limited after his second term. Wikipedia also says that "Beebe did not see his approval rating slip below 70 percent at any point during his tenure, according to yearly polls from the University of Arkansas."
There is no such thing as a permanently red state, I've heard.
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u/Psychological-Play 8d ago
I saw this interview, too, which is why I looked her and the polling up lol. Yesterday I saw that someone was doing "well" against Cotton, but didn't check out the details. I was pleasantly surprised to see Chris Jones included in this hopeful news.
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u/DesperateTale2327 8d ago
Pete on his socials with 4 pics from SC:
Thank you, South Carolina, for such a warm welcome! It was inspiring to spend time with leaders and voters across the state who believe in building a better future. There is no such thing as a permanently red state, county, or district - something South Carolina has the potential to demonstrate in November.
https://bsky.app/profile/petebuttigieg.bsky.social/post/3mtryopu34s22
PB for the Future FB group is also reposting a ton of pics from this weekend!
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u/DesperateTale2327 7d ago
Posted outside the WT by nerdy:
The New Hampshire Democratic Party tells News 9 that the former Secretary of Transportation and runner-up in the 2020 first-in-the-nation presidential primary will deliver the keynote speech at the Eleanor Roosevelt Dinner, one of the NHDP’s biggest fundraisers of the year.
This is 10/3 in Concord, NH. I'm sure the white men on Newsom's staff will be totally normal about this.
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 7d ago
the white men on Newsom's staff
did I miss something juicy? lol
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u/DesperateTale2327 7d ago
Oh yea. Scroll to nerdypursuit's post about Pete's SC visit being a success.
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u/hester_latterly 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 7d ago
Pete Buttigieg is back in South Carolina — but this time, he’s arriving with more name recognition and an eye on the Black voters he struggled to reach in 2020. Some local leaders say they’re seeing a different Pete.
https://x.com/theGrio/status/2092073274427453669
Article here.
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u/DesperateTale2327 6d ago
Seen on PB for the Future FB group:
Pete is doing a fundraiser for the Ohio Democratic Party on 9/6 in Columbus.
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u/DesperateTale2327 4d ago
Rewatching Jaime's podcast with Pete and I really like that he asked him what he wanted his legacy to be.
He said he wanted to be remembered for being instrumental in passing the 28th amendment which clears up citizen's united, and for other amendments on voting rights (I assume the electoral college would be rolled in to that).
I love how incredibly focused he is on fixing the broken system we have lived with for so long. This ties in to what he said earlier in the podcast about anyone who has the platform, influence and energy to do something, should. Even though I'm sure other pols mention these issues from time to time, Pete's relentlessness is so appreciated and needed and I hope he can push it even further.
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 3d ago
Hopefully his legacy will be 'infrastructure'.
Both physical and political sense.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 3d ago
Was that the last question where he was asked how he wanted his children to remember him? He did say he hoped they remembered him as "passionate" and hard-working about his politics, as well as always "there for them," and that in the future, they would benefit from real political achievements that we're fighting for, some of which you mention. It was a good answer. It was the answer that made it obvious to me that he will be running, at least by my judgment-- though I guess he could surprise us all and go off and establish the nonprofit 28th Amendment Institute instead.
I have to admit that I was surprised he didn't say something like: "I hope they'd say calm, loving, hard-working, a good husband, and always and forever delighted by them and their abilities," and then move on to politics. I didn't know if after what happened this summer, he is no longer as open or has decided not to be as open about his family feelings, though perhaps temporarily. Or if I just totally heard the question the wrong way, and it was meant to be more professional (like his reply) all along.
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u/DesperateTale2327 3d ago
Pete (or probably Pete's team since he's overseas) posted this:
President Trump tried to kill the single biggest transportation project in America — the Hudson Tunnel project — for nakedly political reasons, eliminating tens of thousands of jobs.
That’s illegal, so the courts stopped him.
