Ellen DeGeneres

‘Not Just Another Election:' Pete Buttigieg Talks About 2020 on ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show'

The South Bend mayor is expected to announce his presidential candidacy on Sunday

With a big announcement coming on Sunday, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg took time to appear on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” to tease what’s expected to be the launch of a presidential campaign. 

Buttigieg, who is expected to officially announce his presidential candidacy on Sunday in South Bend, was asked by Ellen whether he would make the announcement on her show instead, but the mayor politely declined.

 “An announcement is something you only get to do once, so I want to do it right,” he said. “I can think of no better place but here, except for one: my hometown.”

In an extensive conversation, Buttigieg and DeGeneres spoke about the candidate’s stances on a wide variety of issues, his recent war of words with Vice President Mike Pence, and his well-publicized ability to speak seven different languages.

Buttigieg also made clear that he views the 2020 election as a potential turning point in the nation’s history, and said that he is up for the challenge.

“It’s not just another election,” he said. “It’s a hinge between eras in American history.”

At age 37, Buttigieg would be one of the youngest candidates in a massively crowded field if he does indeed jump into the race, but he discussed how his life experiences in the field of Naval Intelligence, and his experiences as the mayor of South Bend, have shaped his view of the world.

Of course, Buttigieg and DeGeneres had some spirited banter about other topics too, including one of the biggest obstacles some voters could face: how exactly to say his name.

“A month ago we were just trying to get people to be able to say my name,” Buttigieg said. “The good news for me is that elections are multiple choice so people don’t know how to spell it or say it.”

Buttigieg’s appearance on the program will air on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. on NBC 5.

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