White House Calls on Mike Pence to Apologize After 'Homophobic, Offensive' Joke About Pete Buttigieg

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The White House is calling on Mike Pence to apologize for making "homophobic" as well as "offensive and inappropriate" jokes about Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Speaking at the Gridiron Club Dinner in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Pence, 63, told those in attendance: "When Pete's two children were born, he took two months maternity leave, where upon thousands of travelers were stranded in airports, the air traffic system shut down, airplanes nearly collided in midair."

Pence continued: "I mean, Pete Buttigieg is the only person in human history to have a child and all the rest of us get postpartum depression."

Buttigieg took paternity leave after welcoming twins Penelope Rose and Joseph "Gus" August in summer of 2021 with his husband Chasten. After the children were born prematurely, they both developed RSV and one was hospitalized, which included a week on a ventilator.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/white-house-calls-on-mike-pence-to-apologize-after-homophobic-offensive-joke-about-pete-buttigieg/ar-AA18CDSH

Pence is consistent with the GOP POV of being pro-life up to the time of birth but once a child is born they're on their own.

[Walleye]

1. Republicans have no sense of humor, all they have is cruelty and they think that's funny

[SWBTATTReg]

2. Yes, the bigot should apologize. No need to have such jokes and such, and pence knows that.

[Qutzupalotl]

3. Unfortunately, asking for an apology from a RWer

is an excuse for them to refuse and “look strong.”
Don't hold your breath waiting for them to have a shred of decency.

[Cha]

4. Fly head Pence is a POS.

Mahalo PJB

TY

[OldBaldy1701E]

12. Indeed!

[GoCubsGo]

5. I'm surprised that he didn't make a breast-feeding joke, like many of his fellow

despicable shitstains do. Pete Buttigeig has more decency and competence on the tip of his pinkie finger than that entire party of garbage people.

Like other GOPers, Pence is also consistent in perpetually touting himself as a "Christian," while behaving in a manner that is anything but Christ-like.

[lame54]

6. I don't know about homophobia but the lack of empathy is astounding

[Hortensis]

7. :) I lack sensitivity, not uncommon for me to need -phobic-nerve twangers

pointed out. I still think it was funny. And the mention of two months taken off to be a new father to their babies was an "aww, how nice" reminder to me.

Of course, it'd have been very different if offended people all around the nation were demanding I condemn it. Mercifully, that's not the case.

I still think Reagan's off-record mike test joke “My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes” is funny. Plenty of people expressed outrage at that, not all of it politically opportunistic either.

Fwiw, to me liberalism in all its ideals is fundamentally about being decent. Every solution to every problem, our relations with those we must inhabit this planet with, all require decency as a core guide and goal.

[MagickMuffin]

8. Of course xvp pence won't apologize . . . But if he did here's what'd sound like

If I offended anyone I’m sorry!

[rubbersole]

10. "I'm sorry you're offended, liberal snowflake."

[3catwoman3]

9. There's low class, and then...

…there’s NO class.

Sanctimonious hypocrite.

[patphil]

11. He's trying to be the one who takes the "walking pile of shit" baton from Trump.

In all actuality, he won't get any more than 10% in any of the Republican Primaries, including Indiana.
There are only 2 real possibilities for the Republican nomination, and Trump has the inside track.
If DeSantis actually won the nomination, Trump would refuse to support him..."I never liked the guy". That would doom DeSantis to failure.
Trump's base isn't big enough to elect him....Biden will be reelected if he runs.

[Paladin]

13. As if Pence has the character and strength for such a decent gesture. (nt)

[halfulglas]

14. He probably thought it would win him some votes.

But because of the offensive crap from his former boss and that mob boss running Florida, he's having trouble getting any attention.

[jaxexpat]

15. Yep, Pence is a dumb dick. News?

[calimary]

16. And a bleached fucker.

I swear, he’s the whitest white guy on earth. Probably why trump took an interest in him.

[DinahMoeHum]

18. And he's NOT funny. . .

Tara Setmayer (Lincoln Project) says her cat Tiki has a better chance of winning the GOP nomination for POTUS than Pence:

Link to tweet

[Random Boomer]

17. Homophobic? Help me understand how?

"When Pete's two children were born, he took two months maternity leave, where upon thousands of travelers were stranded in airports, the air traffic system shut down, airplanes nearly collided in midair."

"I mean, Pete Buttigieg is the only person in human history to have a child and all the rest of us get postpartum depression."

It's a somewhat mean-spirited/tone-deaf joke because the babies were premature and that maternity leave was fraught with tension, not to mention postpartum depression is also a rather grim punchline. But I don't see the homophobia. If a straight man or woman had been Secretary of Transportation, the "joke" would still work. It's not unlike what you'd hear at any roast, with maybe a heavier dose of bad taste than usual.

I'm all for calling out homophobia (I'm a gay woman), but I just don't see it in these comments.

[FoxNewsSucks]

19. I don't either

Looks like a typical republicon stupid comment. Average level of rudeness, by their usual standards

[Arazi]

20. It's saying Pete went on "maternity" leave instead of "paternity" leave

He’s implying Pete is femme because he’s gay instead of a man.

That’s how I interpreted his comment - as a mean spirited slam on Pete’s sexuality

[Random Boomer]

22. Good catch

That tips it into a smirk, gotta agree. Not sure I'd dignify it with a response.

[BlackSkimmer]

21. Agree.

But goodness gracious, don't stop the outrage.

[niyad]

23. Maybe we should stop dignifying these cruel, deliberately insulting and

offensive words with the word "joke" first of all.

[Tickle]

24. I'm not sure where the homophobic

is in what I read but he was rude and mean spirited

[treestar]

25. oddly seems less homophobic

than anti-parent. It's the leave that he objects to most. Planes will collide in the air if the Secretary of Transportation takes a paternity leave. Yeah I guess the DOT has no other employees.