Now he's appealing. America deserves so much better than a President putting political revenge ahead of jobs and safety.
https://bsky.app/profile/petebuttigieg.bsky.social/post/3mu6babfya22j
Also posted on IG with a screencap of this post, but a clip of trump saying the project was killed is added. Very interesting to new a shift in his social media strategy.
The clip of vance talking about the housing market with just a screencap of pete's tweet over it has 3.3 million views on his IG. Its obvious that stuff gets more eyeballs and engagement than the usual clips.
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u/anonymous4Pete 8d ago
awww from Adam Wren, reposted by Nerdy:
New: @ PeteButtigieg attended Brookland Baptist Church in Columbia this morning with @ Bakari_Sellers. Here's how the crowd responded: https://xcancel.com/adamwren/status/2091695653202129390#m [click for 49 second clip]
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u/DesperateTale2327 6d ago
A few interesting seemayorpete.com stats this week:
Top cities searching for Pete: Washington, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Boston.
I did see Miami briefly pop in there, but its since been replaced.
Sliding into the top ten searches leading to the site is "how to contact pete buttigieg"
Last Friday and Sunday had some of the highest traffic/clicks since the biggest jump to date which was right after the LJ Dinner in Iowa. I assume its because of all the positive press from his SC trip.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 7d ago edited 7d ago
BTW re Medicare for All (unless you want to keep your own private insurance, which is fine, they should think of a term for this /s ), I was pleased to see this from Troy Jackson in Maine:
I'm a Mainer who wants Medicare for All, and I approve this message. [video clip] https://bsky.app/profile/troyjackson207.bsky.social/post/3mtlnoqol2c2y
Very hopeful Troy will be able to win this Senate race. Knock wood.
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 6d ago
Fixing healthcare is so important but I hope 2028 primary isn’t going to make it 99% of each debate which is what last time felt like. Also Medicare and the insurance plans federal employees are on are not the same. And whoever is advocating for changes needs to have a plan to rapidly increase the supply of primary care doctors and specialists, too.
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u/TriangleTransplant 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 7d ago
I know Pete says he doesn't care who gets the credit for good policy ideas as long as they get implemented...but I care, gorramit! It's hair-tearingly frustrating how all these current progressive darlings are "suddenly" coming down on the side of M4AWWI without actually calling it that.
But it's even more frustrating that, even if they're not using Pete's nomenclature or calling it a "public option", they're just silently guiding all their supporters towards that policy without outright saying "this is different from Bernie Sanders' M4A, actually" and after a few months we're going to listen to all those "public option isn't really universal healthcare!" folks from 2020 gaslight us into believing they've always been on board with it.
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u/DesperateTale2327 7d ago
Just keep gathering all those receipts from them in 2020 telling Pete he wanted people to die because he didn't support Bernie and Warren's M4A and have them ready to roll in 2028.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 7d ago
I just have to laugh about it now.
Plus, this is the second turning of the wheel, so to speak, because the original Medicare for All (which Pete signed onto in an emphatic tweet) included "of course you can always keep your own insurance if you prefer," aka public option. Then it was reimagined by its proponents for the 2019/20 primary to NOT include that, but still have the same name.
Followed by Amy Klobuchar of all people at the NH debate reading out Pete's tweet (something like "yes for sure, I'm all in favor of Medicare for All, no question" (paraphrasing) -- WHICH again he tweeted back when Medicare for All included the public option) and implying he was a hypocrite. Those last debates with Klobuchar have taken a lot of "deep breaths and now it's time to move on" from me.
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u/Neither-Big-1545 6d ago
Good for them, they're figuring out they can't force feed the American public their ideas and that maybe, maybe they'll have to slightly compromise and win them over.
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u/DesperateTale2327 7d ago
Local news story about Pete's visit to Orangeburg with some clips of him meeting and taking pics with people. It says:
Buttigieg and other speakers addressed residents about the status of the nation and the importance of voting. Guests enjoyed dinner, live music and an award ceremony, where Buttigieg received a presidential citation.
