‘Olympics of Lying’: Buttigieg Criticizes Vance’s Remarks on Walz’s Military Record
By Jake Beardslee ·
August 12, 2024
In a Sunday interview with Dana Bash on CNN's "State of the Union," former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg responded sharply to comments made by Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance regarding military service and family values. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia
Buttigieg, a Navy veteran himself, took issue with Vance's criticism of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's military record. Vance had accused Walz of lying about his service for political gain, a claim Buttigieg disputed. "The fact that a veteran wants to go out and disparage another veteran just goes against certainly everything I learned during my time in service," Buttigieg stated. Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia
The former South Bend mayor said that Vance is "running with Donald Trump, somebody who has set records for lying in public life." Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK
Buttigieg went on to say, "He just gave a press conference where fact checkers estimate that he told 160 distortions or lies that frankly, is just impressive in terms of being able to physically do that. It's like the Olympics of lying." Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia
The conversation then shifted to Vance's previous comments about "childless cat ladies," a term he had used to criticize some Democrats, including Buttigieg. When confronted about these remarks, Vance claimed he never criticized people for not having children, but rather for being "anti-child." David Rodriguez Munoz/Detroit Free Press / USA TODAY NETWORK
"I don't know which part of that is worse," Buttigieg responded. "The lie that he just told when he says he never criticized people for not having kids because of course he very much did, including Kamala Harris and me and a lot of other people, millions of Americans, in fact, he disparaged as childless cat ladies." Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia
Buttigieg highlighted what he perceives as a disconnect between Republican rhetoric and policy, pointing out that Democrats have been pushing for expanded child tax credits and paid family leave, policies that Republicans have largely opposed. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia
Buttigieg questioned the implications of Vance's views on same-sex marriage: "The last time I checked, he doesn't even think I should legally be able to have a family. Now, if you really got his way in his anti-marriage equality views, I don't know if that means that he would want me and my husband to be forcibly divorced and separated from our children or if he'd be satisfied just to have us lose legal protections like the ability to do our taxes together, visit them in a hospital." Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia
