PHOENIX — Speaking directly to Democratic National Committee members for the first time since announcing his candidacy to lead the national governing body, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg called for new leadership and a fresh start for the DNC Saturday after a disastrous 2016.
He also released a comprehensive platform (www.petefordnc.com/platform) detailing his plan to rebuild the party from the ground up, beginning at the local and state levels, and pledging to visit every state and territory in the first year of his term if elected.
From a downtown ballroom, the former Rhodes Scholar participated in the first of four forums organized by the DNC to introduce members to the candidates for chair, vice chair, vice chair of civic engagement and voter participation, secretary, treasurer and finance chair.
He appeared alongside fellow candidates Sally Boynton Brown, executive director of the Idaho Democratic Party; Ray Buckley, chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party; Keith Ellison, U.S. representative from Minnesota, Fox News political analyst Jehmu Greene and Jaime Harrison, chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party.
John Ralston, of the Nevada Independent, moderated the event, which consisted of questions from Ralston and members of the audience.
“First of all, yes, I am old enough to be by myself here at the hotel bar,” Buttigieg said by way of introduction. “Secondly, it’s BOOT-edge-edge.”
“I believe the DNC needs a fresh start, and I believe I can deliver that fresh start,” he said. “We won the popular vote for a reason: we have the right values. And that means something.”