'The View': Pete Buttigieg responds to Iowa supporter wanting to retract vote on learning he was gay and Biden
A video of Nikki van den Heever, a Pete Buttigieg precinct captain, speaking to an Iowa caucus voter about the presidential candidate being gay went viral on Wednesday. In the video, the woman who was only known as Geert learns the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is married to a man and she said, "I don’t want anybody like that in the White House," adding, "So, can I have my card back?"
Buttigieg who appeared on 'The View' was shown this video and in response, he said, "What I want her to know is that I’m running to be her president, too."
Buttigieg added, "Of course, I wish she was able to see that my love is the same as her love for those that she cares about, that my marriage means as much to me as hers if she's married ... even if, because she can't see that, that she won't vote for me, I am still -- if I am elected president -- going to get up in the morning and try to make the best decisions for her and the people she loves, as I will work to serve every American whether they supported me or not."
Meghan McCain, a co-host on the show, noted, "You were on the cover of Time Magazine with your husband!" Joy Behar, also a co-host, said, "Mayor Pete, it's about religion with a lot of people. It's not just that they're -- you know, they think you're gay and so it's a deal-breaker. They think it says this in the Bible, see, and that's the thing to overcome."
In response, Buttigieg said that individuals shouldn't vote a particular way because of their faith and added, referring to the New Testament, "And if your faith guides you, I think at a time like this, what about 'I was hungry and you fed me,' what about 'I was a stranger and you welcomed me?'"
Buttigieg also addressed former Vice President Joe Biden's comments, another presidential candidate, who stated the former's inexperience would be "a risk" if he were to hold the position of the President of the United States. Buttigieg responded, "Well if that argument is about electability, and the ability to win, we just had the first election of the 2020 process. And I think that's my answer." Buttigieg here is referring to the results of the Iowa caucus which is still trickling in but sees him and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders running neck and neck for the top spot.
Biden had said he respected the mayor, but added, "I do believe it's a risk -- to be just straight up with you -- for this party and to nominate someone who's never held an office higher than mayor of a town of 100,000 people in Indiana."
