MANCHESTER, N.H. — Former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg is defending his experience and whether that qualifies him to be president.
Buttigieg argued that it’s time for new leadership, while Former VP Joe Biden said the nation needs someone who knows how to get things done.
“We need a perspective right now that will finally allow us to leave the politics of the past, in the past,” Buttigieg said.
“Politics of the past, I think, are not all that bad,” said Joe Biden in response. “I wrote the ‘Violence Against Women Act’.”
During Friday’s Democratic presidential debate in New Hampshire, Buttigieg talked about his life experience, including military service in Afghanistan. He also noted that he lives in a middle-class neighborhood in the industrial Midwest.
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar said President Trump was a “newcomer in the White House and look where that got us.”
Meantime, businessman Tom Steyer stressed that Democratic candidates must challenge Trump on the economy and stop fighting amongst themselves over healthcare.
Buttigieg also defended his record on African-American issues, including investments made in that community while he was mayor. On NBC’s Meet the Press, Buttigieg addressed the looming presence of Michael Bloomberg, saying “money alone can’t buy elections.”
He added that candidates can’t forgo face-to-face contact with voters. Buttigieg will look to continue his momentum on Tuesday when New Hampshire voters cast their ballots in the state’s first-in-the-nation primary.
The New Hampshire primary is tomorrow.
(PHOTO: WIn McNamee/Getty Images)
