'Seniors for Buttigieg': Why voters twice his age feel drawn to the millennial mayor

[babylonsister]

'Seniors for Buttigieg': Why voters twice his age feel drawn to the millennial mayor
By Dan Merica, CNN
Updated 11:25 AM ET, Sat May 25, 2019
Video @ link~


Des Moines, Iowa (CNN)When Barbara Paulding was 44 years old, Joe Biden had been a member of the United States Senate from Delaware for more than a decade -- and Pete Buttigieg was about to be born.

Despite being only 37 years old, the latter -- a gay, veteran mayor from South Bend, Indiana, who is running for president in 2020 -- wowed the now 81-year-old Paulding after he spoke in a low-slung union hall here in Des Moines.

Paulding represents a growing number of senior citizens who have rallied around Buttigieg because of -- not in spite of -- his age. And she said after Buttigieg's speech that her support of the millennial mayor over the 76-year-old former vice president Biden or 77-year-old Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders does not feel abnormal.
A recent CNN poll found that 22% of people 65 and older have a favorable opinion of Buttigieg, compared to 16% for voters under 34. And a recent Suffolk University poll in New Hampshire found more voters older than 65 said they would back the Indiana Democrat if the primary was today than voters younger than 50.

snip//

'A generational alliance'

Paulding is not unique.

As Buttigieg has risen in popularity, the faces in his growing crowds have not been solely dotted with young people who see the South Bend, Indiana, mayor as a member of their generational cohort. Instead, Buttigieg has seen a steady growth in support from senior citizens, with polls showing that the age group is, in some cases, more fervent in their Buttigieg support than voters closer to the mayor's age.

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https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/25/politics/seniors-for-pete-buttigieg/index.html

[murielm99]

1. Count this senior citizen in for Pete.

[trev]

2. This one, too.

[Laelth]

8. I am not a senior citizen, but I can definitely see the appeal. n/t

-Laelth

[leftofcool]

9. this one too

[DavidDvorkin]

3. That describes both me and my wife.

[patricia92243]

4. A new generation with new ideas is what attracted this senior, n/t

[mobeau69]

5. Just was talking with my late 70's Democrat neighbor.

He said Biden's time has past and that we need to nominate one of our younger new leaders. He really believes nominating Biden is a big mistake in spite of what the polls say today. He went through the whole litany of Biden's baggage and said the pukes will be all over it like stink on shit.

He told me he can say someone's too old because he knows old first hand. He really fears Biden will end up losing to rump and said he'll shut off his tv and just basically wait to die when that happens.

[IndyOp]

6. Transformational - someone who fully understands the threats we face -

climate crisis, nuclear weapons and nuclear power, international computer hackers... AND who understands people and how to guide a diverse citizenry in a way that will get most on board the supersonic train into the future. Buttigieg

[murielm99]

7. My only worry is that he does not seem

to know how to relate to people of color. How can we help him?

[leftofcool]

10. He knows how. It is about name recognition

[customerserviceguy]

17. He's come up with something

By dealing head-on with the "take a knee" issue in the NFL, he can use his status as a veteran to say that he is not offended or insulted by what the Trumpsters consider an unpatriotic gesture. This puts him squarely at odds with Trump, on a playing field that is tilted his way.

Now, if Oprah can support him, that would clinch things. Until she did that for Barack Obama, the votes of African-Americans were clearly on Hillary's side in 2007-8.

[mugwump1948]

11. Liked his Faux news townhall

Seems a very down to earth realist. Interested in how debate matches up.

[Celerity]

21. +1, my dream ticket would be Warren/Pete

[pamdb]

12. Mayor Pete

I’m a 68 year old woman and I love mayor Pete.

[MBS]

13. yup.

I guess that I now fit into this demographic (what? when did that happen? ), as do most of my best friends. All but one of us are on board for Pete, for all of the reasons given up thread. (The sole exception, also a dear friend, is going for Biden). All of us have independently come to the same conclusion: that Pete is someone special, a breath of fresh air, and is just what we need, in both smarts and depth and strength of character, to clean up the Trump damage and move our country forward. And, yes, his youth is an additional attraction (All of us are fond of Joe, but we find his age, and a number of issues related to his age and long career, a bit of a problem, or at least one reason why he is so far not our first choice in the primary). To repeat myself, it's striking to me that each of us - living in 4 different states - came to the same conclusion, for the same set of reasons, without consulting each other.

Two things to add
1. Lest anyone worry, yes, all of us will support the Democratic nominee in the GE
2. I suspect that this will be a much more dynamic primary than the talking heads currently predict, and that there is likely to be a notable shift in dynamics (or, more likely, several shifts) once the primaries start. Including the possibility that I and others may change our minds. Fasten your seat belts: unpredictability ahead!

[gblady]

14. As a 70 yo mother of 2 milenniels

I truly think it is time for the young folks to take control. The world my children are facing is so much different than when I was their age, with tremendous challenges and all happening in a way that didn't even exist until I was beyond their current ages.
Pete gives me hope again, that perhaps this ship wreck can be righted again. His servent leadership style is, IMHO, what will help facilitate the changes we so desperately need in this country. Lead by example. Democracy, freedom and security.

[customerserviceguy]

15. I'm 63

and I like him, too. He's a great speaker, and he probably has a greater chance of getting things done than just about any of the candidates out there, should he become president. I feel that Joe Biden also has a decent chance of accomplishing a fair amount of his wish list, too.

Pete's military background probably resonates with older voters, but that is not so much of a factor for me.

[watoos]

16. I'm 71 and Pete moved to the top of my list.

He wasn't afraid to call out Trump for his draft dodging and even went so far as to say he faked a disability. He shoots from the hip and is maybe our best communicator, there is no hesitation in his answers.

[thegoose]

18. He's the white gay version of Obama

One of my best presidents. Unlike this piece of shit we're suffering with now (Repukelican).

[Celerity]

22. piece of shit

is all that needs to be written under the Trump entry in the POTUS annals

[marlakay]

19. I like him

Think we need a fresh outlook by someone kind, smart and caring about the future.

[33taw]

20. I like how Mayor B. handled the "Alfred E. Newman" comment from Trump.

Basically, why isn’t he more worried about issues facing our country than creating outdated nicknames. Biden has a different approach that I like as well, he takes it head on and says ‘bulls...”. I am afraid the others will get sucked into the same vortex as his 2016 opponents. I also think that with the large number of democratic opponents, Trump doesn’t know who to attack first and when he does, he is laughed at.

[Celerity]

23. Alfred E. Newman, Pootie, and the Rump

[33taw]

24. Cute!!

[3catwoman3]

26. That picture isn't quite right.

Trump should be shown kissing Putin’s ass rather than baring it.

[Celerity]

27. he had to get Vlad's shorts off first somehow, lolol

[Blue Owl]

25. Pete's got the kind of brainpower required for the role of a president

n/t

[redstateblues]

28. I like Pete. He doesn't have a realistic chance to get the nomination this time. 2028? Possibility

If he finds a way to appeal to POC. Same problem Bernie has.

[williesgirl]

29. Count me as one of them. Loved his town hall ladt week.

[RicROC]

30. another senior for Mayor Pete

While I am not retired, I am facing that transition within the next year.

One of the reasons why I support Mayor Pete is that he's a like a son of mine who will be taking over my business and will do a better job than I did.

I can leave the present scene knowing that the country is in good hands.