Buttigieg says Warren more specific about 'selfies' than health care plan

[highplainsdem]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/16/politics/pete-buttigieg-warren-health-care-plan-cnntv/index.html

Pete Buttigieg, continuing his criticism of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, said Wednesday his 2020 rival has been "more specific and forthcoming about the number of selfies she's taken" than about laying out details of how she'd pay for "Medicare for All."

"Not only is it important to have 'yes-or-no' answers to 'yes-or-no' questions at a time when people are so frustrated with Washington speak, but also there's still been no explanation for a multitrillion-dollar hole in this plan," the South Bend, Indiana, mayor told CNN's Alisyn Camerota on "New Day." "I have a lot of respect for Senator Warren, but last night she was more specific and forthcoming about the number of selfies she's taken than about how this plan is going to be funded. And that's a real problem, especially when there's a better way to deliver health care coverage to everybody."

-snip-

He's right.

And I winced last night when Warren referred to those selfies as "the new measure of democracy."

Politicians have been meeting supporters and having photos taken with them for decades. Smartphones make it easier.

But I've never heard of anyone keeping track of stats and talking about them till Warren started doing so.

For one thing, the more time you spend actually talking to those supporters, and listening to them, the fewer selfies there will be.

[jezebel321]

1. I honestly cant figure out why EW wont just answer the question. Her tap dancing is making it a

bigger deal than it needs to be. At least Bernie admits yes taxes will go up, but overall costs go down. Maybe EW doesn't want the quote out there of her saying yes taxes will go up?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Thanks for your post, highplainsdem...

I especially appreciate your last sentence.

[BootinUp]

3. Pete's a serious competitor. Nt

[maxsolomon]

4. Deck chairs on the Titanic

No one is going to pass M4A next session, or any Healthcare Bills that do anything but nibble at the edges.

It's likely nothing will pass. Again.

[Lucky Luciano]

9. Negotiations should not start on the edges - or even in the middle.

[Celerity]

21. One major problem with this. To even get to the position of negotiation, we have to win first.

Running on a POTUS platform of taking away 150 millions people's CHOICE when it comes to healthcare is a recipe for electoral disaster.

The far left is more interested in purity tests when it comes to MFA than actually winning elections and helping to fix a broken system.

The perfect example being the addition of 5 simple words:

FOR THOSE WHO WANT IT

to Medicare For All

causes spasms of outrage on the far left.

THAT is a purity test if there ever was one.

Pete (and Biden, Klobuchar, etc etc etc) is 100% correct on this.

[peggysue2]

5. Buttigieg is out there swinging

And landing punches!

I must have been interrupted when the 'new measure of democracy' line was uttered. That would have had me groaning immediately. Honestly? The line doesn't even sound like Warren but rather a young staffer who may think that this analogy clever and cool.

Nope. Groan-worthy.

Good one on Buttigieg!

[highplainsdem]

10. From the transcript - part of an answer dodging the question of MFA and taxes:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/10/15/october-democratic-debate-transcript/

LACEY: Senator Warren, we've proposed -- you've proposed some sweeping plans, free public college, free universal childcare, eliminating most Americans' college debt. And you've said how you're going to pay for those plans. But you have not specified how you're going to pay for the most expensive plan, Medicare for all. Will you raise taxes on the middle class to pay for it, yes or no?

WARREN: So I have made clear what my principles are here, and that is costs will go up for the wealthy and for big corporations, and for hard-working middle-class families, costs will go down. You know, the way I see this is, I have been out all around this country. I've done 140 town halls now, been to 27 states and Puerto Rico. Shoot, I've done 70,000 selfies, which must be the new measure of democracy.

And this gives people a chance to come up and talk to me directly. So I have talked with the family, the mom and dad whose daughter's been diagnosed with cancer. I have talked to the young woman whose mother has just been diagnosed with diabetes. I've talked to the young man who has MS.

-snip-

She called all those selfies the "real measure of democracy" last month in New Hampshire

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/democratic-party-presidential-candidates-embrace-the-selfie-line-including-elizabeth-warren-joe-biden-kamala/

and her campaign "“has systematized and optimized photo-taking for maximum efficiency while keeping detailed metrics of their progress.”

http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/06/elizabeth-warren-even-has-a-selfie-plan.html

[peggysue2]

19. Yup, I missed that.

Definitely groan-worthy! As if the other candidates aren't talking directly to people, listening to concerns, problems. I'm surprised O'Rourke didn't chime in with his wall-to-wall listening tours, regardless of how big or small the venue.

This seems more like a strategic move to keep 'detailed metrics of their progress'.

I'm still wondering if a young staffer didn't suggest this idea and Warren adopted it. Maybe it read better on a screen than it actually sounds on repeat.

[Turin_C3PO]

6. I don't like Dems attacking each other.

I get that it’s a battle for the nomination but I wish candidates would focus on Trump.

[emmaverybo]

7. She is playing it politically safe, which is ironic when she talks up big and bold ideas. She

played it safe too when she couldn’t join other candidates denouncing Trump’s putting a bullseye on Biden’s back.

