Does Mayor Pete's Private Plane Serve Climate Change-Causing Hamburgers And Plastic Straws?

Timothy Meads | September 05, 2019 12:30 PM

After CNN's seven-hour long climate change town hall on Wednesday night, 2020 Democratic candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg sat down with Alisyn Camerota on Thursday morning to discuss the "challenges" of how to fight climate change. In his answer, Buttigieg compared battling the changing weather to World War II and landing on the moon. He also said people who use straws or eat hamburgers are "part of the problem." If he really feels this way, then why does Buttigieg spend more money on private jet travel than any other 2020 Democratic candidate and use the aforementioned food and accessories?

"...I think the downside to us facing just how colossal of a challenge this is is it can feel paralyzing," Buttigieg told Camerota. "But we can rise to meet this and be proud of it. That's part of what my climate plan is about. It's not only about all of the things we've got to do technologically and with regulation and and so on, it's about summoning the energies of this country to do something unbelievably hard."

"If you look at the moments when this country rose to a major challenge -- overcoming the Great Depression, winning World War II, going to the moon -- it required something out of all of us," he added. "I think we could be standing taller. See right now we're in a mode where we're, I think we're thinking about it mostly through the perspective of guilt you know? 'From using a straw to eating a burger am i part of the problem?' And in a certain way yes but the most exciting thing is that we can all be part of the solution." (emphasis added)

As pointed out by Rob Province, Buttigieg uses a private jet for travel -- highlighting his rank hypocrisy on the issue.

This guy is still using a private jet for his campaign.... https://t.co/K6bedCakoy
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) September 5, 2019

Indeed, the Associated Press reports the small town mayor is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in private jet travel:

Pete Buttigieg has spent roughly $300,000 on private jet travel this year, more than any other Democrat running for the White House, according to an analysis of campaign finance data.
The expenditures have enabled the South Bend, Indiana, mayor to keep up an aggressive schedule, shuttling from his campaign headquarters in his hometown to fundraisers and political events across the country. But his reliance on charter flights contrasts sharply with his image as a Rust Belt mayor who embodies frugality and Midwestern modesty.