Glad to see that several readers are noting the rather unexceptional results of this investigation. If Buttigieg continues his climb upward (which I hope and think he will) there will continue to also be an upward climb of questions.
One imagines that some people will continue to push for disclosures about what they call crucial aspects of this candidate's life.
Now is the time these concerned citizens must delve deeply into Pete Buttigieg's wearing of a blue tie. Does the blue color symbolize horrible decisions in his past? What about the way he knots his tie - surely this has some evil and disqualifying meanings?
I breathlessly and nervously await the horrifying news.
12
Times went out of their way to find the most guilty-looking pic of Buttigieg they possibly could. Sheesh.
And of course now they are apologizing for their hit pieces - the article and the op-ed, now that they can see their hyperbolic implication of general nefariousness was completely inane.
10
@Matthew Where is the apology? I agree the NYT is attempting to shape the election just like 2016 when they did not cover Sanders.
2
That’s just how he looks. He has resting technocrat face.
7
Now that's a big nothing burger.
6
Pete is unqualified to be POTUS. Who cares what he did in a low level nongovernmental job. We DO care who is paying for his campaign and ads. Anyone who votes for him deserves another 4 years of Trump.
7
@Louise Presidential contender Pete Buttigieg announced Monday that he would open his fundraisers to journalists and disclose the names of people raising money for his campaign. So you should know soon.
1
This is virtuous dishonesty on the part of Elizabeth Warren, with an active assist from the NYT. Every since Sanders bounced back and Pete punched a huge hole of reality in her plans, the messaging from her campaign has devolved into trifling purity tests to hold her left flank. Clearly, the authors here are more than happy to make their implicit endorsement and help in the effort.
Nothing about the editorial coverage here has been in the spirit of objective transparency; it has been a blunt effort to manufacture controversy, the same sort of suggestive innuendo that Trump and Fox News peddle. The authors go out of their way to imply that there is some sinister blank to be filled in around Pete’s work as a junior analyst, all the while giving Warren a pass by stating over and over that she could have made more money as a law professor when she was doing private consulting. To be clear, she was moonlighting- collecting extra income while working her day job. Where’s the scrutiny of her client negotiations?
I think both situations- Pete’s McKinsey work and Warren’s white collar bankruptcy work- are non-issues, but the NYT has bent over backwards to push one candidate over another. Warren is sliding in the polls because it’s clear she’s struggling to square her untainted image and policy purity with the facts on the ground. It’s a real shame the Times is attempting to aid the effort.
23
The Postal Service paid Pete to tell them to get rid of old time employees and to pay them less. What a genius, no one would have ever thought of that without its consultancy.
5
Buttigieg’s utter contempt for the progressive wing of the party is a deal breaker. He’s no less my enemy than Trump and his enablers.
9
@Casey S “My enemy”? Really?
5
What an absolutely absurd statement. Pete’s platform is completely progressive by any normal measure of the term.
Your attitude mirrors that of the Tea Party movement and will lead to the exact same sort of political madness that it did.
5
"Asked by host Rachel Maddow if his work led to layoffs, Mr. Buttigieg replied: “I doubt it. I don’t know what happened after the time that I left, in 2007, when they decided to shrink in 2009.”"
WE ALL KNOW what happened. The economy crashed in late 2008. THAT drove companies' layoffs in 2009, and they were widespread.
7
Let's face it, there is no perfect candidate. If the Dems and Liberals continue to find fault with each candidate's CV, there will be no one left to run against the current President. Working at a company like McKinsey should provide great experience for an individual, but don't hold the individual responsible for every perceived bad proposal made by his employer.
Please, it is time for this country to wake up and unite. Let's stop dragging each and every candidate through the mud. Sure, each candidate needs to be vetted appropriately. However, there will come a time when the most qualified leaders will refuse to run because they don't want to expose themselves and their families to such a terrible process.
Many people believe it is time for new leadership in all facets of our government. Yet everyone makes it so hard for any new faces to join the ranks. We should be so hard on the current office holders at all levels and subject them to the scrutiny the new candidates receive. Why do the incumbents for Congress/ Senate /etc. get a free pass? What have they done lately?
8
The list of clients is notable to me in that it demonstrates prior experience working on environmental issues -- including on behalf of the National Resources Defense Council. Given how imperative climate issues are, this counts as a big positive for Buttigieg in my book. Does any other candidate have hands-on experience on environmental issues?
8
@DM
You mean like sitting on the Environmental Committee in the Senate? Pushing legislation and speaking out on the floor of congress, holding town halls, discussing and keeping the Climate Crisis front and center for 40yrs? That kinda stuff?
Like The Rebuild America Act of 2015 to improve storm water and wastewater treatment and improve our national parks.?!
Like speaking out against black carbon pollution and drilling initiatives which carry high risk of oil spills, and he has voted and continues to work to fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund.?!
Like standing with and fighting for our brethren at Standing Rock against the XL Pipeline?!
Like introducing In 1995, HR 2534, the Corporate Responsibility Act, Ending tobacco subsidies: increased income--$287 million. Raise fees for grazing on public lands: increased monies raised to $50 billion.?!
Like speaking out and voting yes for Whitehouse Amdt. No. 803 to S.Amdt. 799 to S. 601 (Water Resources Development Act of 2013): To create the National Endowment for the Oceans to promote the protection and conservation of United States ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems.?!
Like fighting against Repealing the authority to designate an area as “critical habitat” for an endangered species.?!
Like fighting against commercial logging on public lands?!
Like getting an endorsement from The Sunrise Movement
https://feelthebern.org/bernie-sanders-on-environmental-protection/
C'mon, Pete isn't even in the same league.
9
@Dobbys sock
Thank you. That's a terrific summary. I wish that there would be some discussion of climate and the environment at the debates. It's important information, and there has not been a single question that I can recall. Maybe next time ....
3
@DM
No, thank you for your polite, magnanimous answer. I apologize, my reply seems kinda gruff. (It's been a snarky day. Poor excuse I know.)
I agree with you, climate and environment need much more discussion.
One last plug for Bern; here he is in '87 talking climate change to elementary kids. Kinda fun.
Skip to min.36.33 for environment.
Enjoy your night.
4
Taking a look at his website just now it appears he stands for most everything I do and he is the most articulate glib politician I can think of. But somehow he does not feel right. If he gets the nod in the primary I will vote for him, though I'd rather see Warren or Sanders, who I believe are truly and uncompromisingly running to better all Americans lives with little inclination to serve themselves.
Whomever our nominee is I will support them with a whole heart. Speaking to everyone not committed to supporting whichever Democrat we nominate please review and weigh your reasons because there are none.
3
When I was fresh out of college, I joined Teach for America, still in its early days. What I learned once I started was that TFA was regarded as anti-union by many in the profession, and its record on charter school support hasn't been a positive for many of the districts it serves. I fulfiled my two-year commitment with them and moved on to a long career in public education. I do list TFA in my CV, and although it doesn't seem to have hurt me, it has raised questions in almost every interview. Fortunately employers and colleagues understand what a job straight out of college means, they know I didn't shape TFA policies or priorities, they know I fulfilled my committment and moved on. And they know the perspective I gained by being a part of TFA helped shaped my sense of what it means to be a public school teacher, and an ardent supporter of teacher unions and of public education. So for those of you who would smear a public servant for his/her first job out of college, I ask: should I have been denied employment because of my associations with TFA? Should I have given up on public education because I didn't pass some people's purity tests? Pete Buttigieg took a position, gained experience, and moved on. He has been a public servant ever since. That tells me all I need to know on that topic.
12
@Jolton I totally agree.
3
The guy had a job, we all do. His bosses told him what to do and where to go. He would still do a good job and I think would be a good President. Much improved over what we have now.
