Pete Buttigieg teaches obtuse Fox News anchors that airports are infrastructure

[DonViejo]

A Fox host attacked Joe Biden's infrastructure package by saying that only roads count as infrastructure. Secretary Pete wasn't having it.

By Alex Bollinger Friday, April 2, 2021

Out Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg went back on Fox News to teach conservatives basic facts about how infrastructure works, after he spent the 2020 presidential campaign appearing on the network to slap back wild claims Trump supporters were making.

This time, he had to explain that airports, electricity, and running water are essential to a functional society to the Fox News audience.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday presented a $2 trillion infrastructure investment package that he said would create “the strongest, most resilient, innovative economy in the world” and millions of “good-paying jobs.”

Conservatives immediately balked at the proposal, a lot of them claiming that major parts of the bill aren’t about infrastructure. America’s Newsroom co-host Bill Hemmer took that argument further than most and claimed that “only” 5.6 percent of the bill is “dedicated to roads and bridges.”

“Well, we’re talking about roads and bridges, we’re talking about rails and transit, we’re talking about airports and ports,” Buttigieg said. “As you mentioned, we’re talking about things like the [power] grid. I don’t know why anybody would say that it’s a mistake to invest in the grid after what we just witnessed in Texas.”

-snip-

Link to tweet

full article
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/04/pete-buttigieg-teaches-obtuse-fox-news-anchors-airports-infrastructure/

[WarGamer]

1. Just a note... even the new airport at Istanbul is nicer than most US Airports

The "flagship" airports in LA, NYC and CHI are really shitholes on the international scale.

[soothsayer]

2. It's so true. The rest of the world is freaking modern

The tiniest places. It’s remarkable

[WarGamer]

3. In my career I've been to 50+ countries.

I've seen impressive airports

Istanbul, Dubai, Singapore...Tokyo, Munich and Zurich for a start

[soothsayer]

7. The very first thing I learned by watching Amazing Race was... wow

The modern buildings and airports and fantastic architecture out there.

[soothsayer]

8. Btw that's some impressive passport action!

[WarGamer]

10. BioPharma for nearly 30 years...

Spent 90 days in China on numerous occasions working with a Chinese mfg on a BioPolymer project.

My employer (former) has 65 offices around the world and I've been to most.

[yardwork]

6. Airports in small sub-Saharan countries are better than O'Hare or LGA.

[WarGamer]

11. yes!!

To see worse airports, go to mid-size Eastern European airports.

I've been to Soviet era airports where the concrete steps from the lower to upper levels are worn down by 2-3" from 60 years of foot traffic and no renovation.

[aggiesal]

22. I've been in Singapore's Airport ...

talk about a luxury airport. It was like a luxury mall.

[WarGamer]

25. Singapore is awesome, ALL of it. Airport even has a Butterfly Garden inside... like ZOO quality

[reACTIONary]

30. Do they still have an Atatrk mural? Probably not...

.... I flew in there a longish time ago and it did not impress me. They must have done a serious upgrade.

[WarGamer]

31. It's brand new... a couple years old.

[Srkdqltr]

4. But but we don't want modern.

If it was good enough for Gunsmoke or Andy of Maybarry it's good enough for real Americans.

[TxGuitar]

13. I know

all of those macho western movies and tv shows really harmed the country ultimately.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

26. It still strikes me as bizarre.

By the time I was a young child in the 70's, the old "Western" movies and TV shows seemed really strange to me.

Decade after decade of it?! Why didn't people get sick of it?!

Maybe it was a natural outcome of California becoming the entertainment hub of the country? Lots of "Western scenery" out there.

My junior high school made everyone in 7th grade read "Shane" for whatever reason, and we later gathered in the gymnasium to watch the movie. Most of the students were laughing mockingly at the corniness of it! Meanwhile, the teachers kept trying to shush us, and they had expressions of disbelief that we didn't like the movie! The movie was CORNY as heck, older people!

[Politicub]

5. I LOVE how Buttigieg puts himself in the middle of the fire.

Now, I will never catch his Fox appearances since I have no reason to watch the channel. But I do like to know that someone from the administration is doing the yeoman's work of peeling off people from the right who may be open to the infrastructure message.

In relations to WV, so much opportunity could be created by governors of the red states with the amount of federal funding available. But they remain committed to depriving their citizens of prosperity.

The same is true of the state where I live - Georgia. We could improve life for so many citizens by accepting the Medicaid expansion. What's keeping Georgia held behind is GOP cowardice. Cowardice is what's behind the voting-restriction bill. The GOP is devoid of ideas, so they try to shield themselves from the people.

[Tree Lady]

12. There are democrats that watch Fox news

Don't ask me why I can never figure it out, maybe they like the drama the blondes.

My daughter's husband's parents are democrats that watch Fox. She just told me many years ago she liked it.

When they take polls it always surprised me about the percentage of dems, I thought in some areas maybe thats the only cable news that comes in? Or maybe some dems want t know what they are saying.

Especially for people like that we need strong voices like Pete to stand up to the lies.

[AllaN01Bear]

9. tell pg and e here in ca to maintain and put in new infastructure rather than playing

games with politicans and givig their ceos huge raises .

[Sympthsical]

28. We had a power outage up here in North Bay two nights ago

Right at midnight, just because. We were only out for about three hours. Neighbors down the street didn't get power back til noon.

The stated cause was "equipment failure". Sounds about right.

[gratuitous]

14. Fox loves tweaking the coastal elites

But here they are bad-mouthing infrastructure projects for flyover country because . . . well, who knows why? Aren't rural roads in need of upkeep and improvement, too, Fox? Why don't you want to beef up the power lines serving less populated areas? Do you think rural Americans aren't deserving of dependable and affordable broadband?

[Midnight Writer]

15. Pete has established a foothold at FOX. A wise strategic move.

He is now familiar as an occasional guest and makes his points clearly and without drama.

[uponit7771]

17. +1,

[uponit7771]

16. Hemmer wants to establish himself as Stupid As Fuck #1 but we know he's not and that's adds to his

... shame.

[LAS14]

18. I bet Buttigieg's skills as a communicator figured heavily into where to put..

... him in the cabinet, given the centrality of transportation in this big move. I'm really glad to see a lot of him again.

[Piasladic]

19. I cannot wait until this fellow is President. -nt

[patphil]

20. Yeah, me too.

[Karadeniz]

21. Secy Pete makes such a good impression on fox...he can't go on enough!

[LudwigPastorius]

23. FOX Ken & Barbie: "Why is there no money for buggy whips in this so-called infrastructure bill?!"

[Escurumbele]

24. What a brilliant man Buttigieg is...wow, even Fox loves him

Well, maybe not love him, but there is definitely respect.

No one in public office is as eloquent and sharp as he is...I may be wrong about this, but I have not seen it, and what I mean is both qualities at the same time.

[Ron Green]

27. "We need a paradigm shift away from innovation and development to maintenance and repair."

That’s a phrase no politician will utter, but it must be said.

[Sugarcoated]

29. Wow

President Biden has appointed the best man for this job. Masterful communicator.

[ShazzieB]

32. I knew Pete would be great when his appointment was announced, but I was wrong...

He's not just great, he's absolutely awesome!

[11 Bravo]

33. Fox"News" is like fish in a barrel for Secretary Pete.