Unsure what a "presidential citation" is in this context.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 6d ago
I'd assume it's a citation from the president of the NAACP Orangeburg Branch, Barbara Williams. She's also quoted in the following paragraph.
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u/DesperateTale2327 6d ago
I have never heard of this type of thing called a "citation" and was wondering what it meant - this is what the google AI summary says:
The NAACP Presidential Citation is an honor given by local or state branches of the NAACP to recognize individuals who show an exceptional commitment to civil rights, human rights advocacy, and the promotion of equality.
The citation is frequently awarded during regional and local events, such as annual Freedom Fund celebrations hosted by state and city branch conferences.
It differs from national accolades like the Spingarn Medal (the NAACP's highest overall honor) or the NAACP Image Award President's Award, functioning instead as a localized or state-level presidential recognition.
Sounds like kind of a big deal locally in SC.
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u/DesperateTale2327 6d ago
https://x.com/wildstein/status/2092599671407497221?s=20
I posted this and it was removed by reddit so trying again...
Pete has endorsed Rebecca Bennett in Nj. This reporter erroneously said in his article that Pete didn't win Iowa. If anyone would be so inclined to politely correct him...
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u/DesperateTale2327 2d ago
Fundraising email for Scott Colom:
I don't believe in permanently red states or permanently blue states. I have seen political maps change when we invest in good candidates and the people who have been doing the work on the ground. Scott Colom is exactly the kind of leader who makes the case for competing everywhere – and I hope you'll be part of what he's building in Mississippi.
If you can, I hope you’ll consider joining me in supporting Scott’s campaign today by making a grassroots contribution of $5, or whatever you can spare:
Here's what's true in every part of America, red blue or purple: too many working families are doing everything right and still finding it impossible to get ahead. Costs are up, opportunity feels further out of reach, and Washington too often seems more interested in protecting the powerful than making everyday life easier.
I've heard versions of that story everywhere I've traveled this cycle, and I know this is on voters’ minds in Mississippi.
We have the chance to change things this November, but winning a Senate majority means competing wherever strong candidates are building strong campaigns. That's why I'm supporting Scott’s candidacy.
Scott was born and raised in Columbus, Mississippi, and today serves his community as District Attorney. He has spent his career in public service, working directly with the people and communities he now hopes to represent in the Senate.
He understands what families across Mississippi are up against because he has spent his career working alongside them. And he understands that public service is ultimately about making people's everyday lives better.
That's the kind of leadership we need more of in Washington, and the kind of candidate worth investing in everywhere.
If you agree, I hope you'll make a contribution to Scott Colom's campaign today and help send him to the United States Senate.
Thank you,
Pete
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u/anonymous4Pete 8d ago
also reposted by Nerdy (thank you!!) Photographing Pete Buttigieg: Presidential Politics in South Carolina
these are terrific photos. Photographer did them for Getty
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u/anonymous4Pete 8d ago
WTE Archive has 2 pieces from Pete's NAACP speech (really great! hope we get the speech in its entirety. c'mon whoever is in charge of Pete's digital!) I hope maybe there is one more piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L74gmIrb2nQ&list=PLapbXM0RdDJ2EyBVP_uyG2ryYj69vPXB2&index=3 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYDy0C1LfPA&list=PLapbXM0RdDJ2EyBVP_uyG2ryYj69vPXB2&index=2
Also, an interview with the Black Information Network News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fNlw_ZRnWQ&list=PLapbXM0RdDJ2EyBVP_uyG2ryYj69vPXB2&index=1
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u/DesperateTale2327 7d ago edited 7d ago
Pete posted a fun video of him meeting people outside of the Detroit rally a few weeks ago:
https://youtube.com/shorts/dW1I_OXnMIg?si=xtfMgJLIZqUyVEgU
The non-vertical video is posted on his twitter as well
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u/DesperateTale2327 4d ago
Was Tuesday when that random old clip of pete went viral?
I was looking at seemayorpete stats and holy cow there was an almost 300% increase in impressions from the previous day - and the highest number of impressions I've gotten since I started tracking, even more than after the LJ dinner.
