Former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg is reportedly being considered for the role of US ambassador to China by the presumed Democratic president-elect Joe Biden, leading many to question the wisdom of the pick.
Buttigieg is under consideration to represent the US in China by the potentially incoming cabinet, according to a Wednesday report from Axios. The position has been vacant since October, when the most recent ambassador, Terry Branstad, resigned, and the relationship between the two countries has deteriorated significantly under the Donald Trump administration – all reasons to hire a qualified, reliable candidate with significant foreign policy experience.
Also on rt.com Biden pledges funding transparency, yet seemingly cheats on own vows as many of his campaign donors are kept secretThe former South Bend mayor definitely isn't that candidate, many on social media have argued, groaning at the idea of the "scary AF" young politician taking on such an important role. "Unbelievable…we're in a new Cold War with China and this wet mayonnaise blanket gets appointed ambassador," one critic commented.
Several others commented on his lack of qualifications, noting he didn't speak Mandarin and had no foreign policy experience.
Others went further, claiming Buttigieg was "compromised by China."
Some complained that appointing Buttigieg, whose tenure as mayor was marked by racial animus, rampant gentrification, and rising poverty, to such a significant role was rewarding failure.
Even Buttigieg fans thought shipping him out to Beijing was a poor use of his 'talent.'
Other roles he has reportedly been considered for include Secretary for Housing and Urban Development – which those familiar with his mayoral stint called "a f**k you to a lot of people" - head of the Environmental Protection Agency, and director of Veterans Affairs.
Despite his lack of experience, Buttigieg has supposedly asked the transition team to consider him for a foreign policy or national security position. Several news outlets have interpreted this as laying the groundwork for another presidential run in 2024.
Biden's motives for appointing the Indiana politician to a senior foreign policy role may have had less to do with experience than nostalgia. When Buttigieg dropped out of the race for the Democratic nomination in March to endorse Biden, the former vice president remarked that Buttigieg "reminds me of my son Beau," deeming the comparison "the highest compliment I can give any man or woman." The younger Biden died of brain cancer in 2015.
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