Among the Democratic presidential candidates left standing in the waning days before the first caucus, Pete Buttigieg stands out. Not only is the former mayor the youngest of the group, with much less experience than the others, but if elected, he would be the first openly gay president. The novelty and diversity he brings to the stage is applauded by many in the Democratic Party. It’s clear that Buttigieg is articulate and capable, despite his youth. As he campaigns against open radicals, he embraces the label of “moderate” placed on him by the media and voters alike.
But Buttigieg’s moderate moniker is only a carefully crafted illusion.
Perhaps one reason Buttigieg is viewed as a left-leaning centrist is his short time on the national stage. Voters are well-acquainted with the extremism and eccentricities of Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. The mayor’s measured personality makes him appear more politically balanced than older politicians who have been spouting untenable nonsense for years. A media that is desperate for a Democratic candidate to appeal to disaffected Republicans and independents try their hardest to support this narrative. Articles such as “How Harvard Made Pete Buttigieg the Moderate That Progressives Love to Hate,” “Can Pete Buttigieg’s moderate message win over purple Iowa?“, and “Pete Buttigieg has risen to an Iowa contender by moving toward the middle” give one the impression that the young politician isn’t a radical, but a reasonable politician with magic crossover appeal.
Buttigieg may not be as far-left as Warren, Sanders, and their supporters, but that doesn’t say much. Sanders is a self-described socialist who would include Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a fixture in his administration. Meanwhile, Warren is touted as a radical by the New York Times editorial board, a body that also endorsed Sen. Amy Klobuchar as the more realist choice for president by comparison. In terms of current presidential candidates, you can’t get more extreme than Sanders and Warren. That Buttigieg is to the right of them is no proof that he stands on the middle ground.
Of his campaign policies, the mayor promotes “Medicare for all who want it” as a “kinder” alternative that is supposed to appeal to a majority of the country, both insured and uninsured. But the plan, as explained on his website, is really just a precursor to “Medicare for all”:
In addition to his layered insurance plans, Buttigieg supports free college, the eventual elimination of the Electoral College (which he calls “undemocratic”), and, as voters were reminded of only recently, believes abortion is actual medical care that should be protected. All of his leanings are to the left, but Buttigieg’s refusal to recognize the humanity of the unborn, while sanctimoniously chiding his audience, isn’t unusual among his party; it’s the norm. That is a clear indication that Buttigieg is extreme enough in his own right.
Heading into the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, the Buttigieg campaign hopes the moderate mystique won’t wear off. The mayor is all too happy to be seen as the centrist option for unsure voters who find the fanatical wing of the Democratic Party rather off-putting. Hidden under a very thin veil of marketing and media help is the heart of the Buttigieg campaign. It may be slick, articulate leftism that feigns a centrist bent, but make no mistake, Pete Buttigieg is as radical as the rest of the Democratic candidates.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