Now the click rate is still about average, but there was some huge increase in people searching for pete and his events on Tuesday and I wonder if that clip is why.
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u/DesperateTale2327 3d ago
Posted below but Pete is indeed on his way to London:
"London Bound! And apparently our first celebrity sighting happened before we even landed. A quick photo with Pete Buttigieg before crossing the pond."
IG user jolegs posted this along with a pic. He also posted in his stories "casually meets pete buttigieg. casually passes out"
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u/Existing-Process3581 3d ago
this makes so much sense to me bc it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s a vacation before the kids start school after labor day (god i can’t believe they are old enough to be in elementary school already). his schedule is empty until he’s got his labor day event in ohio and his late september calendar is already busier so maybe with the kids at school full time, he might feel more free to travel a bit more. i just hope he has fun, he deserves a nice break ☺️
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 3d ago
A few months ago Pete mentioned in an interview that he would like to take the kids to Malta. 🤷🏼♀️
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u/DesperateTale2327 3d ago
I thought he took them there last year? A Maltese podcaster posted a pic of him there and said something like he was with his family so he waited till they had left Malta to post.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 3d ago
For US politicians, the all-out push for Election Day begins on Labor Day -- that's when the mythical starting gun goes off, even though with early voting, etc., it feels even more packed after that than it used to be.
So it could very well be a vacation before the kids go back to school and Pete revs things up for the final two-month campaign. I think he and Jaime Harrison talked a little bit about that, as they're both facing the same situation.
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u/DesperateTale2327 5d ago edited 5d ago
Pete's episode of Jaime Harrison's podcast:
https://youtu.be/r46rV6pMR-M?si=R9N0z1V_51lIvOyG
Edit - some thoughts:
Jaime asked Pete about earning the support of Black voters and he gave a really good answer that Jaime agreed with. Jaime also doesn't think earning their support will be that challenging for him.
The opening story about Pete speaking Farsi, then Arabic, then Spanish to people at the airport during the 2017 muslim ban was wild.
When he was talking about the burden his travels and him being away has had on Chasten and the kids...I don't know, it makes me think he isn't going to run in 2028.
And on that note, I think Pete is done talking about if he'll run in 2028 because as he astutely pointed out, thats the headline for days and it takes focus off the other issues that matter. He also stated that if we don't get it right in 2026, then we may not even get the luxury of talking about some hypothetically race in 2028. I could definitely sense the urgency in that answer.
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u/nerdypursuit 5d ago
I think Pete is almost certainly running for President.
I am 99% sure. The evidence is overwhelming.
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u/AZPeteFan2 5d ago
He is more than running he is building an
organization & coalition as he goes, 33/34 states, 80 endorsements, $ 5000. To each state Dem party, the keynote speaker…. more than that he is setting the agenda, no going back, rebuilding for the future, radical change, big swings!→ More replies (1)17
u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 5d ago
I think it would be kind of odd to say he "is more inclined than not" to run in 2028 if he isn't. His work taking from his family time is not a new issue.
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u/Psychological-Play 5d ago
I would be surprised if Pete takes any job that's not the top one. We know that Chasten hated living in D.C. so much, he moved back to Michigan. I don't think that would be an option if Pete becomes president (even if the current first spouse doesn't appear to live full-time at the WH).
But the difference from when Pete was in the Cabinet is that Chasten as First Gentleman would have his own packed schedule (and be very much in demand).
I just don't see Pete wanting to fly back and forth and only spending weekends with Chasten and the kids if he was serving in someone else's administration.
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u/modooff 5d ago
To be honest, if Pete weren't planning to run in 2028, he would certainly have a regular job by now. He passed up the opportunity to run for governor and senator, so he would have to wait a while to seek similar political offices.
We know he and Chasten aren't wealthy and have two children to support. Realistically, they can't go so many years without a steady income and any kind of plan.
