Gaming the Field for 2020: Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg is the Mayor of South Bend, Indiana - population 102,000. Back in January, “Mayor Pete,” as he’s known at home (let’s face it, he has a hard last name to pronounce) launched an exploratory bid for president of the United States.

When Amy Walter sat down with Buttigieg she was curious to find out what he thinks distinguishes him as a candidate.

"I think I distinguish myself as a millennial midwestern mayor at a time when my party has struggled to connect to the industrial midwest, that's where I'm from the so-called rust belt. At a time when we’ve sometimes looked too readily to Washington for leadership, I'm a mayor and I have a very different reality in terms of government at the city level - which I would argue is the level of American democracy that is working best today - and I do have a millennial perspective too that is that of belonging to the generation that will be on the receiving end of decisions being made today on everything from gun safety to climate change."

The historic nature of a potential run for president is not lost on Buttigieg but he also realizes he has to offer more to be a serious contender.

"Whatever is in your profile on paper maybe gets you a look but then pretty quickly the conversation evolves to what it is you have to say and how you say it."

Amy's Final Take: When you are a small fish swimming in a big pond - especially a pond filled with fish who have lots of star power and name recognition - well, you’ve got a lot to prove. Part of the reason Buttigieg has been able not just to capture the media attention but to keep it is because he’s incredibly articulate. He knows what he wants to say and how to say it. That includes how he positions himself in a primary where there’s a growing divide over whether Democrats should put forward the candidate with the boldest, most aggressive agenda. Or if they need to promote the candidate who is more pragmatic and incremental.

Plus, Amy Walter talks to two reporters who have been on the 2020 campaign trail to get the sense of what things are like on the ground.

Juana Summers is a national political reporter covering the 2020 campaign for the Associated Press, and Annie Linskey is a national political reporter covering the 2020 campaign for The Washington Post.