Pete Buttigieg, the Secretary of Transportation, believes that being a father and being involved in politics are not incompatible with one another.
Since Buttigieg and his spouse Chasten adopted infant twins in 2021, Republicans, especially former Vice President Mike Pence, have been relentless in their criticism and mockery of the Democrat and his family. Pence’s criticism was particularly harsh. Most recently, Pence made a comment about Buttigieg taking parental leave that the White House termed as a “joke homophobic in nature.”
Reportedly speaking at the annual Gridiron Dinner for journalists and politicians in Washington, D.C. on March 11, Vice President Mike Pence said, “When Pete’s two children were born, he took two months’ maternity leave whereupon thousands of travelers were stranded in airports, the air traffic system shut down, and airplanes nearly collided on our runways.”
Pence was referring to an incident that occurred when Pete’s children were born. It has been said that Pete is the only person in the history of humanity to have a child, and that everyone else suffers from postpartum depression.
Since then, Pence has not only declined to issue an apology but has also doubled down on his contentious statements. He is currently mulling a run for the presidency in 2024.
At a meal for the Republican Party held on March 17 in New Hampshire, he informed the media, “The Gridiron Dinner is a roast.” “A lot of people made jokes at my expense, and I also made a lot of jokes at the expense of Republicans and Democrats. My only conclusion is that Pete Buttigieg is not just incompetent at his job but also unable to laugh at himself or others when they make fun of him.”