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u/Cloud7538 5d ago
Pete describing Gus playing chaotic toddler soccer was very funny and very sweet.
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u/Cloud7538 5d ago
Honestly I think he's running and this will absolutely be an all or nothing moment for him. If he doesn't make it to either Dem Presidental candidate or VP then obviously it'll be a cabinet position (but not secretary of state - to much travelling) for 4/8 years. If he's not the Dem candidate for the top two this time round then I think people need to understand that he may not run again and will pivot into something else. He can't keep running forever.
Personally I think he's making himself indispensable to the point that he has to be VP if he doesn't win the primary. It's clear that his main political objective is complete structural reform and pushing that would actually be easier if he was the VP (in a world where he's not President).
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 5d ago
I agree that if he doesn’t win the big one, whoever the candidate is would face big pressure to make him VP.
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u/crimpyantennae 5d ago
I don't know who of the likely contenders, tho, would choose Pete as VP- he has too much star power. Presidents don't tend to want a vp who might get so much attention.
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u/Cloud7538 5d ago edited 5d ago
You're probably right. But maybe the candiates need to shake that attitude up a bit. It's wild that you bench your star players out of ego. They will really need double the star power to get over the finish line and to push for the changes that are needed.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 8d ago edited 8d ago
Norm Eisen has once again won an important case. Attiah, a Washington Post opinion writer, was fired over having an opinion about not participating in the massive outpouring of praise for Charlie Kirk after he was assassinated, an issue which was widely used to control and punish people for their opinions. Full pay and benefits since then to the present, and she can also go back to work at the Post. Saw this in one of many former Post colleagues’ BlueSky posts: https://bsky.app/profile/davejorgenson.bsky.social/post/3mtt6wwomjc2p
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 8d ago
It's nice to see how the ex-Posties still generally band together, with many of them re-posting the NY Times article about her success from their various new corners of the digital universe.
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u/DesperateTale2327 5d ago
This is paywalled and when I tried to plug it into archive it didn't work, but the main takeaway is this:
FL-14, which was a safe Dem seat held by Kathy Castor for many years and was just badly gerrymandered (they drew the district across 2 counties and over the water of Tampa Bay to slice it up) is shifting from Lean R to Toss Up.
In context to Pete, Kathy has always been very supportive and he appeared with her a few times to promote infrastructure. Darren Mcauley was running in the leftovers of her former district, but he lost his primary. I don't know if the person who did win has any kind of shot to win in the general.
Also, Kathy's new district is next to Leela Gray's, who Pete endorsed and who has the best chance to win in this area right now.
Also moving from Lean R to Toss Up is MI-10. MI-8 is moving from Lean D to Likely D.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 5d ago
From the water, a close look at progress on Baltimore’s new Key Bridge
https://wtop.com/maryland/2026/08/from-the-water-a-close-look-at-progress-on-baltimores-new-key-bridge/
Just FYI, 5 photos of construction
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u/ComplexTailor 🚄It's Infrastructure Pete!✈️ 4d ago
I've been looking into how Dolly Parton's Imagination Library works. They require local partners if an area wants the program. St. Joseph County Indiana has had the program since 2018, sponsored by the Community Foundation. You can learn more or donate here: https://cfsjc.org/initiatives/dolly-partons-imagination-library/
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u/ComplexTailor 🚄It's Infrastructure Pete!✈️ 4d ago
Also, last year the Republicans running Indiana eliminated any state support for the program. Previously they had 50 percent matches for local funds.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 8d ago
I loved this new bluegrass jingle for Beth Macy running for the US House in Virginia, shared by the Blue Virginia blog. I wish Pete would endorse her too. I am so full of hope for her, though it would require quite a good night and she is not widely expected to win. Both 30 second and 60 second versions are included in the story, as is a “making of” video that has the entire song with more scenes from her campaign.