7
From reading these comments it is pretty clear that there are people who will not vote for Buttigieg regardless of what he says or does. Quite possibly even if he becomes the nominee.
The one thing republicans get right is they know how to unify to hold on to power. Unless and until the Democrats can mange that kind of cooperation I see another bleak four years in our future.
3
What I don’t understand is why a corporation can constrain the free speech of a minor worker 12 years after he did work for retailers, insurance companies, and the post office, all ordinary entities with which the public interacts. It’s not like he was working on a top secret CIA or DOD project that carries true “Secret” classification. What was so secret about Best Buy that Buttigieg couldn’t even mention its name? That withholding is especially irritating and it will certainly deter any purchases I may make there after learning the store supports a system of chilling subterfuge, all in the name of selling gadgets. It’s ridiculous and immoral in a democracy.
The real issue is the proliferation of NDAs corporations use to constrain and control workers for decades after they quit. In the case of Trump, he uses them to bully. It harms the public as well in that malfeasance or work that harms the public good can’t be exposed. It’s another sign that corporations are overtaking our democracy.
A true late-to-the-game warrior for the people would have called McKinsey out and revealed his boring corporate client list in a rally and say in front of cameras, Trump style, “McKinsey if you’re listening, I dare you to sue me over my First Amendment right to mention my work for a store where my constituents shop.” McKinsey and the companies wouldn’t want the PR headache of doing so and I would be thrilled to support him. But instead, I’m simply “meh” about another corporate sell-out.
3
@left coast finch
I agree, meh.
As far as the NDA's, if your business model is to increase profits and pay for executives, at the expense of employees' and or HC or service etc.; I doubt if you'd want that getting out. Many people don't like major corp. getting tax breaks, and massive profits on the backs of the workers. It leaves a bad taste in peoples mouths and animosity towards those doing such.
Again, agreed; immoral and harms the public good.
1
Anyone and everyone that has ever used McKinsey and bben assigned a junior level consultant can put this into context. Much ado over absolutely nothing. It is a testament to desperation to invest ink or time on this.
8
This article makes it look like Buttigieg finally allowed the report of his business contacts to be released. He was bound by a nondisclosure agreement with his company. That is why he did not release this information sooner. The company decided to allow him to disclose and he so immediately did. There is absolutely no evidence that he was hiding anything but the tenor of this article seems to imply that.
10
Compared to Trump's list:
1. Misused money from his own charity, fined $2m
2. Lied about Stormy Daniels on Air Force One
3. "Mexico is going to build the wall"
4. Pay $25M over Trump University failings
5. Refuses to release his tax returns
Ms. Warren needs to button it up on her attacks on fellow Dems. Her outlandish ideas on "medicare for all" and "the wealth tax", will surely put Trump back in the WH.
6
And Pete needs to button up his attacks on other Dems. He started it.
3
Democrats have to stop with this self-destruction. We are constantly bashing candidates for taking opportunities within corporate america or making millions. Working government or non-profit, making a modest salary should not qualify someone for president and neither should working with corporations and making larger sums of money. Democrats often choke our own opportunity, and we need to get it together.
10
This issue is making the Democrats look very small minded. In particular it is a terrible line of attack for Warren. Mayor Buttigieg was a kid out of school working in a great training ground for business. It shows he was smart enough to get into one of the toughest jobs out of College. Thumbs up to him. Yes, McKinsey has some big issue but these issue were way above the Mayor's pay grade. It does not say he was complicit in any of the negative issues associated with the company. I'm a Democrat and it really turns me off Warren. Imagine how it impacts the all so important Independents.
12
Seems a non-issue to me. We have a President who has refused to divest himself of his vast business empire, who currently has numerous conflicts of interest, Russian investors who are almost certainly driving his policies towards Russia, deals in Turkey that likely caused him to abandon our allies in Syria, family interest in Saudi Arabia that almost certainly stop him from proper sanctions on the Saudis, and this swamp dwelling lizard refuses to give us any info whatsoever. To complain about who Mayor Peter represented years ago is really too high a purity test.
5
Those shrugging this off as simply a "first job out of college" are conveniently ignoring the facts that A) such jobs are quite impactful on future choices, especially for those in such an elite class as Buttigieg is, B) his age necessitates viewing this as a vital part of his limited experience relative to other candidates, and C) might working for a private health care insurance company have some sort of influence on how one views the validity of such things when running for office? This should neither be held over his head to the point that it completely colors his campaign, but not should it be so quickly dismissed. It's relevant.
5
Yes it’s relevant. Someone who did not come from money walked away from a high paying job to go into public service. It makes me deeply deeply sad that this is not what people take from this.
Again: many many people go into jobs they don’t like when they get out of college (me too) but very few walk away willingly into something that pays less but helps more.
15
The news alert I got for this said Buttigieg disclosed this list "under pressure." Guys, please stop. He started asking McKinsey to release him from the NDA months ago so that he could be open about his work there, when they finally did so he immediately released his client list. He wasn't acting under pressure. Somehow I think the NYT would have eviscerated him had he actually broken his contract because it was politically expedient. His record should be scrutinized, but let's knock off the idea that he was reluctant to release this information.
10
I have thought all along that Buttigieg's resume is too thin at this time for a potential president. But that list of clients helps rather than hurts his case.
3
The Democrats are snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory (again).
Criticism of Pete’s positions is fair, but this non story pushed by Warren only reveals how typical she really is.
I’m certainly rooting for Pete more than ever after her recent attacks. I’m glad Pete has some experience in the private sector, lots of Americans earn their living outside of government. Give me a break.
18
OK. Buttigieg has real world working experience as an elected official, a soldier in a combat zone working with Afghan soldiers, and experience working for the premier consulting firm in the world examining a variety of consumer businesses and federal agencies. No where is there any hint of self-dealing or lack of ethical behavior (unlike our current gang in the White House).
So, where is Buttigieg deficient?
16
He didn't make policy or choose clients.
And why is the Times focusing on two of the assignments, ignoring the number of government agency assignments.
Liz is wrong on this and becoming the same as the rest.
8
It seems to be “sensationalist journalism” when the writer implies Mayor Pete was working for Blue Shield *during* the time they were planning layoffs, and then next paragraph say he worked there a full two years before the layoffs. Very weak association but I highlighted for sensation. Also, does everyone forget that we had a massive recession around that time? To imply a young fresh out of college guy crunching numbers *caused* layoffs is over the top. People are getting too wrapped up in this competition and sensationalist journalism doesn’t help. Let’s all remember that whichever candidate wins the nomination Must also be supported in the general against Trump. Let’s quit being gossip mongers.
12
“…after it was criticized…”
Which means “after the Warren and Sanders campaigns pushed us to start writing about it.”
The passive voice tells us everything we need to know.
8
Boy oh boy you guys are working overtime to find a scandal here. Let this story go, there's nothing to it. He didn't cause the 2008 financial collapse, he didn't help Enron bilk customers out of billions and he didn't blow up the Deep Water Horizon or oversee a 10,000% markup on insulin.
He took a lucrative offer straight out of grad school, worked there for three years and then moved on. Y'all should do the same.
15
Warren is the only candidate who has effectively challenged corporate power both as an advocate and an elected official.
Warren doesn’t hide behind the disingenuous: I was only making power point decks for a firm that was firing people. Then goes on to claim that experience as pivotal and formative on a thin resume while running for President.
6
Sometimes people have to get fired. Not fun, but in order to save a company and many more jobs, downsizing is required. Tastes bad? Sure. That’s capitalism, and a different debate entirely
@Jason Bell
Why doesn’t Pete have the guts to own and make that same statement then?
Rather than hiding it. Like he’s hidden all his convictions.
4
I’m not sure if he was involved in layoffs, most likely he wasn’t. Fresh out of college, jr staffer? Really unlikely.
