* Heh…
South Bend Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg was brought in last minute as the keynote speaker after former Vice President Joe Biden had to cancel because of illness.
“I can sense a little nervous energy in the room,” Buttigieg said. “I am conscious you did not come here to see me speak about waste water. I’m conscious most of you did not come here to see me speak at all.”
* And then he brought the heat…
Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said that Rauner, a private equity investor, had promised to bring a business approach to government.
“This governor was handed lemons, and he took those lemons and miraculously turned them into a Dumpster fire,” Buttigieg said. “Who runs a business like that?”
…Adding… Runner-up…
“Now I don’t know if you heard, but Rauner says he plans to move to Italy if he loses in November,” Pritzker added. “So, after four years of failure, of maligning and attacking the very people who make this state great, I have just one thing to say to this governor: ‘Ciao, Bruce!’”
- wordslinger - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 9:57 am:
Those who mocked him as a last-minute replacement haven’t been paying attention.
We’re going to hear more from this kid, and I don’t mean a postcard.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:01 am:
==“This governor was handed lemons, and he took those lemons and miraculously turned them into a Dumpster fire,” Buttigieg said.==
No better description of the Rauner administration can be offered.
- Charry - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:03 am:
how is that line clever? dumpster fire jokes? what is this 2010?
- PublicServant - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:05 am:
===“Who runs a business like that?”===
Creative Destruction aficionados like Governor Gridlock.
- MG85 - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:06 am:
I was pleasantly surprised by his speech and am, for one, happy to received it.
While the zinger about Rauner was a good one, I found his bio to be an especially aspiring one.
His personal message that, for his family, we literally cannot afford to return to the past is a powerful one.
It felt like he was fighting for something more than political power. It felt inspiring. Last time I felt that way was when I heard President Obama speak at the DNC back in 2003.
What is it about the Midwest that births inspirational leaders?
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:06 am:
===what is this 2010? ===
And how is that clever? lol
- A Jack - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:07 am:
Much better than putting lipstick on a barrel or a barrow or whatever Rauner meant.
- Anonymous - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:08 am:
Mayor of South Bend? Whew, pulling out the big guns. I suppose the mayor of Hoboken, NJ was unavailable.
- Anonymous - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:14 am:
Frankly, trying to be witty/clever, zinging Rauner and Trump has now become a chore IF you’re trying to be original and ‘devestating’. They have been so easy and worthy, it’s like a boxer punched out. But opportunities are impossible to pass up.
- don the legend - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:17 am:
==Mayor of South Bend? Whew, pulling out the big guns. I suppose the mayor of Hoboken, NJ was unavailable. ==
What a lazy trolling comment. Come out of your basement, it’s going to be a nice day.
- Omay - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:20 am:
Guessing that “a## kisser” language is clever?
- Flat Bed Ford - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:21 am:
How far has Biden fallen when you get replaced by the mayor of South Bend?
- Osborne Smith III - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:30 am:
Those of you that are going back to the “Wow, he’s the mayor of South Bend, so?” argument clearly haven’t done your research on the guy. He will be a serious candidate in the 2024 Presidential race. Take that to the bank.
- Montrose - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:31 am:
A few of you are a little too caught up in Buttigieg’s current gig. I would encourage you to read a little bit about him. You might start to understand why the Dems are so high on him, and why your dismissal of him will likely sound silly a few years down the road.
- Montrose - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:32 am:
Clearly Osborne and I are on the same page.
- Precinct Captain - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:35 am:
The Raunerbots trashing Pete B also told us Bruce was going to walk over Ives no problem so it’s no surprise they don’t know Buttigieg ran a serious for DNC chair last year and has been all over the circuit since.
- DeseDemDose - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:37 am:
Trolls making fun of a small town mayor? Isnt that interesting that they are also insulting all the small towns southern Illinois with their comments
- Pick a Name - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:42 am:
Ya Pete, when you become as successful as Rauner, you let us all know.
I’m not expecting to hear a thing in my lifetime.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:43 am:
Too early in the day for all the outrage over some harmless jokes about a small-town Indiana mayor headlining an Illinois Dems event.
Calm down.
- Demoralized - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:45 am:
==Ya Pete, when you become as successful as Rauner,==
I think he’s already topped that bar if you’re talking about the ability to run a government.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:46 am:
===when you become as successful as Rauner, you let us all know.===
When you measure success only by the size of a person’s wallet… it’s says a great deal about how you view your fellow man and the worth of people.
Learning lots about - Pick a Name -
- City Zen - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:52 am:
Who knew Bruce was an alchemist?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:52 am:
===“…I have just one thing to say to this governor: ‘Ciao, Bruce!’”===
It was suggested that a button should be created with this slogan on it. That would be so choice.
