"My name is Pete Buttigieg. They call me Mayor Pete. I am a proud son of South Bend, Indiana and I'm running for president of the United States. I recognize the audacity of doing this as a Midwestern millennial mayor. More than a little bold -- at age 37 to seek the highest office in the land."
Those words spoken yesterday afternoon have already gotten a lot of attention. I don't usually write about politics here, but yesterday, with this announcement, Pete Buttigieg made a little history. His husband was there by his side too. That alone is something I have never been able to say about a presidential candidate - "his husband." An historic moment.
It was forty two years ago that Harvey Milk famously said "The only thing they have to look forward to is hope. And you have to give them hope. Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow, hope for a better place to come to if the pressures at home are too great. Hope that all will be all right. Without hope, not only gays, but the blacks, the seniors, the handicapped, the us'es, the us'es will give up. And if you help elect to the central committee and other offices, more gay people, that gives a green light to all who feel disenfranchised, a green light to move forward. It means hope to a nation that has given up, because if a gay person makes it, the doors are open to everyone."
One of the things I think Mayor Pete did yesterday, was he renewed that hope. He got a lot of folks believing once again - not just gay people, but anyone who had given up hope.
"The horror show in Washington is mesmerizing, all-consuming," Buttigieg said. "But starting today, we are going to change the channel. Sometimes a dark moment brings out the best in us, what is good in us, dare I say, what is great in us."
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