The economy collapsed in 2008, layoffs occurred in 2009. This would likely be the Main culprit for downsizing. He asked to be released from his NDA months ago. He kept his word. It’s not like he lied about having Native American heritage or dodged and misled About Raising taxes on the middle class to pay for a Medicare plan (which sanders readily admitted to). I think this is much ado about nothing.
4
The liberal media is going down its usual frenzied rabbit hole while The Party of Trump licks its chops. If you really want to link the democratic candidates’ past behavior to public harm, how about an in-depth, multi article analysis of Bernie Sander’s shameful decades-long voting record on gun control? Is there no linkage between this and the daily carnage we have every day in America, the latest occurring yesterday in Jersey City? He has by far the worst record on guns than any of the large field of candidates and his peevish, misleading
responses to any questions about it are never challenged by either the media or his followers. Yet less than 3 years in a junior position by a fresh out of graduate school Buttigieg seems to merit such scrutiny. A little proportionality please.
19
The experiences of Buttigieg and Warren in the private sector enable them to have a better understanding of the intersection of the government and business. This makes them better candidates, and better Presidents, if elected.
That being said, private sector experience is not a prerequisite for being a good President. It is just foolish to demonize people for this kind of work. Obama, once again, was right: Democrats need to avoid "ideological purity." It will result in losing an election they should win.
19
Buttigieg did junior analytical work for the Postal Service. Gasp. The EPA. Shock and horror. The United States Department of... no don't say it... Energy. I might faint.
I disagree with Buttigieg on his policies. The McKinsey episode is all just bunch of white noise though. Move on.
11
It would sure be nice if Democrats would focus on the positive aspects of each our candidates instead of looking so hard for negative minor hairs to split.
19
These so called Liberals are tearing apart a good candidate while living under the age of corrupt Trump. How ridiculous!
25
Careful please, NYTimes. Be wary of anything that smacks of "But the emails!"
15
Mayor of South Bend to President? Please, spare me. Give him a Cabinet post.
7
@JL
Um community organizer, half a term in the Senate, to President. No executive experience in there anywhere.
Just sayin'.
11
@BC I loved Obama but his experience led to mistakes. And I would take him over many. And yet, experience does matter. Especially after Trump. Just sayin'
2
It's an asset that Pete has worked for McKinsey and was exposed to various lines of businesses, public and private. It has given him a glimpse into their worlds, even if only a glimpse.
20
I don’t understand the Warren comment that the $1.9 million she pulled down from corporate consulting was a fraction of what she could have made in academia.
So what?
She chose to work for corporate clients 30 years - almost the length of Buttigieg’s LIFE - yet she’s got the gall to criticize his three years consulting?
She’s beginning to project. I thought that was Trump’s domain.
Come on Liz - you’re better than that. Aren’t you?
24
And once again facts don't matter to many of the readers commenting here. They want Buttigieg to be seen as a corporate tool despite all evidence to the contrary. From article to artifle, they post the same misinformation in some bizarre attempt to bolster their chosen candidate, most often Warren and sometimes Sanders. How is this any different from the Facebook trolls of 2016? I like Buttigieg's platform and policy ideas. I like many of Warren and Sanders' policies as well. But what I don't like are dirty tactics and smear campaigns taken up by candidates, their surrogates and their voters. Are we seriously no better than the Russian trolls and far-right folks like Jacob Wohl and James O'Keefe? Let's debate policy differences, not fabricated "nothingburgers."
23
It was clear he was a corporate tool the second he opened his mouth at the first debate.
5
@Casey S Thank you for proving my point. I plan to vote blue no matter who — and you?
3
Bernard Sanders and NO ONE ELSE
4
Only in today's democratic party would being a junior consultant at the most prestigious consultancy in the world be considered a negative.
Democrats are going to blow this once again.
26
@Jay
Only in today's Democratic party would a MALE junior consultant and inexperienced mayor of a 5-stoplight small town be considered a candidate for the highest office in the land.
Ambition is nice, we expect it in America. However, ambition - or a ginormous millennial dude ego - is not enough to effectively perform 99.99999% of the jobs that need be held by the qualified and experienced. The nation has already nonstop suffered under that from the GOP since 1980.
3
@Maggie So who do you support? Based on your comment, Bloomberg would be an excellent choice. Maybe Booker? I’m not that impressed with senators, but we all get a vote.
@Maggie I haven't made my choice on who I'll vote for, but are you implying that he doesn't deserve the right to run for President because of his age? A year ago no one had even heard of Pete and he's obviously spreading a message that people can get behind since he now is in the top 4, along with Obama's VP and two sitting Senators, which is a pretty amazing achievement in and of itself.
For me, it was hearing a young, unbelievably bright person talk about issues that are important to younger folks like me that made me think he deserved a shot to be heard, which is why I donated to him when he was still in the exploratory stage. I like the perspective he brings, I like that he calls out the hypocrisy of the right, I like that he is a progressive but knows how to market his ideas to moderates.
Who are you to deem someone unqualified?
And honestly who cares if he's male? Are we really going to continue playing identity politics while the country is rapidly becoming a banana republic? And he's been Mayor of South Bend for 8 years, so he is definitely not inexperienced when it comes to being a mayor. In fact, he has more executive experience than any of the other top 4 candidates other than Bernie, who also served as a mayor of a "5 stop light" town for 8 years.
7
If the far left tries to use this list to attack Mayor Buttigieg, it will just show to the rest of the electorate how hostile they are to business. This isn't a list including Blackwater, SPECTRE and the Legion of Doom -- it is a list of normal companies, government agencies and nonprofits. Now, let's talk about why Medicare for All Who Want It is actually the sensible approach to covering everybody in this country without taking the unprecedented and likely impossible approach of nationalizing an entire industry.
33
So Pete is just another lobbyist, what a shock, like our political system couldn’t use more of them with their all corrupting money!
4
Mayor Pete was fresh out of college and went to work for a consulting company. So what? At that point in time, he was not much more than a gofer. I doubt seriously he had any influence or substantial say so in any proposed management solutions for any of his so called clients.
20
Could the gap in standards between the Democratic candidates and the Republican candidate be any wider? On one side, we have Pete Buttigieg derisively judged because he was a consultant to large companies in private industry (Gasp! Shudder! Oh the Horror!). On the other side, we have Donald Trump, who secretly delayed the payment of foreign aid ordered by Congress in an effort to manufacture a smear campaign against a Democratic rival. But, according to Trump's supporters, this is OK. Just a big misunderstanding.
16
The democrats obsession with hating large corporations is shocking. We should all be impressed that Mayor Pete worked at a place like McKinsey. It’s a place for some of the sharpest minds in the world. He probably gained a lot more than a pay check during his time there. Further more, he was likely a doer while an associate there. Just like high-end law firms, new grads aren’t driving the ship. High level democrats know this, making this just a smear attack since most early primary voters probably don’t have a clue what McKinsey does.
30
While I am no fan of firms like McKinsey, it is beyond silly to tie projects he was assigned to his values. Listen to him for 1 minute. He is poised and smart. The only issue I have is that he is not yet seasoned to the audacious actions of the GOP, let alone Trump. Nonetheless, I will vote for the nominee of the Democratic party over Trump.
19
@Bruce Maier
The man has worked in or run for 10 elections. 11 counting this Pres. run.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Buttigieg
I think Pete knows how the game is played.
Agreed,(sigh) I too will vote for the Blue nominee.
2
There’s a huge story here that the NY Times misses!
McKinsey and Pete did work for Loblaws, a Canadian grocer charged with price fixing bread for almost 14 years, nearly doubling the cost for consumers. Look it up - this is a well known story published by all the major news outlets.
