Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, defended his experience ahead of an expected run for president, saying he isn’t someone who has “been marinating in Washington” for a long time.
Asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” about his qualifications, he said he would “stack up my experience against anybody,” though he acknowledged “it’s not as traditional.”
The Democratic field is full of senators and members of the House.
Buttigieg said “being a mayor of a city of any size means that you have to deal with the kinds of issues that really hit Americans.”
Buttigieg would not confirm that he plans to announce his candidacy at an event next Sunday in South Bend but said “the kind of thing we’re going to announce is the kind of thing you only get to announce once.”
Buttigieg was campaigning in New Hampshire this weekend.
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