Buttigieg talks potential VP nod and highlights differences with Vance on The View

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Friday he was “flattered” to be in the discussion about who will be the running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

“Of course I’m flattered to even be mentioned in this context, and it’s a very important choice, and she’s going to make the choice that is right for her, for the ticket, and for the campaign but, most of all, for the country. And I think that’s a big difference that we see already in the two campaigns,” Buttigieg said during an appearance on The View.

Former President Donald Trump was asked if his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), could lead the country on “day one,” but Trump didn’t answer, according to Buttigieg.

“He knows the answer is no,” the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said.

Vance does not believe that people without children have worth, Buttigieg added, referencing the Ohio senator’s previous remarks on “childless cat ladies.”

“He certainly doesn’t seem to think that women have any value unless they have children,” he said. “Look, I think parents would all say that those of us who have kids, that’s the most important part of our lives, that it brings perspective, sure.

“But this idea that if you don’t have kids, you don’t have value or worse. You know he said that people who don’t have kids … ‘don’t have physical commitment to the future of this country.’”

Buttigieg highlighted his time in Afghanistan as an example of a childless person making such a commitment.

“I didn’t have kids back then. A lot of the people I served with didn’t have kids, but I can tell you every single one of us knew that our commitment to the future of this country was pretty freaking physical,” he said.

“Mayor Pete” also addressed how he and Vance appear to differ on climate change.

“We think about our son and daughter. They’re getting ready to turn 3,” Buttigieg said. “So much in their lives will depend on what whether we can tackle those long-term issues, things like whether this is a climate that they can prosper and thrive in. And that’s why it’s so important to stay on the right path here.”