Judging from McKinsey’s work with wrecklessly prompting opioids, we need to see some journalistic might going towards this ridiculous story.
5
Well, I'm sure that was all his doing! Please, he was crunching numbers, and not party to any nefarious dealings.
4
@Susan Sorry, but if you choose to work for a company that advises authoritarian governments in China & Saudi Arabia, was involved with a massive corruption scandal in Africa, and potentially involved with a massive nationwide food price fixing scheme in Canada, then yes, Pete deserves a little more scrutiny as a front runner for US president.
5
Buttigieg is cleaner than a white shirt fresh from the cleaners compared to every single other politician. Thanks, NYT, for another non-story that's aimed at diminishing a great candidate, just like Hillary's emails.
49
@John
Do clean white shirts help consult a massive grocery chain when in it's in the middle of a massive price-fixing scheme? Doesn't sound very fresh or ethical to me.
4
@Ben You’ve posted this point repeatedly with no proof of the extent of Buttigieg’s involvement. Which candidate do you support? Don’t vote for Buttigieg, but no need for the baseless smears.
6
Actually, I believe "the list" works in Mr. Buttigieg's favor: although his term of work with McKinsey was brief, he received early exposure to issues that are important today. Now, can Ms. Warren, etal. stop taking potshots and focus on the issues?
39
I don’t know what Pete Buttigieg did when he worked for Mckinsey & Co nor does anyone else for that matter except the people he worked with. I do know that the President and Republicans will do anything in their dirty playbook to win this election and will seize opportunities of bickering/distractions on the Democratic side to gain the upper hand at whatever the cost. The Democrats need to display more cohesion and talk about issues affecting the Nation that will resound with all Americans. My greatest fear is a 2nd term for Trump if they don’t get on the band wagon, focus, unite and display optimism about issues affecting us instead of attacking one another.
10
Seems to me that the Times' headline is a bit misleading.
Buttigieg was honoring his contractual agreement with his former employer, something that Trump would know little about, honor and all.
Seems some folks here have a skewed view about what "agreement" means.
Who cares whether it was his first job or his last. Honor doesn't stop at the doorstep of any job.
McKinsey was the party yielding to pressure. Not sure why people failed to understand why honoring your commitments is not such a bad thing, but that's pretty much what help elect Trump.
Is it the Times' position that it would have been better if Buttigieg had listed his clients without the release? Seems he responded as promptly as he could after being released from his agreement.
39
The article is not clear as to whether Buttigieg is claiming that is an exhaustive list of clients or just a list of the ones he wants to reveal. Hopefully he will be asked to address this.
3
@Camille
Once past the "exhaustive" list, then you can question his motives for working on every assignment, then find issue with how he comments, while you then move on to which client he preferred, then to which he personally liked best and why.
And go on.
And on.
And on.
Please define exactly what response you might finally approve. Before moving on to the balance of everything else done in the 15 years between mayor and college.
Or just go on to another candidate. Makes the Republicans jump with joy with every internecine attack.
4
The company confirmed a couple of days ago, in the press release which included their statement that he was going to be released from he NDA, that the list of clients (not named but described at the time) was the complete list of his clients. I’m sure if you search for their press release you will find it but you are right that it would have been a good idea to include that in the article.
The democrats must stop fighting with each other.
13
@Robert Schmid
The Democrats must hone this down to the EXPERIENCED and QUALIFIED, preferably to those who are also Democrats.
Medicare For All Who Want It is "a sop to the insurance companies"?
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, those insurance companies employ about 2.8 million people, of which 2 million are "production and non-supervisory employees".
The latter earn an average wage of just over $30 per hour.
What "sop" will these employees receive if "Medicare For All" eliminates all their jobs? Unemployment? The dole? Minimum wage jobs? "Contractor" jobs in "the gig economy"? Your grown kids (and maybe an aunt and uncle) living in your basement?
12
we have tens of millions of more people than those jobs who are uninsured, and many people who are (myself included) avoid going to the doctor for fear that the system will punish us with unjustifiably large bills. these jobs won't just vanish, it will be a four year transition, and from what I understand these companies will still play a role in administering healthcare, they just won't create extremely large profits for CEOs or seek to bankrupt individuals just for getting sick... the tide has to turn at some point, right?
6
@eeeeee I have Medicare. Every time I go to the doctor or have a test, Medicare rejects the claim they file. I spend hours on the phone with Medicare, and it happens again and again. Like you, I avoid going to the doctor because I know that the system does not work. So, let's turn everyone over to this system? I don't think so.
"a for year transition"? So, if you work for a health insurance company, you might have 4 years before you are out of a job. Cool. You still will be out of a job and dumped into the gig economy. Then, whose taxes are going to pay for these new costs?
Criticize him for the overall thinness of his resume and experience, if you will. That is valid. He is 37, after all, which leaves just about 15 years to amass professional experience after finishing school. But this? He was a junior consultant in his first job out of school. Working for McKinsey for a few years? Many of my friends did so and they all had remarkably different career trajectories afterwards. And by the way, these are not “his” clients. He did nothing of real consequence at McKinsey as a junior-level associate. To paint something like this as somehow indicative of his “Wall Street” leanings is bordering on the absurd.
54
My only objection to this is the description of the list as "Buttigieg's clients" "Any mature adult knows that at 21, Mayor Pete did not have any "clients" at McKinsey and was only there to service McKinsey clients. He was not responsible for deciding which clients he worked with, he was not responsible for managing the client relationship or the scope of of work. This is was a really pathetic attempt to smear Mayor Pete for doing what thousands of Harvard graduates have done before, spending 2-3 years doing research and getting coffee for McKinsey and its clients. As a Harvard professor, Warren knew full well that there was no there there, yet decided to "attack" him on a such a non-issue. I'm so glad Warren is finally showing her petty true colors.
50
Democrats should keep their eye on the ball and not get distracted. We should heed President Obama's words.
“This idea of purity and you’re never compromised and you’re always politically ‘woke’ and all that stuff,” Mr. Obama said. “You should get over that quickly.”
Let's not forget what's at stake here.
24
it's not moral thought policing to suggest that people should have affordable access to healthcare or education is it?? they seem like policy positions to me. if so, the dem party really has gone farther to the right in the past 30 years than I thought.
3
Every Dem is running on those principles. That is why this partisanship hurts us.
Buttigieg was 28 when he left MCKinsey. Yeah big companies are so well known for giving people just out of college power over clients and projects.
This whole thing is absurd.
44
Here we go again with another example of we Dems shooting ourselves in the foot.
Pete was assigned by his bosses to work for Blue Cross, ergo he should never be President?
What stupidity.
If he helped Blue Cross become more efficient and reduce administrative costs, how does that make him a sellout to the insurance industry? Does anyone think it's a good thing that a health insurer has more employees than they need?
And is it a bad thing that Pete may be the only candidate who understands the health insurance industry from the inside? After all, as even Trump has said, "it's complicated."
34
@Charley Darwin Yeah, I think it's a great thing that he made insurance companies more efficient.
2
Earth shattering. Pete got a job at McKinsey out of college and his clients were (yawn) . . .
13
Alas! I, too, have had business dealings as a consumer with Best Buy, BCBS; as a resident with the State of Michigan; as a citizen with a few federal agencies; I've contributed to NRDC. Were I living in Canada, I might have purchased groceries at the Canadian grocery chain too. Were I young and having recently gotten out of college, I'd be blown away to learn that my activity sullied me for a public service career.
17
Well done, Pete!
Now let the press into your fundraisers and I'm back on board.
7
@Laurence Bachmann Read the whole article. He did let press into his fundraiser. Times pick?
13
@Laurence Bachmann
He’s done just that!
