“‘I used to serve drinks at Pete Buttigieg’s little political club at the Institute of Politics,’ @RubenGallego said. ‘I hated them all.’”https://t.co/0jtraMBTrF
— Kara Voght (@karavoght) March 8, 2023
When I first posted this on Saturday evening, I thought I’d used an unpaywalled link, but somehow I botched it. Hopefully *this* link will work better, because it’s worth sharing!
Crappy tagline, pretty good article (by Ben Terris). Do not miss the nitwit Repub chickensh*ts posturing about their gun-cred, below the fold:
… When Gallego returned home, the post-traumatic stress from his time in Iraq changed his life.
His PTSD gave him recurring nightmares, often about Marines from his company — 22 of whom had been killed during his deployment. It sometimes caused him to drink and smoke too much. It put a strain on his marriage, which ended in divorce. And it made him prone to what he called “extreme outbursts.”
It also, in a way, made him a congressman.
“I had an addiction to artificial points of success,” Gallego said during an interview in his Capitol Hill office. “Like being able to run for this or run for that.”
Gallego had been ambitious before he went to war, but after, he went into overdrive: entering politics as an operative, winning a seat in the Arizona State House and, in 2015, heading to Washington to represent the Phoenix area in the United States House of Representatives.
His successes were a shield — a way to prove to himself and others that he was doing fine, and a way to keep his mind from having time to wander. “I was always trying to keep myself busy,” he said…
Gallego’s adopted state of Arizona has recently become ground zero for some of the country’s most-crazed politics: “Cyber Ninjas” looking for election fraud where it doesn’t exist; a former dentist turned congressman who was stripped of his committee assignments for posting a cartoon that showed him murdering Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.); a MAGA celebrity, Kari Lake, who still refuses to concede her defeat in the 2022 race for governor. Gallego is the first entrant in a contest that’s almost two years away, but he could well be running against Lake, and also Sinema — the corporate Democrat turned independent who spent much of the past two years stymying her former party’s legislative agenda.
To stand out, Gallego has spent a lot of time talking about progressive politics — with hopes of raising the minimum wage and lowering the cost of prescription drugs.
But Gallego has also made mental health an important part of his campaign. Specifically, his own…
“Americans are starting to understand and trust leaders who have dealt with their stuff,” said Jason Kander. “Because everyone has their stuff.”
After four years of Donald Trump’s chaotic presidency, three years of a global pandemic, screaming matches about what books belong in libraries and an insurrection at the seat of American democracy — voters may have more “stuff” than ever…
On a recent Wednesday, Gallego power-walked down the hall of the Rayburn House Office Building to be on time for a hearing held by House Committee on Natural Resources. In normal times, this committee’s top priorities include overseeing geological surveys, international fishing agreements and historical battlefields. But, since these are not normal times, before the committee could turn its attention to, say, the Mining Law of 1872, members needed to discuss whether they would be allowed to do so while armed.
“How many members feel like they would need to carry weapons into our committee hearings?” Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) had asked, after proposing a firearm ban.
A few hands went up, including freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) who was wearing a lapel pin that resembled a semiautomatic rifle, and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) who once owned a gun-themed restaurant called Shooters Grill.
“I feel I need one everywhere here,” Boebert said.
“And would those be loaded weapons, presumably?” Huffman asked.
“Not an unloaded weapon!” Boebert scoffed.
“Do you think we’re going to hurt you?” Luna chimed in later. “We would never hurt you. I would use my firearm to defend you. Just to be clear.”…
Boebert made the point that there were “unhinged” people out there, and that there were plenty of examples of political violence to point to as cautionary tales: the time a deranged gunman shot up a baseball practice attended by congressional Republicans; the 1954 attack on the Capitol by Puerto Rican nationalists. As Boebert spoke, Gallego, rested his hand on his chin and raised his eyebrows.
“The member from Colorado forgot to mention January 6th, which was also an assault on representatives,” Gallego said.
“Yes, it was awful when Ashli Babbitt was murdered,” Boebert interrupted, referring to the woman who was shot and killed by Capitol Police while attempting to climb through a shattered window into the Speaker’s Lobby.
Gallego had been on the House floor that day, had stood on a chair and helped his fellow members put on their gas masks. In problem-solver mode, he made a plan to use the pen in his jacket pocket as a shiv if he had to fight. (“If it got to it, I would stab someone in the eye and take whatever weapon they had,” he said.) Later, he counseled fellow members of Congress about how to deal with their insurrection-related PTSD…
Baud
Lifted from my earlier comment. Another possible rising star.
