EXCERPTS: Pete Buttigieg Nevada Caucus Night Speech
Las Vegas, NV - Pete Buttigieg will soon address supporters after today’s strong showing in the Nevada Democratic caucus. The following are excerpts from his speech as prepared for delivery:
Key excerpts as prepared for delivery:
I congratulate Senator Sanders on a strong showing today, and we certainly celebrate many of the same ideals.
But before we rush to nominate Senator Sanders as our one shot to take on this president... let’s take a sober look at the consequences—for our party, for our values, and for those with the most at stake.
There is so much on the line, and one thing we know for sure is that we absolutely must defeat Donald Trump and what he stands for in November.
I believe the best way to defeat Trump and deliver for the American people is to broaden and galvanize the majority that supports us on critical issues.
Senator Sanders believes in an inflexible, ideological revolution that leaves out most Democrats, not to mention most Americans.
I believe we can defeat Trump and deliver for the American people by empowering the American people to make their own health care choices.
Senator Sanders believes in taking away that choice--kicking people off their private plans and replacing it with a public plan, whether they want it or not.
I believe that we can bring an end to corporate recklessness and bring balance to our economy by empowering workers, raising wages, and insisting that those who gain the most must contribute the most.
Senator Sanders sees capitalism as the root of all evil. He’d go beyond reform and reorder the economy in ways most Democrats--let alone most Americans--don’t support.
I believe we need to defeat Trump and turn the page on this era in our politics by establishing a tone of belonging, bringing an end to the viciousness and the bullying that is tearing apart the country.
Senator Sanders’ revolution has the tenor of combat, division, and polarization, a vision where whoever wins the day, nothing will change the toxic tone of our politics.
I believe the only way to truly deliver any of the progressive changes we care about is to be a nominee who actually gives a damn about the effect you are having, from the top of the ticket, on those crucial, front-line House and Senate Democrats running to win, who we need to win, to make sure our agenda is more than just words on a page.
Senator Sanders, on the other hand, is ignoring, dismissing, or even attacking the very Democrats we absolutely must send to Capitol Hill in order to keep Nancy Pelosi as Speaker, in order to support judges who respect privacy and democracy, and in order to send Mitch McConnell into retirement. Let’s listen to what those voices are telling us!
That is the choice before us. We can prioritize either ideological purity or inclusive victory. We can either call people names online or we can call them into our movement. We can either tighten a narrow and hardcore base or open the tent to a new, broad, big-hearted American coalition.
This is our shot--our only shot--to beat Donald Trump. So I’m asking Americans to make sure we make the right choice.
