DETROIT — In the second round of last night’s Democrat primary debates in Detroit, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg insisted that the United States is in crisis.
“I’m running for president because America is running out of time,” Buttigieg said in his opening statement. “It is even bigger than the emergency of the Trump presidency. Ask yourself how somebody like Donald Trump even gets within cheating distance of the oval office in the first place.”
Buttigieg said Donald Trump must be removed. He argued that Democrats must put forth bold new ideas and to not falter to stereotypes of Democrats that he said are being pushed by Republicans.
“It’s true that if he embrace a far-left agenda, they’re going to say we’re bunch of crazy socialists,” said Buttigieg. “If we embrace a conservative agenda, they’re still going to call us a bunch of crazy socialists. So lets just stand up for the right policy and go out there and defend it.”
The discussion also took to the topic of the second amendment. Buttigieg said universal background checks are a must moving forward when it comes to the sale of firearms.
He added that “assault weapons” such as what he carried overseas during his time in the Navy, saying they “have no business in American neighborhodds during peace time.”
As for the rest of the candidates, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders, the top polling progressive candidates in the field, appeared to separate themselves from the more moderate candidates.
Rep. John Delaney has been critical of “Medicare for All” arguments. Warren called Delaney’s views on the subject “Republican talking points.”
Sticking with that line of questioning about the progressive policy, Sanders was asked if he could promise union workers that Medicare for All would provide the same quality healthcare benefits they have now. Sanders said it would improve them.
“You don’t know that, Bernie,” said Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan.
“I do know, I wrote the damn bill,” Sanders immediately fired back.
Also among the talking points was climate change, which Montana Governor Steve Bullock said he wouldn’t be able to tackle as president until Republicans acknowledge that it is real.
Like in his initial arguments, Buttigieg said the world is “running out of time” when it comes to climate change.
(PHOTO: CNN)