SiubhanDuinne
Why does Gallego have such a hair up his ass about Secretary Pete? I always thought he had more class than that. And yes, I read the article when it was first posted yesterday. I want to like him and support him, but his talking about Pete Buttigieg’s “little club” and saying he “hated them all” gets in my way, sorry.
zhena gogolia
@Baud: My husband loved it.
zhena gogolia
@SiubhanDuinne: Me too. Didn’t get past it.
He did something else annoying a while ago, can’t remember what, but it made me lose any interest in him.
Baud
@zhena gogolia:
Is he a normie?
eclare
@Baud: That was good!
raven
@SiubhanDuinne:
August 11, 2022
Press Release
PHOENIX, AZ – Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, along with Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-09) and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, gathered today at the Audubon Center in South Phoenix to announce $25 million in funding for the Rio Reimagined 3rd Street Bicycle-Pedestrian Project, a bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the Rio Salado along the 3rd Street alignment between Central Avenue and 40th Street.
“Building out infrastructure, especially in South Phoenix, is key to growing our district’s economy, getting more people to work, and connecting communities across the Valley,” said Rep. Gallego. “Thanks to the leadership of this administration, we’re now seeing much-needed investments made in historically underserved communities like South Phoenix. I’m excited to join Sec. Buttigieg today to announce this $25 million grant and will continue to push for more dollars to come back to Arizona to meet the demand of our growing city.”
eclare
@zhena gogolia:
Didn’t Pete have some fund raiser in a wine cave, or something like that, IIRC? I mean all pols fund raise, but I guess “wine cave” struck some people wrong.
You’re not going to raise much through pancake breakfasts…
narya
I read that to mean “hated it while Gallego was at Harvard.” And I can imagine a person from his background, at Harvard, feeling that way. I didn’t take it as a comment on how he currently feels about or deals with Pete.
$8 blue check mistermix
@SiubhanDuinne: Gallego and Mayor Pete represent two very different approaches to politics. Pete is very cautious. Gallego is, well, not cautious, to put it mildly. Pete going on Fox News is, to me, practicing the politics of 1995, no matter the “sick burns” he gets in. I’m pretty sure Gallego doesn’t go on Fox. Pete has done an OK job at Transportation. I’m sure his staffing choices, organizational command there is top notch, but he hasn’t been a very strong voice against corporate greed with both Southwest and Norfolk Southern. It just isn’t in his character: he’s a corporate consultant through and through.
I thinks there’s a place for both Mayor Pete and Gallego in the Democratic party but I don’t think Pete’s approach or his temperament is a right match for this historical moment, so I won’t be supporting him for anything.
The Moar You Know
I don’t get a vote on the man, but if he were running in California I would not be voting for him.
Had quite enough “people dealing with their shit in office” with the former president, thanks.
Mel
@Baud:
Jackson has such an easy, conversational communication style in that clip, along with verbal clarity and a calm, straightforward demeanor.
I hate the fact that optics matter at all in something as important as electing the people who represent us, but sadly, they do to some voters, and Jackson has camera appeal, as well.
Any NC folks out there know more about his background or his reputation in terms of constituent service?
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
Trump wasn’t dealing with his shit in office. We were dealing with Trump’s shit while he was in office.
I find the notion of a politician being open and honest about his personal difficulties and shortcomings to be rather refreshing and an overall good thing.
eclare
@Mel: There were good reasons Bill Clinton was called the explainer in chief after the 2012 convention. It matters. More important, it works.
eclare
@raven: Thanks for this!
zhena gogolia
@Baud: A normie somewhat radicalized by me.
He was Bernie-curious at one time, but was also a Republican at one time.
ETA: He gets the best of both worlds with Biden, whom he’s always liked and I like now too.
$8 blue check mistermix
@The Moar You Know:
If you have shit that needs to be dealt with — and let’s face it, pretty much every politician has a lot of it — you can either get out in front of it and show that you’re dealing with it, or hide it. Getting out in front of it is the smart move, especially for Democrats.
Betty Cracker
I like Buttigieg and Gallego both for different reasons. Each has qualities I value in a politician, but I can see how their personal styles might make them unlikely candidates to be best buddies. That’s okay
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Well said.
zhena gogolia
@Baud: Like, the day Obama picked Biden as VP was the day he went all in for Obama.
