Joe Biden On Pete Buttigieg: ‘This Guy’s Not A Barack Obama’
On Saturday, during a campaign event in New Hampshire, former Vice President Joe Biden went on the offensive against fellow Democratic presidential candidate and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana Pete Buttigieg.
Per The Hill, Biden told reporters that comparisons between Buttigieg and former President Barack Obama — which Buttigieg has made on a number of occasions — do not hold water. Biden told reporters that, unlike Obama, Buttigieg is not offering a “vision” as to what the international order should be, or what the United States economy needs to be like.
“This guy’s not a Barack Obama,” the Delaware Democrat began.
“Barack Obama had laid out a clear vision of what he thought the international society should look like and what the order should be. Barack Obama had laid out in detail what he thought should happen with regard to the economy.”
Biden also hit Buttigieg for being inexperienced, arguing that nominating the 38-year-old for president would put the Democratic Party at risk.
“I do not believe we’re a party at risk if they nominate me,” Biden said.
“I do believe we’re a party at risk if we nominate someone who has never held a higher office than the mayor of South Bend, Indiana,” he added.
Biden’s attacks on Buttigieg come as he continues to slide in the polls. The Delaware Democrat finished fourth in Iowa, and Buttigieg seemingly tied for first place with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, after what was considered a controversial race.
The strong showing in Iowa appears to have helped Buttigieg surge in New Hampshire, where he is in second place, trailing only Sanders. According to latest polling, the Vermont senator holds a 7-point lead over the former South Bend mayor.
The two have separated themselves from the pack, however. In the Granite State, Biden is in fourth place, polling at 11 percent. Buttigieg’s rise in the polls came at Biden’s expense, given that he appears to have managed to cut into the former vice president’s support among moderates and conservatives.
Pete Buttigieg: "We would be well served if we could start to get Washington to work a little more like our best run cities and towns rather than the other way around… And we're running out of time." pic.twitter.com/hOHJ7g22mj
— The Hill (@thehill) February 9, 2020
In what appears to be an attempt to win back those voters, the Biden campaign has launched an attack ad against Buttigieg. Released on Saturday, the advertisement takes aim at the 38-year-old’s lack of experience on the national stage, while touting Biden’s accomplishments.
Obama is prominently featured in the brief video, in which he can be heard describing Biden as the best vice president in American history. Notably, the ad also points to controversies regarding Buttigieg’s relationship with the African American community in South Bend.
