The Case For Vice President Pete

Nothing says change like a Harris-Buttigieg ticket

A few days ago, President Biden announced to the nation that he would be stepping aside as the Democratic nominee for President, allowing his Vice President, Kamala Harris, to serve as his heir apparent in the coming general election this November.

Already Kamala has given a commanding performance, not just in terms of her style, substance and communication as a candidate but also in terms of impressive fundraising and consolidation of both Democratic power brokers and voters. The polls are tightening and it looks like she may just be able to give President Trump a real run for his money.

The next question becomes who should she pick as her running mate. While I am a big fan of some of the names being mentioned in the press- Governor Shapiro of Pennsylvania, as well as Governor Beshear from Kentucky and Senator Kelly from Arizona- I believe Pete Buttigieg, the current Secretary of Transporation, would be the ideal candidate for the vice presidency.

Now don’t get me wrong- I totally understand the concerns many have about the idea of nominating an openly gay man to run with an African American woman given the stakes of this election. Many believe we should go with the safest choice we can find. But if anything is clear from the election we have seen play out before our very eyes, it’s that Americans are craving authenticity and real, bold change. People are tired of the idea of a predestined, predetermined, inevitable presidency and want to shake things up. And nothing says change like a Harris-Buttigieg ticket.

Pete possesses many of the qualities that Kamala needs in a Vice President. He’s young, he’s from the Midwest, he’s an unbelievably effective communicator and attack dog (as we’ve seen in his media appearances over the last few years, and even in the last few weeks where several moments from his recent interviews have gone viral). Governor Beshear and Senator Kelly have been making the rounds on TV as well, and as much as I admire and like them, they quite frankly seemed a little nervous and didn’t possess the same self-assuredness and media savvy that Pete has.

Secretary Buttigieg, as a member of the Biden Cabinet, can tout many of the accomplishments of the current Democratic administration. He was intimately involved with the passage and implementation of the infrastructure bill which has been one of President Biden’s crowning accomplishments.

He also clearly wants it, and has been a loyal, trusted friend and political ally of Vice President Harris. If a main factor in the selection is the relationship of the nominee with her running mate and the personal rapport and connection they have, then I can’t think of a better option than Pete. He and Kamala are close as are their spouses, Doug and Chasten.

Pete has proven time and time again that he has what it takes. If there’s one thing this election has shown us, it’s that the American people don’t want us to play it safe- politically speaking that is. They want to see something new, something fresh, something different, and that is what a Pete Buttigieg vice presidential nomination would represent. The press reports are mixed as to whether Pete has received a request for materials as part of the VP vetting process; if he hasn’t I strongly urge the Harris campaign to reconsider.

As political commentator Keith Edwards put it in a post I saw on Instagram earlier today: “Anyone saying our country wouldn’t allow it- we won’t allow it if we don’t allow it”. Americans love progress, so let’s give it to them.