CaseyL
@zhena gogolia: IIRC, Gallego went onto one of the political talk shows and didn’t present well, IIRC. I can’t remember if the complaint was that he spoke too fast (?!) or was too strident and partisan (!!), but the reviews weren’t good.
zhena gogolia
@CaseyL: Maybe that was it.
Cameron
@$8 blue check mistermix: I seem to recall that Mayor Pete made a pitch a few years ago to become chair of the DNC. That might be a pretty good role for him.
MomSense
@Baud:
I’ve been following him since before the election and he is fantastic. He does Instagram reels explain bills before he he house, Committee hearings, etc. He is really good on camera – comes across as earnest and friendly.
My dad is trying to figure out how to make calls on his Samsung wicked smaht phone. He hated talking on the phone when we still had landlines so this is torture for him. He’s going to be home alone for four days so I’ve got eight days to show him how to use this thing. Pray for me.
Hildebrand
I find it so odd that folks really get weirdly twisted in knots in their dislike of Pete – it seems like such a visceral distaste for a pretty bog standard moderate Dem. He’s not like Sinema or Manchin, and yet the long knives come out for him in ways that seem pretty unique.
So, what did he do that grinds folks gears so spectacularly? (And no – I don’t buy that because he worked for a particular firm that that’s the whole story.)
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Betty Cracker: I go through similar issues with my own work.
I’m not perfect. Some of you here may have even figured that out. When I identify a shortcoming in my own work, I always raise it to my manager and anyone else affected.
My manager, overall, seems to like this. It saves him effort on assessment. But he wants to see, after these acknowledgements, that I’m working on these issues.
He has cautioned me about doing that with other people, too, as they may be less understanding or it may undermine my authority. This may have some bearing on how this idea affects politicians, but my conclusion is that it’s a matter of balance.
ian
@The Moar You Know:
you do get who he is running against, right? You aren’t getting less dealing with politicians’ shit in office with the alternative here.
zhena gogolia
@Hildebrand: He was very successful in a very short time, making a good showing in the primaries despite his lack of national political experience. People hate that.
Kay
I thought this was interesting:
It isn’t just Buttigieg – it’s any Democrat (and also Bernie Sanders). They speak on the network for 5 minutes and then the Fox personalities lie about what they said for the next 3 hours. It’s probably counterproductive.
Mel
@eclare: I googled Jackson, and his credentials look impressive. His wife appears to be extremely intelligent and community oriented. Looks like he got called up for National Guard service during the last weeks of his campaign, so his wife, Marisa, stepped in and took over the campaign, doing all his scheduled appearances, fielding questions, organizing the last push with campaign staffers.
Geminid
@Mel: Jeff Jackson represents North Carolina’s 14th CD, which consists of much of Charlotte and suburban Mecklenburg County. He was a State Senator before running last year in the newly created district. He won by 57.7 to 42.3%.
In 2021, Jackson started a serious campaign for the U.S. Senate seat held by Richard Burr, but in December of that year he suspended his campaign and endorsed Cheri Beasley.
Jackson is 40 years old, and is currently a Major in the Army National Guard. He served in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan as an Army JAG officer.
eclare
@Mel: That is impressive!
Baud
@Geminid: Unfortunately, NC doesn’t have a Senate seat up until 2026.
Baud
@zhena gogolia: You did good work.
Baud
@Kay: Probably, but I wish there were a way to find evidence one way or the other of the net effect.
Geminid
@Betty Cracker: And there is no reason to belief that Gallego holds a grudge against Pete Buttegieg. The quote is about an experience years ago, and is just one small part of a much longer conversation.
Items like this tend to get highlighted, though. Journalists love to toss crabapples of discord among Democrats to get them fighting. It often works.
Renie
@Baud: From the comments on Redditt he seems to be well liked in NC. His presentation was pretty good but he left out the part where SVB made bad investments in long term bonds. But Jackson has a great way of speaking. Wish we had more congress people who explained issues in simple terms.
Kay
I’ve always liked Michael Cohen. I know he’s bad! There’s just something very real about him. I think he would be fun to gossip with :)
Betty Cracker
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: It’s possible there’s greater cultural tolerance for imperfection, in the workplace, in politics, etc., which is a good thing in my book. Personally, I find it refreshing and real when people admit making mistakes, and if they’re working on their shit, that’s admirable IMO. Dog knows we all have shit to work on!
@Kay: If I were queen of the party, Dems would be required to shun Fox News. I just don’t see the upside. They aren’t a legit news outlet, and treating them as if they were lends them respectability (and access to ad dollars) they don’t deserve. (FYI, your comment went into moderation for some reason. Not sure why.)
