New York City versus South Bend. New York state versus the state of Indiana. A billionaire versus a guy with a much more typical income level. A straight man versus a gay man. Michael Bloomberg versus Pete Buttigieg. The one thing these men had in common was that they were both mayors.
The influence that each of these men had on the presidential Democratic primaries fascinated me. Bloomberg thought he could buy the nomination. Others have bought nominations in both parties in the past. He couldn’t. I personally do not want a billionaire anywhere near the White House, nothing against Bloomberg personally.
Buttigieg amazed me: a young whiz kid with incredible intelligence and extremely articulate speech. The thought of an openly out, gay man running for the highest office in the land and getting as far as he did thrilled me. But it seemed to me that he began catering more and more to the establishment, to moneyed interests, to more moderate positions as he advanced his campaign.
Well both men reached as far as they could in the contest. I think both will continue to have great influence. And I suspect Pete Buttigieg is just beginning what will be a long and influential career as a politician.