Pete Buttigieg says he’s ‘probably’ being vetted to be Harris’ VP as official pick to be announced soon
WASHINGTON, DC: In a candid exchange on 'The Daily Show', Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg admitted he’s “probably” being vetted to be Kamala Harris’ running mate.
The former naval officer received a warm welcome on the show stage, with the audience applauding for nearly a minute and chanting "Pete!" before host Jon Stewart humorously indicated their time was up and transitioned into the interview.
Jon Stewart questions Pete Buttigieg about being considered to be Kamala Harris' running mate
Jon Stewart asked Pete Buttigieg if he was being vetted for Kamala Harris' vice president's role.
To this, Buttigieg responded, “All I should say about it is that she’s is going to make this decision. She’s got a process to help her make this decision.”
“Oh my god you’re being vetted,” Stewart exclaimed, eliciting laughter from the audience. "Everything you say, even that, is being vetted."
Buttigieg laughed and said, “Probably.”
Drawing parallels between the vetting process for Biden's cabinet and the adoption process he and his husband, Chasten Glezman, went through looking for a child, Buttigieg described, “It was kind of the same thing but with a social worker instead of a white-shoe law firm.”
When Stewart asked when Buttigieg would find out if he had advanced to "the quarterfinals", Buttigieg admitted he didn’t know.
“What I know is that there’s a flying formation—” he said before Stewart interrupted him saying, “You’re going to talk values again, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, probably,” Buttigieg conceded, adding, “What I’ll say is, no matter what the flying formation is, I’m really excited to be part of this. I’m excited to be part of this campaign.”
Pete Buttigieg reflects on Joe Biden's withdrawal and Donald Trump's VP pick
Pete Buttigieg also reflected on President Joe Biden stepping out of the 2024 election, which he said has brought “renewed awareness” to the Democratic Party, “not just of what we’re against, but what we’re for".
“There is a temptation to make our message be entirely about Donald Trump because we’re so disturbed by what his return would mean," said Buttigieg.
"And a little more, also, about JD Vance, because of how odd he’s turned out to be,” he added, pointing out Trump's VP pick's numerous insults and problematic policy ideas.
“He’s systematically insulted so many people. It’s not just the things he said but the policy ideas behind them.”
Kamala Harris to reveal VP pick next week
Kamala Harris is set to announce her vice presidential nominee next week, with a formal introduction scheduled during a rally on Tuesday, August 6, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
This event will kick off a four-day battleground tour including stops in Michigan and Arizona, signaling the start of a crucial phase in her campaign. The anticipation surrounding Harris’ choice has intensified since President Biden withdrew from the race on July 21, making her the Democratic presidential frontrunner.
Kamala Harris' VP shortlist
The shortlist of potential candidates includes Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, US Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg, per AP.
The selection of a running mate is crucial as Kamala Harris prepares for the battleground tour through pivotal states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, which have historically played decisive roles in presidential elections.
Harris is expected to reveal her VP pick as early as Monday, August 5, ahead of the rally on Tuesday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, according to sources close to the campaign.
The Democratic National Committee has imposed an August 7 deadline but sources indicate the decision is expected to be made sooner. Harris now has less than 100 days to demonstrate her candidacy to voters before the November 5 election.