MomSense
@narya:
Thats how I read it as well. I’ll also say that I didn’t support Pete during the primaries because of his economic development/housing actions as mayor, his all lives matter statement and a few other things. The housing issue struck me as classic arrogant McKinsey BS. He compartmentalized the issue and didn’t consider how it would harm lower income communities. I said at the time that he’s smart and that he could learn from it. To his credit he reached out to Harris and has come a long way.
Enough with the FUX though. It may be cathartic in the moment but they will twist your words in editing and they don’t deserve the legitimacy your presence confers.
Kay
Also- Cohen didn’t make any money working for Trump which is just kind of insult to injury.
He took a wrong turn somewhere, Michael Cohen. Trump was a disaster for him.
Betty Cracker
@Geminid: True. Media outlets are several days into a campaign to foment discord between people who like Sen. Warren and those who support VP Harris. I like both and will not take the bait! ;-)
Geminid
@Baud: Jackson will be 43 in 2026. Hopefully he’ll have won another Congressional term by then. North Carolina Republicans will probably redistrict again this year, and are said to have their eyes on 4 Democratic seats including Jackson’s. The 14th looks like a tough district to gerrymander, though.
zhena gogolia
@Kay: I agree. I liked Scaramucci too.
Kay
@Betty Cracker:
I of course don’t watch Fox – I don’t have cable (although I am watching MSNBC right now in a hotel so just saw my buddy Mr. Cohen) so I didn’t know they spend three hours trashing the Democrat after the Democrats 3 minute appearance.
Doesn’t seem worth it.
Albatrossity
@Baud: Yes, he is indeed a rising star. His Substack is worth following as well
Cameron
@Betty Cracker: Yeah, a Democrat could probably accomplish as much taking part in a “debate” at CPAC as they could by going on Fox.
anitamargarita
@SiubhanDuinne: that tweet without any context is just some shit-stirring. I think Gallego as a freshman on scholarship at Harvard maybe resented having to wait on fellow students. The article goes on to explore the ways that Gallego has dealt with his stuff. I seriously doubt he has any bad feeling toward Buttigieg now.
Geminid
@CaseyL: A friend of mine watched Gallego’s appearance on that show, right after Gallego announced. My friend thought he did fine. Gallego probably could have done better, but he’s a smart man and should be able to make a good adjustment to the national media stage.
schrodingers_cat
@SiubhanDuinne: @zhena gogolia: He is a “progressive” and dissing PB and KH is required to be accepted in the fold of the Maple Syrup Messiah.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@CaseyL: He went on MSNBC, O’Donnell as I recall, and was pretty clumsy about defaulting to what he thought were the best lines in his launch commercial– I think the one about the dorm at Harvard being the first time he had his own room (hardscrabble roots, meet the humble-brag). I’ve seen him a time or two since and he’s gotten better. It’s a damn shame being good on TeeVee is so important, but it is. He seems quick and clever on twitter, maybe sometimes a little too quick, assuming he does his own tweets.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@schrodingers_cat: Fighting! Controversy! DRAMA!!!1!1!
It must all always originate with the LEFT (!🤬🤬🤬!). It is known.
Betty Cracker
@Kay: Maybe I’m a sucker, but Cohen’s contrition when he was sentenced to jail for crimes committed on Trump’s behalf seemed real to me. I’ve had a soft spot for him ever since, and it still pisses me off that he got nailed for a campaign finance violation that Trump permanently skated on.
schrodingers_cat
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: We know that Saint Bernard and his MA sidekick and their followers are never wrong, they can only be wronged.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Betty Cracker: I’m totally with you here. I’m not one for grudges and Cohen gives the appearance of man who is not only sorry, but wants to make amends. Brilliant.
I’ll even go as far as to say if you’re basically kind and appear to respect the law and show an interest in helping people, I’ll provide latitude for your awful Republican beliefs. See Dan Crenshaw.
Geminid
@Betty Cracker: At the end of Cohen’s appearance, the late Chairman Elijah Cummings gave Cohen some good, almost fatherly advice from the point of view of a former criminal defense attorney. It was moving, I thought.
I really miss Elijah Cummings.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
well…. so far. Harry Littman was just on Nicolle Wallace saying what I’ve seen/heard others say, that tying trump back to the campaign finance violation, to make the falsified records misdemeanor into a felony charge is a “novel legal theory”, which as I understand is something judges don’t like.