7
The Pete's supporters should decide what the line of defence to pursue. Either Pete was junior member whose opinion was not worthy of the paper on which it was written, and in this case, they need to explain what qualifies him for job of Presidents. Or his opinions were matter, and he need to explain why it is OK to cut people for sake of well-being of company, but not OK to cut it for sake of well-being of American population.
3
@yulia It seems to me that Pete was a junior employee at McKinsey, doing a lot of valuable analysis, number crunching and research, and synthesize conclusions that would help the more senior members of the project come up with client recommendations.
Typical tasks for consultants at his level would be to analyse cost structures of his client and compare against benchmarks of similar companies; map out customer and employee processes and identify frictions, hassle points and problem areas; organise and make sense of big data; identify stakeholders (e.g., employees, managers, unions, clients, suppliers, etc) in change programs and their concerns, interests, influence and the best way of communicating with them; etc.
Tasks that don't make anybody a client owner but give you real insight into how that business and industry works. That seems like very valuable experience to me, be it for a president or any other position of responsibility.
4
@Michael I am not exactly understand - are you trying to say that junior employees of McKinsey who crunched the number are more qualified to be a President that a professor at Harvard and the lawyer with years of experience?
2
@yulia I'm saying that his time at McKinsey probably was valuable private sector experience without being the nefarious act as you seem to paint it to be. Your original post set up a false dichotomy.
And yes, combined with military experience and executive experience in the public sector, I'd argue that it's more relevant for a presidency than academia and experience as a lawyer and legislator.
2
Hmmm...Not surprising, USPS had a different take than Pete and McKinsey.
BCG, Accenture and McKinley & Company produced a 2010 study entitled “Ensuring a Viable Postal Service for America – an Action Plan for the Future.” The study recommended increased use of part-time workers, as in the Netherlands and Germany, where 40% of postal workers work part time. The privatized Dutch post office, PostNL, fired older letter carriers and replaced them with workers paid per item or part time, many earning less than minimum wage.
Said USPS, "The campaign to privatize and de-unionize the USPS threatens the livelihood of every affected worker and neighborhood. Hardest hit will be communities of color that
suffer depression-level unemployment."
nalc.bytrilogy.com/news/bulletin/pdf2010/bulletin2010.pdf
https://www.workers.org/2013/08/10387/
This is what Mr. Potter brought before congress:
https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/financials/10k-reports/fy2010.pdf
Scroll down and notice the large increase in pay, incentives and compensation the was recommended (for Potter and other executives).
Needless to say, some Dems' in congress and the Postal Union grilled Potter and fought back.
https://www.nalc.org/news/the-postal-record/2010/june-2010/document/officers-0610_Layout-1-4.pdf
Even back then, Bernie Sanders stood up for and fought for the USPS and it's Union workers.
postalemployeenetwork.com/news/2011/11/sen-sanders-bill-addresses-usps-crisis/
6
@Dobbys sock
You neglect to state how Buttigieg was himself involved in crafting and advancing this plan.
5
@blgreenie
Now how are we to know that greenie? Maybe Pete will expand on his involvement?! (Yeah...we'll see won't we.)
The gentleman worked on the issue at the same time as discussed above. Granted it is an assumption, but an easy assumption wouldn't you agree? Care to prove he himself wasn't involved? Do you have an inside track?
As it stands, in my eyes, it is another blemish of McK. Another corp. Pete chose to work for.
Doing what McK. is infamous for.
Profit Über Alles. The bottom line. Capitalism.
1
I have been a Warren fan for a long time, and have lamented some of the worst practices of McKinsey. But the Mayor has handled this issue very well. He cam across very well in Rachel's interview on Tuesday evening. I am, like many others, held hostage by the Democratic party, so that I will vote for whomever is nominated, as I did in 2016 while holding my nose. But I wouldn't have to hold my nose on this one . . . He is winning me over.
151
@Jim Well said. I wonder if the aim of the Democrats should be to have a pristine candidate. The only one I know who is "untainted" would be Bernie. But I like Buttigieg, too.
10
@tuscaroars
The "Less Evil" party, needs the Least Evil nominee.
It's Vetting Season.
Wheee~!!!
3
@tuscaroars
HA! Bernie is also plenty "tainted" so if you are looking for an "untainted" candidate, you are out of luck.
I will be voting for whoever wins the Dem nomination. At this point, Warren first, but I would be happy to pull for Mayor Pete, and will grudgingly pull for Bernie, if either are the outcome.
I have found this particular attack on Mayor Pete to be disgusting, just like I have found the absurd complaints about Ms. Warren's American Indian ancestry disgusting and attacks on her representation of corporations disgusting. Bernie's vote making it impossible to do research on the results of gun ownership was much much much much worse.
3
"The list is likely to provide ammunition to those in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party who have sought to tag Mr. Buttigieg with the pejorative “Wall Street Pete.”
Surely you jest.
This outrageousness is exactly what Present Obama spoke of when he warned democrats about "ideological purity tests," and will do nothing more than to further fracture the democratic party, and potentially give us another 4 years of Donald Trump. Thanks, Ms. Warren, for once again making a spectacle of yourself with your strident and irrational claims, further weakening the party, and putting our country at risk.
237
@Factumpactum
Obama's comments could also apply to your criticism of Warren.
6
@Factumpactum
Yet you yourself just posted inflammatory, divisive rhetoric; did you not?
Kettle=Pot
8
@Factumpactum While I still have a couple issues with Mayor Pete, this one is ridiculous. And, I think, one that will backfire on Warren. First three years out of school, only worked there three years, doesn't seem to have been involved with anything problematic during that stint. While Warren has potentially many years of problematic to explain - which she might be able to do satisfactorily.
Now, Pete may be blowing smoke up our you-know-whats, but this seems pretty transparent to me. I like Warren, but she does seem to have a penchant for not wanting to explain herself fully when there is an actual troubling element about something in her past. Or present. You're rich, Liz: own it. Unless, of course, you've been as greedily rich as those you castigate, even though you're far from the $50-million-plus club. I think.
11
The difference between what Buttigieg did fresh out of college and Elizabeth Warren's client list is comparing apples to oranges. Buttigieg was on the lowest rung of the McKinsey ladder and didn't choose his projects. But Warren, an established, sought-after attorney, got to choose her clients. If she worked for corporate America, it is because she chose to.
204
@Michele
Did Pete not chose to work for McKinsey?!
19
@Michele
I am a Buttigieg fan but despair that both he and Elizabeth Warren are having to defend private-sector work. No evidence exists that either one was ever unprofessional, although I get the criticism of McKinsey. And there is nothing disqualifying about experience in the business world. Good Lord, the vast majority of Americans are employed by private business. Are we saying that EVERYONE earning a paycheck in private enterprise is corrupt? Bizarre time we are living in.
130
@Michele AMEN!
3
He was a junior hire in a gigantic consulting firm. I just hope his Democratic competitors don’t try to inflate his influence. I haven’t decided who I will vote for in the primary, but attacks on him over his first job out of college is ridiculous. Once again, the Democrats self-destructing.
250
So, his experience is insignificant position in prestigious firm and mayor of. a small town in Indiana, and that is supposed to qualify him to be a President?
12
What qualified Donald Trump?
17
@yulia
No Julia. You have to take account is entire CV- education, work, military service, government (i.e. mayor), etc. McKinsey is one, if not the most prestigious, consulting firms in the world. Working there, even as a junior person, exposes one to the some of the most accomplished business people. Starting a business career there is the equivalent of a medical school grad starting at Johns Hopkins or the Mayo Clinic. McKinsey alum are among the most accomplished people in business.
So Pete got a great education, served in the military, worked for a few years among the brightest in the business world and then became a mayor of a US city. He could be making millions in the private sector, but has chosen service to others over self interest. No doubt he is young but may have more experience in his 37 yrs than most get in a lifetime.
