Now is NOT The Time For A Blue Log Cabin-ish Democrat

Mayor Pete needs to work harder building bridges to get Dem nomination

Can South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg become president? Whether this nation will send an openly gay man to the White House remains an open question. Pundits, however, have christened him a favorite — thanks to early polling.

Transformed Electorate

Of course, they’re clinging to an age-old proverb: So goes Iowa and New Hampshire, so goes the nation. Clinging to that political cliche ignores the electorate’s transformation. Millions of young people are now newly registered voters.

They’ll have no problem voting for an openly gay man. But those new voters won’t ignore ANY candidate’s deficiencies — just so to make history. This 40-plus Black gay man has no qualms about confronting Buttigieg’s deficiencies.

Failure To Reach Out

He failed to win the overwhelming support of South Bend, Ind.’s Black community after 8 years as mayor. Canning the town’s first Black police chief over something he had control of, drove an immovable wedge between Buttigieg and many in South Bend’s Black community.

Promoting South Bend Police Officer David Johnson, who was involved in a 2012 death in police custody, at the request of Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski — a close Buttigieg ally. Ignoring calls to fire Ruszkowski after a shooting this Summer hasn’t helped either.

Those missteps followed him on the presidential campaign trail. Buttigieg and his campaign initially responded to legitimate critique with a trope: Black people are homophobic. No one denies Black homophobes exist.

Black Community Isn’t A Cult

Here’s a news flash — no race corners the market on homophobes. Buttigieg eventually walked that nonsense back, apologized, and got face time with both Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network and Rev. Dr. William Barber, II of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival. (By the way, this faith leader is active in both movements.)

My question still remains: If Buttigieg can’t get substantive Black support in South Bend, what makes him confident about garnering Black support nationwide? That’s necessary to win the White House. Former presidential candidate, Sen. Kamala Harris, too, struggled to get Black support due to her law enforcement history. Black people aren’t monolithic.

Legitimate Criticism≄Homophobia

Some White gay men choose to overlook Buttigieg’s deficiencies. Salvation Army’s homophobia is well-documented. Like claiming to be oblivious to South Bend school segregation, pleading ignorance about the organization’s stance is a farce too.

Open Campaign Events An Anomaly?! Seriously??

Drawing from 20 years of journalism experience — Buttigieg’s initial refusal to open campaign events to reporters is ludicrous. He’s peddled this “it’s never been done before” line, including on a recent Rachel Maddow Show interview. This former daily newspaper reporter can tell you campaigns clamor for any coverage.

Having an openly gay president and his first partner in the White House would be fabulous. But if you’re going to run as a Democrat — act like one. Debates about the electability of centrist, moderate, or “far left” candidates are essentially sending the message that being quasi-Republican is the only way to win.

Call Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren socialists all you’d like. Buttigieg jumped on the anti-socialism bandwagon in ragging on support for Medicare for All. A campaign ad touted Sanders and Warren’s desire to dismantle insurance companies and called for healthcare access that preserved private plans.

In his Maddow interview, Buttigieg claimed Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan being a Kinsey client hasn’t influenced him. I’m not so sure. Buttigieg has received nearly $4 million in contributions from the health sector as well as lawyers and lobbyists, according to opensecrets.org.

That Moment You’re Called An Uncle Tom

Spirited responses to my saying, “Boo!” to Buttigieg include a White gay man writing me off an an Uncle Tom. Let that marinate. Although I’m no doctor and don’t even play on TV, here’s some medical advice — don’t hold your breath waiting for my apology.

Call me when Buttigieg’s campaign genuinely reaches out to Black voters and truly listens to insurance company victims. Grabbing Barber’s clergy robe, hoping he’ll drag you and Chasten to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, isn’t a good plan. Mending fences in his own backyard, in addition to the other suggestions, might help build trust in the Black community.