The fact that Weisselberg’s ex-DIL was in front of the grand jury today makes me wonder if they aren’t turning up the heat on the old man, too
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@schrodingers_cat: I have no problem with insututionalist Democrats or those pushing us to think new ideas and try new things. There’s overlap between the groups and they mostly play nice.
The intra-partisan fight between [simplified] the Clinton and Sanders wings of the party is actually an example of a valid both sides issue. We need reconciliation, not interminable* sniping.
*Both constantly ongoing and without a clear point of termination. One might say obsessive or unhealthy.
zhena gogolia
Cauvin/TFG on the Oscars:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHJZVKED0-c
Betty Cracker
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I’m not a lawyer, so grain of salt, etc., but I think the statute of limitations expired on the campaign finance violation, which is why the NY prosecutors are trying to pump up the falsified records charge. I hope they succeed! But it sucks that Cohen was convicted for carrying out Trump’s criminal scheme and Individual-1 got away with it. I understand why, but it seems like an injustice.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@schrodingers_cat: Also, too, the headline that has people so hepped up about beef between Buttiegieg and Gallego doesn’t even suggest Gallego’s problem is with B, but the club itself.
This is a bogus controversy fabricated by a media hostile to the material and informational needs of the American public.
In America? Egad, how can such a thing be allowed to stand?
I’m beginning to think ::knock on wood:: Trump will finally get at least some small share of his just consequences. There are too many plausible avenues for none of them to bear fruit.
Geminid
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: I think most of the Buttegieg haters on the left are not Democrats, or identify with the party only conditionally. They will not get over Buttegieg’s coming in ahead of Sanders in the Iowa primary, and then joining Amy Klobucher in endorsing Biden before Super Tuesday. But I think most of Sanders’ supporters stopped caring about this long ago; it’s just the bitter-enders that do.
Republicans are attuned to these conflicts though, and that makes them all the more keen to vilify Buttegieg. They can’t unite their own party so they try to divide Democrats. But as our House Minority Leader would say: “Get lost.”
Geminid
@schrodingers_cat: I liked how Gallego immediately disowned the letter about Ukraine that 20 other Progressive Caucuses signed, when it was released last October. He said the correct approach to the war was to win it as quickly as possible, and not to negotiate as the letter suggested.
J R in WV
@Hildebrand:
How about he is openly gay, married to a cute guy, they adopted little kids? Only thing out there to hate about him as far as I can see… Sad — but there it is!
I like him OK, will vote for him if he’s on our ballot someday. But I’m OK with people being gay or whatever. As long as they aren’t killing people in the name of their religion like the fundy Christo-Fascists are.
schrodingers_cat
@Geminid: @The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Senator Sanders is a leap year Democrat and that too only in the primaries. He and his most dedicated followers attack the Ds from the left and give RWNJs a template to attack the Ds in the general election. He succeeded in handing the presidency to an extra vile Republican in 2016. A repeat of that will be catastrophic and hence I will continue to warn against this danger even if you disagree with my assessment.
schrodingers_cat
@Geminid: Good for him!
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Geminid: yep, the Progressive Caucus is large and many of them are smarter than some who get more attention. I was surprised last week when they rejected Adam Schiff’s application to join the caucus, both by the rejection and the fact that he wasn’t already a member.
@schrodingers_cat: Nina Turner, who got a whole parade of “progressives” to endorse her Congressional runs, and is herself an election-year Democrat (also a lobbyist for the same shop that employs such luminaries as David Vitter), spent a lot of time on CNN and twitter parroting GOP talking points about Buttigieg and East Palestine, as did a lot of other alumni of the Sanders campaigns.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@schrodingers_cat: What does that have to do with the price of milk, the price of milk here defined as a variable with a value of what we actually posted?
It’s just more slagging Sanders. We get it. Please take a breath and enjoy some of the lovely afternoon sun we both know is outside.
J R in WV
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation:
But Sanders is so easy to slag — he accomplishes so little with such fanfare! And spreads hate for real Democrats everywhere he goes…
At least I’m open about where I stand regarding Sen Sanders (I) VT. And why!
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@J R in WV: Ain’t no one accomplishing anything if we don’t learn to get along
How much patience would people here have for someone pushing a daily Clinton outrage? This divides us. Every doubt I have about Democrats stems from interactions like these
And there are good, important discussions to be had about these things. Beating a dead horse isn’t it. Let’s keep these conversations about our intra party disagreements constructive.
Princess
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: did they reject him? I thought he withdrew his application?
