Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has indicated a divergence from former President Joe Biden's messaging, specifically rejecting the "Build Back Better" slogan and expressing skepticism about a "return to normal" narrative. In an interview with Politico, Buttigieg stated his intention to avoid phrases with "re-" or "back" prefixes, suggesting that the "Build Back Better" approach, which served as Biden's 2020 campaign slogan, is no longer effective.
"Build better, yes. I don't even want to talk about back," Buttigieg told Politico, implying that the strategy behind the slogan may not have yielded the desired results. He further elaborated that a message focused on a "return to normal" would not resonate with the electorate.
"To me, the most important thing is — are we demonstrating a readiness to be focused on building what’s next or are we basically preaching some version of 'return to normal'? 'Return to normal,' in my view, won’t work," Buttigieg said.
Buttigieg also addressed his relationship with Biden, referring to him as a "good man" and a "good boss" but stopped short of calling him a mentor. He acknowledged that Biden provided him with a significant opportunity to serve as Transportation Secretary after competing against him in the 2020 primary, stating, "I learned a lot from him, but I wouldn't say I was close enough to him that I claim that."
These comments come amidst speculation about a potential 2028 presidential run. A recent University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll indicated that Buttigieg is statistically tied with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a hypothetical 2028 matchup. Buttigieg has previously suggested that a desire for change, whether from candidates on the left or from Donald Trump, stems from a public perception that the current system is failing.
"I think one of the reasons why you see people who run on a promise of shaking it up, whether it's a DSA candidate on the left or whether it’s someone like Donald Trump, is because people can tell that the system we have is not just showing its age — it's letting us down," Buttigieg stated on "America Reports."