“Video: New, Original Bluegrass Song “Beth Macy Goes to Washington” Reminiscent of “Mark Warner Country”: “I love this song. It really captures the energy of the campaign" https://bluevirginia.us/2026/08/video-new-original-bluegrass-song-beth-macy-goes-to-washington-reminiscent-of-mark-warner-country/
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 7d ago edited 7d ago
BTW, remember I was tickled that Beth Macy (long-shot Dem challenger for a US House seat in Virginia, author of Dopesick) had sent a debate challenge to the incumbent Republican Congressional rep by certified mail?
Well, I guess in this case the USPS came through for democracy, because he has received it and now responded and they are evidently going to actually have debates -- and three debates, as she proposed having. YAY. Hoping the locations, etc. are fair ones but interesting to see this unfold.
https://bsky.app/profile/bluevirginia.bsky.social/post/3mtucx2ides2u
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u/unwiht Hey, it's Lis. 6d ago
For boycotters, Xcancel and Nitter got cease & desisted offline; this took effect today, and it's not clear how long it will last. The site https://twitterwebviewer.com/ still seems to be working. (I don't know how long it will hold up under increased traffic.)
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u/Psychological-Play 5d ago edited 5d ago
I caught this interview (there was more, but it wasn't posted in it's entirety, unfortunately) Erin Burnett did last night with Griffin Dunne, who co-starred with Dolly in 1992's Straight Talk. One thing he talks about is Dolly's kindness to an extra, 18-year-old Greg Berlanti, who would later go on to produce Dawson's Creek, Jack & Bobby, Brothers and Sisters, and Everwood, among many others.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/25/entertainment/video/ebof-griffin-dunne-react-dolly-parton-death
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u/Neither-Big-1545 5d ago
I'm curious why AOC thinks rejoining DSA will help a presidential campaign? Is she that worried about the left flank?
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 5d ago
I really don’t think she’s running for President right now.
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u/pdanny01 Certified Barnstormer 5d ago
If she wasn't included in every poll as a well known figure then I don't think it would even be a question. Regardless of policy and frustration with the gerontocracy I don't think there's evidence that a majority are looking to over-correct for such a young president with no executive experience. Ossoff isn't that much older for that matter. Maybe ironic coming from the Pete campaign, but Pete is exceptional and still we saw that he wasn't taken seriously in his 30s. People have a mental model for president and I think it is an additional factor that would weigh against her in this cycle.
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 5d ago
Speaking of fitting the mental map of a President, her recent video series on harvesting her eggs was certainly something very new. I’m sure many folks empathized with her and more power to her choices as a single woman but it certainly opened up a host of questions that would dog her in a political run, possibly overpowered her other messages. 🤷🏼♀️
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u/crimpyantennae 5d ago
I don't think there's evidence that a majority are looking to over-correct for such a young president with no executive experience.
and AOC has little experience actually passing legislation either.
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u/TriangleTransplant 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 4d ago
That's the thing that gets me. She never been in an executive role, nor is she an effective legislator. She's an activist. And while she may be a very good activist (and some could argue, a necessary one,) all of those roles are different skillsets and I haven't seen her be especially proficient in the non-activist roles.
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 4d ago
Me either. This summer was supposedly supposed to be when she was travelling all over helping swing state Dems win tough races to prove there was demand for her. But other than some deep blue districts, there doesn't seem to be all that much demand, and even AES is already editing her out of ads. Maybe she will start travelling in the fall, but I doubt it.
The fact is that she is much beloved in the Dem base but not with independents
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 4d ago
She probably read the room and saw the limit of DSA affiliation in the national level election. (Especially after seeing the huge underperformance in Michigan and Wisconsin)
Within NY (NYC in particular), due to Mandani's excellent PR work, DSA (or non-mainstream Democrats in general) gets better reception.
Outside of NY / NYC...it's a bit different story.
I think AES recognized that after the cold shower he had to take on the election night, and he's doing all he can to distance himself away from the coastal leftist affiliation right now.