Having heard his speeches and answers to questions in interviews and debates in a way thoughtful way, not in sound bites, I think he's up to the challenge of bringing this country together. We so desperately need it.
27
Once again, candidate Pete emerges as the singular adult in the room, while certain other demo candidates spin up their lame much ado about nothing.
Pete's time at McKinsey only serves to underscore that he understands how the world works--as well persuasively underscores his status as a certifiably bright, even gifted, youngster.
Anyway, it appears to me that the demo Demos have two stellar candidates: Pete and Amy--or, if you will, Amy and Pete. That be my dream ticket. I only hope they make room for Andy and Julian in the cabinet.
9
Here we go!!. First howling for the list of clients, who I am certain also have an interest in whether their names are disclosed. Then combing through the list to see if any on it may have made a misstep in the eyes of voters. Then building the what if narrative as to whether Mayor Pete was party to the missteps. Imagine now speculating as to whether layoffs at Blue Cross were the direct restful of Buttigieg's project at McKinsey. And even if it were what of it? Does anyone think hiring the likes of McKinsey isn't going to take a hard look at efficiencies and redundancies? This political theatre, day in and day out, is revolting.
26
Here we go again. The Democratic Party committing mass suicide by trying to disparage Buttigieg and kill him in the Primaries. Well, Ms Warren has no chance of winning so she decides to destroy those who do have a chance. See you 2024 when the Dems can do it all over again.
24
It hardly matters what Pete Buttigieg did while working for McKinsey.
Mayor Pete, whose sole and very modest governmental experience is serving as mayor of tiny South Bend, Indiana, the 301st largest city in the US (!), is quite a stretch as far as qualifying for President is concerned.
Indeed, from recent NYT articles it seems he should be spending more time in South Bend dealing with racial issues instead of hobnobbing with the elite donors of Hollywood and Silicon Valley.
Also, while his being gay is a non-issue as far as so many of us urban and Democratic voters are concerned, it may be a significant negative among non-urban and non-Democratic voters, as well as Blacks.
The NYT’s earlier opinion piece on whether Pete is “gay enough” was too subtle a point for many; that he is gay at all, complete with husband, may be too much for many voters in fly-over land.
If Mayor Pete could successfully run for House or Senate or governor of his state, that would bolster his experience and political credentials and might make him a plausible candidate in a later run for President or Vice President.
Remember that our goal is to defeat Trump in 2020, which means finding an electable candidate who will appeal to a large majority of American voters, especially those who felt their needs and concerns were ignored in 2016. Failure to do so will inevitably lead to another term for Trump.
7
This is a non-issue for everyone except those seeking to tear down a man who has no skeletons in his closet.
Pete had zero power as the lowest man on the totem poll at McKinsey. He also refused to work with any client or project which might be contrary to his values.
Unlike Warren, who was paid by Dow Chemical to fight environmentalists ( she was a Republican after all) and who has no problem with changing her program when confronted by slipping polls, or Bernard who to this day refuses to become a Democrat though he wants to be our nominee, Pete has strong principles which he adheres to.
He will be our next and best president.
36
@Simon Sez
Yeah, Bernie who refuses to become a Democrat except when he wants to run for president, and then takes advantage of all the advantages a major party candidate has over any kind of independent candidate. Spare me the Bernie purity nonsense. Bernie is so a politician, changed his votes on guns so he could win a Senate seat from Vermont, votes for weapons manufacturing when it helps his constituency. I get it. He needs to compromise to get elected, even from Vermont, and unless he is elected, he won't have an opportunity to push anything he thinks is important. But he is every much a scheming politician as anyone else running. That is is chosen career after all. I don't blame him for being a politician and making such compromises. I am just sick and tired of hearing how authentic he is. And I voted for him in PA primary last time. Not happening again unless there is no one left by the time the primaries get to PA, and then I will switch my registration and vote as a Republican for Weld.
1
What bothers me more than this McKinsey kerfuffle is who Buttegieg is currently taking campaign donations from, which includes: lobbyists for the heath insurance industry, the equity firm Blackstone (which has heavy investments in the fossil fuel industry), pharmaceutical industries, and Wall Street/the financial industry.
Buttegieg is a cosmetic change to the status quo, who would still leave all of the entrenched power brokers and industries calling the shots while leaving crucial, crisis-level systemic problems unsolved.
11
I'm hoping the average voter saw through this and it served more to do damage to Warren's campaign than Buttigieg's. The Democratic party fighting against itself is a recipe for disaster. She should be ashamed of herself.
We live in a capitalist society (sorry, Bernie). Sometimes jobs get cut - I've had it happen to me several times. It stinks, but as long as it is done in a humane way, that is life. Buttigieg was doing his job. I would love to have a president who spent a few years learning about business, working with the best of the best at McKinsey. This should be a big positive, not a negative.
Next play.
53
Our tax dollars should not be going, at ridiculously inflated rates, to these "management consultants" who have no knowledge or experience about the government agencies they are "advising". If private businesses want to waste their shareholders' equity this way, it's a problem for their boards of trustees. When government does it, it is a problem for the taxpayers.
The cliche is that management consultants tell you what you just told them. And charge handsomely for the privilege. It's a scam.
4
@Jonathan Katz
And then who should do the consulting work? Who should advise these government agencies?
While it does cost to hire these consulting firms, sometimes the waste and fraud they expose is magnitudes greater.
2
Some in the media - including the NYT - have treated Buttigieg like they did Hillary Clinton in 2016 - scraping the barrel for anything to damage the candidate.
Buttigieg has the core values, the calmness, and the recognition that it is our democratic institutions that require repair. Policies are dependent on Congress and all the promises about the policies a candidate will introduce remain for Congress to implement.
Elizabeth Warren is a good person and I like her. At this time, I remain committed to voting for Pete Buttigieg in the Primary.
24
Next to Trump, this is ludicrous.
I'm voting Blue, no matter who.
20
Pete supporters:
1) you don't have to be a Social Justice warrior to believe in electoral transparency. That's NOT a "progressive litmus test". Pete ALWAYS should have pressured McK to release him from the NDA, not starting last month.
2) he also should have invited press to his fundraisers from the start--again: American voters benefit from transparency. If old-school Uncle Joe knows it's the right thing to do, so too should Pete.
Warren supporters:
3) there was nothing nefarious about Pete demanding she release a list of consulting clients. She too should have done so months ago.
These things should be SOP in all Democratic elections, particularly the presidency. I'm glad they're both being as transparent as possible.
8
I'm gratified to see the backlash, indicating he's a contender now. He's awesome.
54
Bravo to Mayor Pete. If his primary opponents need to attack his first entry-level job right out of school in order to fabricate some fake 'scandal,' clearly he is doing something right.
I would also point out the comparison between Buttigieg and Biden in the past week. Both were faced with, frankly, ridiculous attacks on their candidacy. When Biden was pressed on his age he yelled at a voter and childishly challenged him to a push-up competition. When Buttigieg was attacked by Warren (let alone the Times' Editorial Board) about his work with McKinsey, he maintained composure, explained his legal justification for upholding his NDA, and then calmly worked it out with his former employer.
The difference between who is acting "presidential" is astonishing.
76
Need you to do me a favor though. Release Trump’s tax returns ...
21
Great information! It’s important to know who Buttigieg’s clients were while working for McKinsey straight out of college. I’m sure Pete was able to influence his list of clients. Please spare me.
Can we get back to what’s important?
75
Sad trombone sound for those hoping this list would derail Mayor Pete. It's not like he benefited from claiming to be Native American..
55
@Midwest Josh Or lie about sending a child to public school.
8
@RLS Didn't her daughter go to the public school?
2
He's a 37 year old mayor of a small city. That's it. That's all he's ever done.
