Meet Pete: The Millennial mayor who wants to be president

Pete Buttigieg is currently serving his second term as mayor of South Bend, Indiana. He has a history of tackling the difficulties of bankrupt and divided communities.

In this episode of Speakers Forum, he discusses his latest book, "Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future."

Buttigieg talks about the personal and political aspects of being a mayor. He also comments that handling a mayorship can be like “changing channels every five minutes between The Wire, Parks and Recreation, and, occasionally, Veep.”

Buttigieg believes that good leadership calls communities to their highest values and that looking forward, not backwards, is a solution to many of this country's concerns.

Buttigieg shares with a Seattle audience how being a Millennial, an Afghanistan war veteran and a husband compelled him to be the first openly gay man to pursue the 2020 Presidential Democratic nomination.

Buttigieg is a Harvard graduate and Rhodes scholar. Former president Barack Obama named him one of four Democrats who represented the future of the Democratic Party.

This event was moderated by Florangela Davila, managing editor at Crosscut. It took place at the Seattle Public Library Central Branch on February 28. Thanks to KUOW’s Jennie Cecil Moore who recorded the discussion.

Listen to the full version below: