I liked Mayor Pete early, but now that he is gaining popularity, it seems media focus is more...

[PeeJ52]

on his sexuality than his views on issues. Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's just that more people are aware now, but it sure seems there are a lot more stories about his husband or hecklers or coming out or something about being gay, instead of just being a leader. Why isn't Bernie Sanders refered to as the elderly, heterosexual candidate for President? I guess Pete knew what he was getting into....

[Iliyah]

1. Of course they are . . .

But Beto and other candidates, that the corporate media tends to ignore are gaining ground on the "ground".

[Indygram]

2. The media is giving him the Howard Dean treatment

They are lifting him up just to tear him down. They do it over and over again, so I don't know why people don't seem to catch on. They set someone up to peak too soon and make a sport out of it.

[LakeArenal]

30. Point!

[crazytown]

34. The media 'tore down' Dean after he failed

to win Iowa. He was the front runner, had a bevy of endorsements including all Al Gore, and finished third.

[Demsrule86]

3. That is what I expected to happen.

[LuvNewcastle]

4. It was going to happen, sooner or later.

A lot of so-called adults in this country act like 7th graders. So far he’s handling it well, and I think after the novelty wears off it won’t be such an issue outside of the deep red areas. We’re about to find out if a gay man can make it in a national election. I hope he can.

[Indygram]

8. If he does manage to get the nomination he is the least likely to win in this particular race

Evangelicals and the religious right got their Supreme Court justice. That's all they wanted and that was what motivated them to vote for Trump. Many of them are less likely to vote this time UNLESS they have something that motivates them to. Nothing would motivate them more than trying to keep a gay couple out of the White House. Trump is so good at riling up and stirring up hatred and the prospect of the kind of hatred we would see scares me. I'm all for him being the nominee at any other time, but we can't afford to lose so I really don't want him to be the nominee. It has nothing to do with him and everything to do with American not surviving another Trump term.

[SweetieD]

9. I don't think that is true. They want a super majority on the supreme court.

The supreme court issue will motivate them.

[Trenzalore]

14. I don't see any evidence evangelicals and white nationalist are less likely to vote

They came out in 2018. It is why we lost in Indiana, Missouri, and North Dakota. Demographically there are less of then now than there were in 2016 because they are literally dying at a faster rate than they are attracting new voters.

If the democrats get their base motivated and out we win in 2020. There are more of us than them.

[Indygram]

17. There are a lot of religious people who don't like Trump at all

But voted for him in order to get a conservative judge. They got two so those who find Trump repulsive are less motivated to vote. I live in an area heavily populated with evangelicals and know quite a few.

[Trenzalore]

22. I don't think that is backed by evidence

He has the highest approval rating within his party since Reagan

[LAS14]

24. I'm hoping (almost assuming) that the Buttigieg campaign did early internal polling...

... that suggested that the overlap between potential Dem voters and virulent anti-gay voters was small enough not to be a deal breaker for his candidacy. Wouldn't you have done that if you were he?

[rzemanfl]

26. Bookmarking. n/t

[bearsfootball516]

31. Just like America wasn't ready to elect a black man president in 2008, right?

Oh yeah, it was a complete wipeout.

[pangaia]

32. It is a different time now.

Totally different social and political environment.

The US of A is under attack by fascists.

I am not saying I am for or against his winning the nomination.. just stating a situation...

[brush]

36. Agreed. It'll be a Dem defeat worse than McGovern.

[True Dough]

5. As time goes on

Pete's message will overtake the scrutiny of his personal life. There's no scandal there, just a lifestyle that a minority find unacceptable.

Buttigieg has won substantial support with his affable personality, his sound reasoning and his loyalty to country. Those qualities will outshine the trivial matters. Believe it.

[mainer]

6. anti-gay bigots won't vote for any Dem candidate anyway

so I don't think it will affect Pete's chances vs. other Dem candidates in the general.

[crazytown]

35. Conservative Black Churches?

Socially conservative African Americans vote for the Democrats.

[helpisontheway]

7. Oh this is just the beginning..Republicans will be ruthless if he is the nominee. Nt

[Indygram]

10. Agreed, it will get ugly

Guess it's going to happen sooner rather than later. I just hope we don't continue to get 5-10 new threads started in this section for every heckler.

[Trenzalore]

15. Is there a candidate it won't be ruthless?

We shouldn't select candidates based on how nasty the republicans will be. They will be nasty lying sacks of monkey poop regardless of who we nominate.

[brooklynite]

11. The media covers his sexual orientation because it's newsworthy...

...when the Vice-President attacks him for it.

[marylandblue]

12. Other candidates get hecklers, this is news because it is a new type of heckler

It will where off. But I think it helps him. Like a good comedian, he uses heckling to make a joke or a new point.

[Indygram]

13. The problem with that is if the conversation is about him being gay and people heckling

Then we aren't talking about kids in cages, healthcare and climate change.

[marylandblue]

16. He's good at turning things around. In this case, he turned to another important topic

that is, a religious left message. Also, that the people decide who to vote for, not the hecklers. So he gets point out one way or another.

[Indygram]

18. distractions benefit Trump

which we really don't need.

[marylandblue]

19. At.the moment they benefit Pete

[Politicub]

20. Because him being gay is important. It is a watershed moment

for gay visibility and gay rights.

And as Mayor Pete says, there are still many states where you can get fired based on who you love.

These issues are important. Allow the gay community to have its moment.

Mayor Pete is changing minds. Homophobia is still a cancer in the body politic that needs to be cut out. I am glad the media is unmasking the putrid faces of the homophobes.

For fucks sake. Being gay is NOT A PEJORATIVE. It is a positive that he is speaking out and that people want to talk about it. I came of age during the eighties. There wasn’t anyone like him. There has never been an openly gay and proud presidential candidate that has captured the imagination of the so many. Fuck the closet. We are never going back in.



On edit: what really set me off was the bit in your post bemoaning why the media isn’t focusing on Sanders’ orientation. I found it offensive. I have an answer to your rhetorical question: because No. One. Cares. But people should care and celebrate that Bernie is the first Jewish front-runner. That is progress. That matters.

[BlueStater]

21. Part of me thinks he might be peaking too early.

While I wouldn't say he's the frontrunner yet, he's doing incredibly well for someone who had almost zero name recognition just three months ago. And he seems to have overtaken Beto as the youthful candidate everyone is excited about. I don't even hear anyone talk about O'Rourke anymore.

If I was him, I'd want all this momentum to be heading my way closer to the primaries rather than further away from it.

[Politicub]

23. You can't time a peak. You can only ride the wave.

And that’s what mayor Pete is doing. And thank goodness he is doing it so tirelessly.

Some would say (me), that not “peaking early” indicates a message or communications strategy problem. Believe me - every candidate is thirsty for attention. They have to be.

Peaking early is something that can only be seen in hindsight, anyway. In this media environment, our candidates have to move and move quickly to embrace the moment.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

27. You have said it exactly right, my dear Politicub! Your points are well made. n/t

[Politicub]

28. That means a lot!!

Thank you

[CaliforniaPeggy]

29. Aw, shucks! You're very welcome!

[USALiberal]

25. You understand someone needs to break this ceiling, correct? Nt

[PeeJ52]

33. Damn right!