If you know much about Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, it’s likely that he likes to portray himself as a humble servant of the people, just another everyday Joe from small-town America trying to do what’s good for the nation. However, it seems all it takes is a camera in his face at an inopportune moment to prove that he’s really not that kind of guy at all.
Now, if you are reading this, I understand that you probably aren’t that big of a fan of either the Democratic Party or President Joe Biden’s administration. Therefore, I don’t exactly expect you to believe the act Buttigieg has been attempting to put on since Biden installed him as head of the transportation department.
Nevertheless, this particular instance of the mask coming off is no less important to point out.
It all happened on Tuesday, just two days before he finally traveled to the site of the toxic train derailment in northeast Ohio.
As head of the Department of Transportation, this incident should be Buttigieg’s top priority at the moment. And yet, it took him a full two weeks before he even visited the place where it happened, took real stock of the damage there, and even acted as if he was trying to fix the problems that 1) caused the incident and 2) have occurred since.
Naturally, since his visit hadn’t happened yet as of Tuesday, people were curious as to why. Why didn’t he seem concerned? Why would a man supposedly intent on improving the infrastructure of America seemingly ignore one of the biggest and most dangerous transportation events in modern history?
The Daily Caller’s Jennie Taer was one such questioning individual. And since she is a reporter, it’s her job to find and expose the truth.
She found Buttigieg walking on a Washington DC street Tuesday evening with his husband. And so she approached him and asked about the events in East Palestine and what was being done about it.
But Buttigieg must not have liked her questions or her timing. For starters, he was rather dismissive and arrogant with Taer. And then, when she persisted in questioning him, he got aggressive and finally creepy.
At first, Taer simply asked about the event, not pointing fingers, not criticizing. She just asked if Buttigieg might have a message for those of East Palestine now suffering from the train derailment and the toxins that have filled the air there.
Buttigieg refused to give Taer an answer, instead referring her to the several other interviews he had participated in already that day.
When she pressed the issue, he continued to refuse, this time saying that he was trying to take “some personal time” at the moment and that she was bothering him.
As any good reporter, the excuse didn’t deter Taer. Instead, she asked if he planned to visit East Palestine soon. Remember, this was still Tuesday; his visit wasn’t announced until Wednesday and didn’t occur until Thursday.
Buttigieg still refused to comment, saying, “I’ll share that when I’m ready.”
By ready, he must have meant the very next morning, meaning that the trip was likely already on the books and the final details being planned. He could have just told her that. But instead, he was dismissive and acted as if he didn’t need to tell her or the American people anything.
Again, the non-transparency of this administration is just astounding.
But then, things got even worse.
As Taer persisted in her doing her job, Buttigieg suddenly pulled out his cell phone and asked if he could “get a photo of this,” as if it was Taer doing something wrong here. He then proceeded to take a picture of her.
Why? Well, as quite a few social media users have since pointed out, no reason is a good one.
Could he be trying to intimidate a press member for simply doing her job? Did he want to document yet another reporter to put on his naughty list to avoid? Or was he merely trying to make her pay for interrupting his social time off?
Regardless, it was creepy and possibly a page from Biden’s book.
Way to show your true color, Buttigieg.
