COLUMBIA, S.C. — Pete Buttigieg acknowledged his “challenging week” after a police officer in South Bend, Ind., fatally shot a black man.
“I’m thankful to be with you after a challenging week back home,” the mayor of the Indiana town of 100,000 people told delegates at the South Carolina Democratic Party’s convention on Saturday.
Buttigieg has missed campaign events while dealing with the fallout that ensued when a white police officer shot 54-year-old Eric Logan last weekend while responding to a call about a man breaking into cars.
“It’s as if one member of our family died at the hands of another,” the mayor said Saturday. “And even as an outside process works to determine what happened, we already know why such deep wounds are surfacing, why our whole community hurts. But I also want to tell you that my community is full of people who believe in safety and justice. We will heal and we will become stronger in broken places.”
Buttigieg, who is struggling to connect with black voters in South Carolina, has come under scrutiny for his handling of race issues in his own town. The 37-year-old openly gay former Navy Reserve officer was confronted by protesters in South Bend on Friday.
“You running for president and you expect black people to vote for you?” one woman asked Buttigieg.
“I’m not asking for your vote,” he said.
“You ain’t gonna get it either,” the protester replied.
Buttigieg joined California Sen. Kamala Harris on Saturday in touting the efforts of local and state government and grassroots activists, as political pundits focus on next year’s White House race.
“It’s time that we stop treating the presidency like it’s the only office that matters,” the mayor said.