To the Post,
Parties need to show off rising stars. On the Dem side, a young governor from Arkansas, slated to speak 20 or so minutes spoke at their convention 90 minutes, and said “in conclusion” with mocking applause from the delegates. What happened to him… or that young man from Illinois that almost stole the Dem convention as the keynote speaker. What ever happened to him?
Parties need to come to terms that the graybeards are important, but new blood is critical. They shape and define things for the party in the coming years. Change is politics. Evolving is politics too. Both parties want to showcase young leaders, and it’s up to them to choose to be the forward thinking visionaries, or new versions of older retreads.
- Arsenal - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:53 am:
==Ya Pete, when you become as successful as Rauner, you let us all know.==
All he has to do is lose $1 billion and let 13 veterans die.
- Arsenal - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:57 am:
==Mayor of South Bend? Whew, pulling out the big guns.==
Personally, I’m proud to be part of a party that will celebrate and elevate a small town mayor. Local offices are most people’s most direct interaction with government, and they’re criminally under-covered in most of the political world.
- A Jack - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 10:59 am:
Honorable Mayor of South Bend,
Thanks for making the trip down to Springfield. I will return the favor by spending a few dollars in your city the next time I am visiting the Indiana Dunes National Park.
- Anonymous - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:06 am:
I’d agree with Osborne and Montrose - a little more research would help here.
Buttigieg came to my attention when he entered the race for DNC Chair in ‘17, and I was duly impressed.
As for the “if he were as successful as Rauner” thing, he was named U.S. Mayor of the Year (2013), and was re-elected with 80% in 2015. He’s a Harvard and Oxford grad, and served in Afghanistan (naval intelligence officer).
What’s our governor’s approval rating? OW?
- wordslinger - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:12 am:
–Ya Pete, when you become as successful as Rauner, you let us all know.–
So you’re the one hiding all the gubernatorial success stories. Better hand them over to BTIA(TM), because they’ve got nothing for their spots.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:14 am:
==All he has to do is lose $1 billion and let 13 veterans die.==
Yeah yeah but Buttigieg hasn’t increased South Bend’s debt by $12 billion dollars yet, either. He’s an amateur compared to Rauner. When South Bend’s credit rating gets to BBB, then he can start comparing himself to a successful bidnessman like Bruce.
- Hamlet's Ghost - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:22 am:
There are plenty of Notre Dame alums who view South Bend as the epicenter of the civilized universe.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:28 am:
We don’t need a cute little mayor from Indiana to zing this horrible governor.
Child, we’ve been living it.
Nice that you noticed.
Not impressed.
- Anonymous - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:34 am:
Bold predictions on a small town mayor. Without ND SB would be a truck stop and dinner town just off 80 (might not even have an oasis). But hey everybody came from someplace unless they came from India-no-place.
- Northsider - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:38 am:
With 101,166 people (2010 Census), South Bend would be Illinois’ 9th largest city if it were here. Not such a “small town” after all.
- JS Mill - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 11:56 am:
= Without ND=
Does that work? If you say “without Chicago” does Chicago disappear? ND is still in South Bend last I checked.
What was Rauner when he was this guys age? I mean, besides not ever creating jobs?
- West Sider - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 12:03 pm:
Democrats couldn’t get “Ol’Joe”Biden, so in Buttigieg, they delivered “Young Joe”. Modest, relatable, successful(80% reelection-who does that?) and he can deliver a punch. Outstanding.
- City Zen - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 12:29 pm:
Excellent choice. The Democrats should consider more mayors from right-to-work states.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 12:54 pm:
==how is that line clever?==
Now, now, not everyone can be Mr.JM.
- Miss Marie - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 1:15 pm:
“Mayor of South Bend? Whew, pulling out the big guns. I suppose the mayor of Hoboken, NJ was unavailable.”
“How far has Biden fallen when you get replaced by the mayor of South Bend?”
I guess the trolls don’t do their homework. . . or just don’t pay attention in general.
Biden getting sick and cancelling last minute was just awful bad luck. In finding a replacement who was available last minute, the Dems probably had 2 options:
1. Book a big name official who is a terrible public speaker,
2. Find a much lesser known-name politician who’s a great speaker to win over the crowd.
The Dems definitely made the right choice, and the gave a platform to a rising star. They took a terrible situation, and they made it work.
- Skeptic - Friday, Aug 17, 18 @ 3:30 pm:
“= Without ND=” You do realize that South Bend is a major manufacturing center for RVs and motorhomes, don’t you?