Pete Buttigieg Talks Being 'The Other' With Rev. Al Sharpton [View all]
Political activist and onetime Democratic presidential candidate Rev. Al Sharpton says he was impressed by a member of the 2020 Democratic field, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, with whom he lunched today in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood.
The two met for lunch at Sylvia’s, a famed soul food restaurant in Harlem and a popular stop for political candidates. During the lunch, which was live-streamed online, Sharpton mentioned his gay sister and praised Buttigieg’s willingness to be open as a gay politician. “I thought he was very much authentic,” Sharpton said of Buttigieg, adding that the mayor went to every table in the restaurant to speak with customers and was well-received.
At a press conference after the lunch, journalist Terrell Starr asked Buttigieg if he had reconsidered his opposition to voting rights for people who are incarcerated. Buttigieg said he had not, but he did support restoration of voting rights once these people are released. He added that he’s for decriminalization of marijuana, and if that comes to pass, people who’ve been imprisoned for marijuana-related crimes should be fully reintegrated into society.
The two discussed the need to challenge bigotry on all fronts, whether it’s racism, homophobia, or anything else. African-Americans and LGBTQ people have in common being “the other,” Buttigieg told Sharpton. Donald Trump's presidency, Sharpton added, has motivated those who are 'other' to unite in resistance.
On MSNBC, shortly after the lunch, Sharpton quoted Buttigieg as saying, “I represent ‘the other.’ … I’m running for the other.”
https://www.advocate.com/politics/2019/4/29/pete-buttigieg-talks-being-other-rev-al-sharpton
If I were to vote in a presidentialprimary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
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