Anyway, I hate all this side choosing that some commenters here seem to love. It feels like high school. “Don’t go sit beside HER at lunch. She wears her hair wrong.” The reality is, it’s a big tent and if we’re going to win and change things, we need to keep it big.
Eduardo
I like Gallego very much. Sincere, plain, and basically on the right side always. And yes, with a healthy dosage of patriotism without being jingoist. The “good guy” you want in your side. My favorite Hispanic politician in the whole country, hands down. Wish he can be elected to the senate and have a greater national profile.
Geminid
@schrodingers_cat: I don’t neccesarily disagree with your assessment. I may not share your intensity on this subject, but I know you have good reasons for it.
lowtechcyclist
@Baud:
When you said that earlier, I read that as “he’ll put you right to sleep.” (Is there any other reason one would have a glass of warm milk?) IOW, not exactly praise.
Anyhow, I thought that he was excellent in the TikTok video in the next thread, and you’re calling him a rising star here (if he’s that good a communicator at 2am, I’m not gonna disagree!), so I guess I misread you.
Baud
@lowtechcyclist:
I meant he was calming.
Jackie
@Betty Cracker: I like Cohen, too, and if he helps TFG get indicted and found guilty, I will LOVE him!
Cohen is one we’ve watched change from bad to contrite to seriously turning his life around for the good.
gene108
@SiubhanDuinne:
I hope not. They’ll likely be the future of the Democratic Party in a few years.
The phrasing struck me more like he had a grudge against working student events, where he watched his classmates yuck it up, while he served them drinks and finger food.
Jackie
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Weisselberg cut the check(s) to reimburse Cohen per TFG for the Stormy Daniel payoff.
Weisselberg may be called to testify re the payments. The DA is banking on him not perjuring himself, adding to his prison time.
Jackie
@schrodingers_cat: “Senator Sanders is a leap year Democrat.”
😂😂😂 Yes, he is!
gene108
@The Moar You Know:
Any prominent person open about mental health issues is totally awesome in my book.
20 years ago, in March, I was going through a major depressive episode (actively psychotic: delusional with some auditory hallucinations), and if there had been people open about seeking treatment when I was younger, I might’ve done something to help myself instead of spiraling out of control thinking “it’s all in my head” and “I just need more will power to shake it off”.
lowtechcyclist
@Geminid:
Since I didn’t support Sanders in either 2016 or 2020, let me just say that there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of Buttigieg that have nothing to do with the 2020 primaries besides the fact that he was in them to begin with, having never been more than the mayor of a large town.
And while his revisionism of his McKinsey career didn’t rise to Santos levels, he went from being a player in big deals there when it was politically convenient, to being just an entry-level worker of no consequence when he found that a lot of Dem primary voters weren’t particularly fond of McKinsey.
I don’t hold his finishing ahead of Sanders against him, I’d have been happier if neither of them had been seeking the nomination. I’ve got absolutely no problem with his orientation or his marriage, and I don’t think either one should be a bar to his succeeding politically. And I don’t see what more he could have done wrt East Palestine than he’s done so far, so same there.
I just see a guy with a really, really thin track record and few accomplishments that for some reason everyone, including himself quite obviously, goes apeshit over. What’s his biggest accomplishment so far, besides convincing Biden to give him a Cabinet position? I’m open to being shown that he’s more than just a flash in the pan who talks real good, but to quote Walter Mondale about Gary Hart, “where’s the beef?”
Geminid
@lowtechcyclist: I said “Buttegieg haters.” I wasn’t talking about the sceptics.
Kay
@gene108:
I agree. I think people need to decide if they mean it when they say mental health issues are comparable to physical health issues. It requires a decision. Either overcoming or treating a mental health issue is treated exactly the same as doing the same with a physical health issue or it isn’t.
matt
Boebert should stage a memorial for Ashli Babbitt in Congress.
Jackie
@matt: Oh, and for the poor MAGA believer who got trampled to death during the stampede into the Capitol. Why is she never mentioned by TFG and his zealots?
Manyakitty
@Kay: totally! He’d be a blast at dinner and drinks.
yellowdog
@SiubhanDuinne: I heartily concur.
yellowdog
@Jackie: Why would he care about MORE prison time. He’s old and will die in prison anyway.
yellowdog
@Geminid: But why did Gallego have to bring it up now? It is obviously not years ago in his head.
yellowdog
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: No. He said ‘I hated them all’. It’s personal.
yellowdog
@J R in WV: Come sit by me.