The only reason you even know who he is, is because he's been groomed and manufactured as part of the Stop Sanders hysteria among the Neera Tandens of the world in order to peel off professional-managerial class support from anyone progressive. Same reason Warren was (temporarily) elevated. Same reason PBS threw Sanders' campaign down the memory hole.
You can thank the NYT for letting us know what Pete was about ages ago: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/16/us/politics/bernie-sanders-democratic-party.html: "The matter of What To Do About Bernie and the larger imperative of party unity has, for example, hovered over a series of previously undisclosed Democratic dinners in New York and Washington organized by the longtime party financier Bernard Schwartz. The gatherings have included scores from the moderate or center-left wing of the party, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California; Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader; former Gov. Terry McAuliffe of Virginia; Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., himself a presidential candidate; and the president of the Center for American Progress, Neera Tanden."
This explains, too, HRC's complaints on Stern.
What are they so afraid of? This -- here is Sanders taking hard questions from the Des Moines Register recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiQosAg1O6o&feature=emb_title.
Listen to that and tell me it doesn't make sense.
7
@Doug Tarnopol
You offer important intel about the Democratic Party's strategies to marginalize Sanders. Points well taken. So let me ask:
If revolution's Bernie's point, why does he embed himself in an apparatus that's so antithetical to his political principles and practices? Why doesn't he (along with AOC and their allies) build a real third-party alternative for the DSA and use it to campaign for the Presidency and other national offices?
4
@Jackie
A third party for ideological leftist purists and revolutionaries would guarantee the election of right wing Presidents into the foreseeable future, and destroy America.
2
@Doug Tarnopol I had watched/heard Sen. Sanders' Dec. 6 interview earlier. Thought then & now that both sides did exactly what they are supposed to do to for our country. The paper's panel asked the challenging, comprehensive, fair questions that ALL should ask of every POTUS "applicant"...MANY wide-ranging questions. Biggest thanks to you for making it possible for millions of others to view the exchange via the NYT "Comments" opportunity.
No surprise, Sanders evaded nothing, answering all questions thoroughly, occasionally elaborating to bring up additional points along the way. He showed very simply, his commitment, knowledge, experience & humanity (no reference materials in sight, I must add), just speaking from his heart. It was truly an exchange between public servants of the highest caliber.
I know the paper will provide the same kind of "hot seat" to every candidate they grill. The professionalism...and even humor...on both sides was educational in many ways to this 81 y.o. senior...a native of neighboring Illinois and a long ago newspaper reporter. I can tell you it all "made sense" to me.
2
While I’m not inclined towards “Mayor Pete” for a variety of reasons, this attack on his credibility because he worked at a fairly junior level at McKinsey is ridiculous and does nothing to further a rational dialog between the Democrats. Read the article thoroughly. He was off BCBS years before they decided on massive layoffs.
45
Leave him alone.
22
I wonder. Does the media consider this episode a victory, perhaps worthy of a Pulitzer? I expect a rousing nothing/no comment . Having a voice and a rostrum might imply a responsibility for earned credibility but that is not how the media business works, from either political polarity.
9
As far as cutting redundant personnel at a health insurance company - isn’t that a good thing? Shouldn’t we want as much of our premiums going for actual healthcare as possible?
31
@ML
It’s a sign that we need Medicare for All, which eliminates those costs while - unlike McKinsey’s work - including assistance for displaced workers.
4
I find it odd that many people object to billionaires running for office and yet many other people get upset over how candidates earned money before they ran for office. (And there may be overlap between the groups.) If you work for a law firm, consulting firm or accounting firm you may have little choice as to which clients you represent. And if you have debt from college and grad school, you probably need that job with a firm to pay off the debt. What’s stranger is this “Purity Test” some Democrats want to apply while the most corrupt President in history gets away with lying and trying to steal another election.
34
@Rena Wiseman
Lol...there's todays buzz word again. Must have been a mass email. You guys are over playing it. Only one team here this morning is denigrating with a "purity test" upon others.
As for Pete, his Rhoades Scholarship covers all University and College fees, a personal stipend and one economy class airfare to Oxford at the start of the Scholarship, as well as an economy flight back to the student’s home country at the conclusion of the Scholarship.
His student loans were probably not much. McKinsey easily paid them off. The student debt Pete and his husband owe is from Chastain.
2
@Dobbys sock
You clearly have no clue about what it costs to go to Harvard when he did.
NONE.
1
@White Buffalo
So, don't keep us in suspense, what was Pete's cost?
1
So Pete helped BCBS in Michigan reduce costs by firing a bunch of people at the same time they raised prices.
The most significant thing about this was that BCBS hired outside consultants to tell them to do this-they weren't smart enough to figure this out on their own? The best part is that McKinsey sends in fresh out of school workers with no experience to tell them to do it. In my next life I want to come back as a consultant.
3
@Hugh G - If you re-read the article, you'll see that the BCBS staff cuts took place years after Pete left their employment. What authority do you think was wielded by a fresh-out-of-college junior staffer, especially if his alleged - but unsubstantiated - 'advice' wasn't implemented until 3 years later? May I assume you're Republican?
6
@Jaroslaw Rudnycky'j
Hard to be a Republican these days.
How is the Winnipeg winter so far?
@Jaroslaw Rudnycky'j I actually like Mayor Pete. He is well spoken, thoughtful and comes across as honest- (he doesn't stand a chance)
I thought I was being more critical of BCBS, junior level consultant or not, they paid a lot of money for him. Consultants usually charge per head count by the hour.
1
“While it was not yet clear exactly what Mr. Buttigieg did at Blue Cross, his work appeared to come at about the same time the insurer announced that it would cut up to 1,000 jobs — or nearly 10 percent of its work force — and request rate increases.”
Sorry, I can’t support a corporate minion.
4
@Ed Watters I believe the article mentions he left two years before that happened.
29
@Ed Watters
Unless you live off the grid, no likely in San Francisco, you support 'corporate minions' every day of your life.
Who do you think comprises the New York Times? It's a corporation, after all.
Same for supermarkets, and chain restaurant, Amazon, your internet provider.
To ding someone for having a job is a bit much. It's like Mayor Pete was the CEO and ordered the job cuts.
9
@Patrick Shull McKinsey's reputation as a cut throat, job-cutting, corporate tool was well established BEFORE he accepted a position with them.
2
Searching for purity among politicians? A daunting task, especially when undertaken in this year's Democratic line-up.
Not that the GOP is very different, but Dem hypocrisy is beyond the pale.
17
Isn't it hypocritical of Pete to demand transparency from others while he is trying to avoid the spotlight?
2
@boroka
We are the "Less Evil" Party.
How about we elect the Least Evil candidate too.
Nothing "purity" about that. Just good common sense.
Now...whom do we trust the most and consider the least evil of our choices.
1
Ha-ha Ms Warren, did that backfire or what? Enough with the ultra left ideological purity tests. The extreme right and left (the Warren and Bernie supporters that comment on these posts behave like Trump supporters) should be rendered irrelevant.
49
Why the Pete's supporters are so nervous about 'purity' test? It was OK when it was applied to Warren, why it is not OK to apply to Pete?
3
@DaniSS
Uh, that would be you good sir acting Trumpish and projecting that "purity" trope you supposedly despise.
Pot=Kettle.
1
@Chris
Yes, Chris, one side does seem to be on point this morning don't they. All speaking the same buzz words and getting in early. Notice which supporters here are being nasty. Hint hint Kettle.
3
The list of very respectable agencies and companies is impressive. Mind you, Buttigieg was a junior level analyst. But McKinsey found him bright enough to work on complex things and produce results. Sounds presidential to me.
62
@Thomas In what world is getting hired as an entry-level analyst a qualifier for the highest station of power on the planet? By your standards, Trump would be EXTREMELY qualified, and most people would disagree with that standard.