Since coming up in the polls, she is starting to have to deal with challenges. Will you raise taxes on the middle class is a fair question that can not be answered by semantic fudging.

[Maven]

8. And his "bold" health care plan (a public option) is essentially HRC's plan from 11 years ago

When you're negotiating, you don't shoot for the middle of the road. You shoot for the best possible result and try to get as much of that done as possible, knowing that you won't get everything you want.

Pete's lack of national public policy experience is showing. It's also ironic that he's selling himself as the "next generation" of leadership and what he's actually proposing is the same ol', same ol'.

[dalton99a]

28. +1.

We do need small-town mayors with extensive street repair and roadkill removal experience

[Amimnoch]

11. More ridiculous policy bullshit.

I am so sick of our candidates in-fighting over these policy issues.

We give them a House and Senate that can get shit passed, THEY will set the policy. I only care that our Potus is a Democrat that will sign off on whatever steps forward, be they small or large, that our congress manages to get through.

I don't doubt for a second that a President Biden would sign off, and not veto a medicare for all bill that passes.
I don't doubt for a second that a President Warren would sign off, and not veto an enhanced ACA bill that passes.

Restoring the integrity of our economy.
Restoring the dignity of our nation.
Restoring the humanity of our immigration system.
Repairing our international image.

ATTACK THE CHEETO, NOT EACH OTHER, and whomever shows the strongest case of doing so and able to win those swing states.. make that person our candidate!!!!

[BeyondGeography]

13. +1

[BlueMTexpat]

17. This ... and I am frankly tired

of posts like this OP.

I try to focus on my candidate's positives. I wish that all would do the same.

[Maven]

18. Agreed. nt

[pnwmom]

12. A selfie takes a few seconds, so there is still plenty of time to interact with supporters. nt

[Thekaspervote]

14. That's a fair statement mayor Pete. EVERYONE would like to know what it will cost and she isn't

Answering... that’s unfair

[Bradshaw3]

15. How much time does Biden spend with average voters compared with big donors?

Anyone have a number on that? Or time spent on policy proposals compared to Warren's? That I know from the web sites Warren has the better numbers.

Funny that all the Biden supporters are gleefully patting Pete on the back for a meaningless cheap shot like that when just a short time ago they were apoplectic about anyone on here even questioning Biden's past records for current or past statements.

[Thekaspervote]

16. Meh!!

[Bradshaw3]

23. Well we know Joe is spending a lot on private jets and consultants

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287312326

Maybe he should be spending more time with voters. Whne he runs out of money you going to say meh?

[Maven]

22. Liz is connecting with voters in a big way AND releasing one smart policy proposal after another

I love her selfies and personal phone calls to donors. She is tireless and brilliant.

[Bradshaw3]

24. It's called old-fashioned campaigning

Frankly it's nice to see when we've had decades of top down "campaigning" from politicians who spend too much time with consultants, technocrats and big donors. Pete and Joe could both learn from Warren on this.

[UniteFightBack]

26. It's not a cheap shot to ask point blank what shit is gonna cost. nt

[JCMach1]

20. He can keep making an ass out of himself... The polls

Won't be kind

[dalton99a]

25. Unlikely. The Einstein-Mozart-Jesus of South Bend is infallible.

His every pronouncement is full of great and unmatched wisdom. I predict he will win more talent shows and more money

[PhoenixDem]

27. Mayor Pete is astute and right to the point as always n/t

[RLG]

29. And yet, he was for M4A.

I guess he was for it before he was against it.

[BeyondGeography]

30. Yeah, but that was way back in 2018

Link to tweet

[dalton99a]

31. Yep

Link to tweet

[BeyondGeography]

32. Flip-flops and closed-door fundraisers

A young man who uses all the old tricks in the book.

[dalton99a]

34. Behind the words lies the most corporate-friendly approach to public policy among all the candidates

[jcgoldie]

33. Criticizing Warren for taking selfies with voters an making light reference to it is fucking stupid.

And Pete Buttigieg and his "yes or no" question argument is incredibly disingenuous.

[Celerity]

35. Warren was the one who brought it up AND tried to posit it as a 'real measure of democracy'

AND was all part of her evasive refusal to answer a simple yes or no question on tax increases.

h/t to highplainsdem https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287312162#post10 for the links

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/10/15/october-democratic-debate-transcript/

LACEY: Senator Warren, we've proposed -- you've proposed some sweeping plans, free public college, free universal childcare, eliminating most Americans' college debt. And you've said how you're going to pay for those plans. But you have not specified how you're going to pay for the most expensive plan, Medicare for all. Will you raise taxes on the middle class to pay for it, yes or no?

WARREN: So I have made clear what my principles are here, and that is costs will go up for the wealthy and for big corporations, and for hard-working middle-class families, costs will go down. You know, the way I see this is, I have been out all around this country. I've done 140 town halls now, been to 27 states and Puerto Rico. Shoot, I've done 70,000 selfies, which must be the new measure of democracy.

[Baclava]

36. No wonder the competition is jealous, her selfie crowds are ENORMOUS! lol

Voters wait for hours in Elizabeth Warren's 'selfie' line