EMPTY BENCH: Buttigieg’s Candidacy Dead on Arrival

The Democratic Party is in full-blown identity crisis mode — and Pete Buttigieg is Exhibit A. Bill Maher recently tore into him on HBO, mocking polls showing Pete with zero support among Black voters. That’s not just bad — that’s catastrophic for any Democrat hoping to win a national race. Even with 84% of Black respondents disapproving of President Trump’s work, Buttigieg still can’t win them over. If that’s the party’s “next big thing,” the cupboard is truly bare.

Pete’s campaign shtick? Rambling about “freedom” and “democracy” on NPR in a tone that sounds more like a pompous college professor than a leader who can inspire everyday Americans. His flip-flopping on transgender athletes in women’s sports is another disaster. One minute, he’s calling it a “political game” meant to hurt people. The next, he’s nodding along with Democrats who admit men shouldn’t compete against women. It’s a masterclass in saying nothing while alienating everyone.

Meanwhile, real issues that Black voters care about — like crime, economic opportunity, and broken affirmative action systems — barely register on Pete’s radar. He’s chasing niche woke causes while the base slips away.

This is the Democrats’ reality: no Obama waiting in the wings, no Clinton comeback, just a shallow bench of woke careerists who can’t connect with the voters they need most. If Buttigieg is the future, the Democrats are staring at a very dark road ahead.