Amy Klobuchar Clashes With Pete Buttigieg At Democratic Debate: “Are You Trying To Say That I’m Dumb?”

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) refused to shake hands with South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, at the end of the Las Vegas debate Wednesday.

The pair is notorious for sparring and had exchanged words during the event.

The spat developed over Klobuchar’s recent fumble with naming the president of Mexico in a Telemundo interview.

During the debate, Telemundo senior correspondent, Vanessa Hauc, pinned Klobuchar about her knowledge of international affairs.

Klobuchar frequently touts her expertise in Washington policies on the campaign trail.

“Sen. Klobuchar, you’re running on your Washington experience. But last week in a Telemundo interview, you could not name the president of Mexico or discuss any of his policies. Last night, you defended yourself saying, quote, “This isn’t ‘Jeopardy,'” Hauc stated.

Klobuchar shared random facts about global trade and investment policies, which included a rhetorical question directed toward Hauc, “You know, how many members are there in the Israeli Knesset? One hundred twenty. Who is the president of Honduras?”

The two engaged in a sarcastic tiff and proceeded to move forward.

Klobuchar then shared that she was the sole candidate who supported the U.S.-Mexican-Canadian Trade Agreement, and “[that] is going to be one of the number-one duties of a president is to implement that.”

Hauc continued to press the Minnesota senator.

Klobuchar said, “Yes, that’s right. And I said that I made an error. I think having a president that maybe is humble and is able to admit that here and there maybe wouldn’t be a bad thing.”

The audience showed strong support.

Hauc then questioned Buttigieg about the matter.

The Indiana mayor contended that he did not how many members were in Knesset but proceeded to state, “But you’re [Klobuchar] staking your candidacy on your Washington experience. You’re on the committee that oversees border security. You’re on the committee that does trade. You’re literally in part of the committee that’s overseeing these things and were not able to speak to literally the first thing about the politics of the country to our south.”

Klobuchar responded, “Are you – are you trying to say that I’m dumb? Or are you mocking me here, Pete?”

Buttigieg claimed, “I’m saying you shouldn’t trivialize that knowledge.”

“Not everyone is as perfect as you, Pete,” Klobuchar snarked.

The senator claimed that Buttigieg implied that she lacked the experience needed to be president. 

Klobuchar maintained her stance, touting her qualifications, “I have passed over 100 bills as the lead Democrat since being in the U.S. Senate. I am the one, not you, that has won statewide in congressional district after congressional district.”

Klobuchar then hit him with a personal jibe.

“And I will say, when you tried in Indiana, Pete, to run, what happened to you? You lost by over 20 points to someone who later lost to my friend, Joe Donnelly. So don’t tell me about experience. What unites us here is we want to win. And I think we should put a proven winner in charge of the ticket.”

When the debate ended, Klobuchar averted glances with Buttigieg.

Klobuchar then scurried away from her podium before the two could shake hands.

Article by Emily Bevacqua