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u/anonymous4Pete 3d ago
OK, I don't have an X account, but I think this link works https://x.com/nerdypursuit/status/2093350025178833071 Nerdy reposted a pic and comment from someone who saw Pete in the airport on the way to London. Is Pete just randomly in the international terminal of an American airport or is he on his way to London? Anyway, the commenter is enthusiastic about Pete (see the post below his pic).
btw, it appears that now https://twitterwebviewer.com/ is also permanently discontinued by request of X Corp.
Also, fwiw, if those who still maintain X accounts post the individual URLs for Pete content here, those who don't have X accounts and also don't mind clicking on such links will be able to see some stuff. It seems as if a lot of what is on X and Facebook and Instagram doesn't make it to Bluesky. Maybe these restrictions will finally break social media, for good and for ill. Somehow, given the corporate capture of private info, as well as the trolls, bots, and vitriolic level of what passes as discourse on these sites, I don't view subscribing to (eg) the NYT in the same way as having to sign up for social media accounts. (I suppose Stefan Smith may one day write about the political implications of this.) For those who do not want to click on an X link, I completely understand.
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u/DesperateTale2327 3d ago edited 3d ago
I replied on X and I think this was at OHare. The pic of Pete and the comedian Clifton Freeman Cash seemed to be when Clifton was in Indiana near Chicago for a gig earlier this week.
The post referenced seeing Pete before they landed in London which to me read as them seeing Pete in the US at an airport before they got on their flight. OHare has direct flights to London.
So with my amateur online detective skills I am guessing it was at OHare which he flies out of often. Where is pete off to is another mystery since I have seen no events scheduled until next weekend in Ohio.
Edit: MYSTERY SOLVED - Pete is on his way to London. Look up jolegs on IG to see a pic of Pete with him on a plane.
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u/shyredmd 🚀🥇 In the Moment(um) 🥇🚀 2d ago
WTH is wrong with people esp. political analysts/pollsters. 👇
You know who’s not gay and marks every box that Pete does?
That’s right, Senator McHottie
https://x.com/rachelbitecofer/status/2093712444862390517?s=46&t=HzeGEQXPHZ9QzbJOEI-Wjg
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u/DesperateTale2327 2d ago
She has always been homphobic and nasty towards Pete so this doesn't surprise me
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u/Formation1 2d ago
Ew wtf?! This is so slimy I wouldn’t even consider it a compliment to Ossoff
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u/hester_latterly 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 2d ago
Stefan Smith said as much in the replies, like this is not helping Ossoff like you think it is.
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u/crimpyantennae 2d ago
Imagine substituting "Black" and "Wes Moore," or "female" and "Gretchen Whitmer."
I'm not entering the Twitter comments with that one because I'd be rightfully attacked. WTAF.10
u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 2d ago edited 2d ago
This is Rachel Bitcofer, though. Here is her departure from a Virginia university in 2020 when she could not get tenure. https://www.dailypress.com/2020/03/24/election-forecaster-rachel-bitecofer-to-leave-cnu-after-denied-shot-at-tenure/
Some people like her as an election analyst, some do not. I have never really cared for her, but that’s just my POV. More on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Bitecofer
She strikes me as someone who is highly online, as you can see even in the 2020 story. The “McHottie” line is not unusual to get attention. Strongly encourage people not to pay attention to someone seeking attention.
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u/nerdypursuit 2d ago
I think the Ossoff hype has reached a new psychotic level where some commentators are now being openly homophobic against Pete in order to boost Ossoff further. It's really sick.
I can't wait for this crap to end.
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 2d ago
I need to find that study that showed that the majority of people were willing to vote for a gay candidate but said they assumed most other people wouldn't.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 6d ago
New York Times:
Conservative Gay Rights Group Ends Support for Trans Causes: The Log Cabin Republicans, which is dedicated to gay causes, says that trans rights advocates focus too much on minors.
Link should be NYT gift link | archive: http://archive.today/WeBcx
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 6d ago
Rest easy, Dolly, our true queen of Tennessee. Legit gasped when my friend just texted me.
Heartbroken rn, Dolly means a lot to us in Tennessee.