1
@Greg
If you think for a nano second Trump could have been hired as an analyst for McKinsey, you are seriously out of touch.
Trump was NEVER hired as an analyst by anyone, and his first job was given to him by his corrupt father, and I believe was when he conspired with his father to break federal law on not excluding people of color from their rental units.
NO comparison.
Here I am, a Warren supporter, and I am so disgusted at these attacks on Mayor Pete that I am spending all this time defending him.
2
I find inexplicable bias in this article. The secondary headline criticizes Buttegieg for lack of transparency. Yet, his prior failure to release a list of his McKinsey clients was due to the fact that he was legally bound by the NDA he signed. He could have, and likely would have been sued, if he violated it. I respect the fact that he sought and received a release from McKinsey to share that information. It’s sad if it’s a quaint notion that a future President should live up to his or her legal obligations.
It is also incorrect to talk about the clients he “advised.” As a junior employee just out of college, he didn’t “advise” anyone. He did research and the work directed by senior consultants.
129
@J.
The NDA may or may not be legally enforceable. The only way to know would be to examine the it. Has Buttigieg released a copy?
3
@Camille Oh enough already! Do you want to see his birth certificate next?
11
So now it's not legally enforceable? Somehow I think it'll be impossible to satisfy you, Camille.
6
Buttigieg's opponents will be hard pressed to find anything sinister in this client, though they will certainly try, probably with innuendo. With the Blue Cross work, which seems to get the most attention, not for profit health care organizations in general have suffered from administrative bloat for decades. The statistics that show high percentages of revenues going toward health care delivery can be misleading, and the organizations as a rule know they spend too much on activities that are of no benefit to members, so they bring in the consultants to try to pare back some bloat. This is hardly an evil activity, unless one happens to be a seven figure a year VP with an expensive lifestyle to maintain.
22
It is great. So it is OK to cut people. to help companies, but it is not OK to bring healthcare cost down for everyone.
1
The democrats will lose independents and many of their own and thus the election if the party imposes progressive litmus tests that allow only the most progressive candidate with the most progressive history to be their standard bearer. I get Bernie. As to Warren, however, I sometimes think she is secretly trying to destroy the democrats chances of winning the electoral college in 2020. The British have a phrase - too smart by half -and I think that sometimes might fit.
18
I am not exactly understand, why it is OK to demand transparency from Warren but not from Buttigieg. Let's Dem voters decide what kind of test they want from their candidates.
4
Looks like a lot of good experience with a broad cross section of clients for an aspiring politician to have had in his background. What's the problem? Trump's the problem!
29
I'm an Independent and convinced that other Independents will determine the outcome of the 2020 election because we are willing to look at the issues more dispassionately than the political fanatics who seem to dominate our political news. The fact is that there are probably no organizations in the U.S. except mom and pop businesses which could not afford to do with fewer people. Organizations tend to "stockpile" workers in good times and dump them in bad times. Buttigieg and Warren are shooting themselves and their party in the foot when they attack each other. Trump's acolytes are shooting themselves and their party in the other foot when they try to say this guy is not a reckless, corrupt liar who has tried to get foreign help to benefit himself personally. I want to see positive results on: strengthened checks and balances among the judicial, legislative and executive branches; immigration reform; tax fairness; climate change addressed; health care availability; gun safety; reliable alliances; resolution of trade disputes; elimination of dark money; 2 state policy for Israel/Palestine; retraining actions for those displaced by automation/robotics; term limits.
10
@R. Anderson - Excellent, well-focused comment! My compliments.
1
I see absolutely nothing nefarious about any of these groups, although no doubt some strategist will find something from which to make mud to throw at the wall hoping something will stick.
30
Here’s Wall Street Pete bragging about cutting jobs:
https://twitter.com/walkerbragman/status/1204597847347339266
4
Wow -- Best Buy, BCBS, 5 government agencies, a Canadian grocery store conglomerate -- you really uncovered the dirt, the subterfuge! Great job for knocking this guy down a peg!
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@Tom J
The Canadian grocery store conglomerate (Loblaws) was in the middle of a massive bread price-fixing scheme when Buttigieg was consulting for them. Also, Buttigieg helped BCBS "cut costs" (i.e. denying sick people health insurance). He deserves to be knocked down a peg for this.
3
The Democratic circular firing squad is back at it again. These are the "ideological purity tests" Obama warned about.
77
Hmmm, unlike GoodBrain, no work for Russia? Whoda' guessed?
8
A big nothing burger! Mayor Pete appears to be squeaky clean.
85
Please, please stop saying “nothing burger”.
5
@Stephen Pascale
Consulting for Loblaws in the midst of their bread price-fixing scheme and BCBS when they needed to "cut costs" (i.e. deny sick people much needed medical coverage) is hardly squeaky clean.
4
@Paul
We have gotten nothing but grief from this miserable presidency. I am going to take what little I can.
We all loath Trump in our family as much as anyone can and we use this all the time.
Believe me, it is NOT out of respect for the originator.
The Dems appear to be circling their wagons and shooting within. As Trump would say “SAD”.
27
@Ian catton - You and I, Ian, are fortunate that we live in Canada where elections and campaigning are 6-week events every 4 years, not continual, where our party leaders are chosen at party conventions and and rancour between candidates, such that there is, is limited to such conventions with no public in-fighting and backstabbing like the Warren vs. Mayor Pete nonsense reported here, where candidates for party leadership number half a dozen, not 20, where election campaign donations are tightly restricted - no NRA donating $30 million to a single candidate - and costs to the taxpayer are small compared to the billions that America spends on their never-ending caucuses, primaries and elections every 2 years. By the time our elections are held, I'm tired of the process. I can't imagine how jaded our American neighbours must be with endless politics dominating the media!
7
@Ian catton
How do yo feel about Buttigieg helping Loblaws artificially raise bread prices in Canada? I know if I was Canadian I'd feel very SAD.
1
@Ben
I'm Canadian and I don't care. This is a fabricated scandal and the fact that he left after 2.5 years to devote his life to public service shows what he's made of. If there were an alternate universe where I had to pay $10 for a loaf of bread but he was President, I'd say sign me up
1
Almost nothing here. It simply doesn't make a difference.
Warren is desperate. Attacking Buttigieg was a mistake. It's kept him in the news during a period when no one's paying attention.
Warren's candidacy and character are pretty clear. Buttigieg is more of an unknown. He's handled this well.
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@Brian
“Almost nothing here” describes Buttigieg’s resume pretty accurately.
6
@Benjamin Hinkley
Swap 'Buttigieg’s' for 'Obama's' and it's 2008 all over again.
6
@Brian
Um, you do know the timeline showed Pete throwing the first stones...right?!
4
I suspect Senator Warren will be disappointed that her attack in bad faith didn't hold up, after McKinsey released Mayor Buttigieg from the NDA that he was rightly honouring. Anyone with a passing knowledge of the business world and consulting firms knew the attack was in bad faith, and an example of the type of "all-corporations-are-nefarious" populism that is seriously harming our public discourse. The conspiratorial implication that because Mayor Buttigieg worked for McKinsey he must have had some shady business dealings is just as bad as certain conspiracies peddled by the right. Populism is populism, any way you look at it.
148
This is ridiculous. It was his first job out of college. I’m certain that all he did was junior level analysis. I’m not a fan of McKinsey, but I’m certain he had no real influence on the clients here. That’s what partners are for.
271
It will be a tremendous loss for our country if Pete B. is not elected as our president or is not selected for vice president! He can tackle problems without becoming outrageously furious (as Biden did recently), and it's clear that he is an extremely gifted young man. Some may say he doesn't have lots of experience, but Obama didn't have much experience either ~ and look how great he was. I advocate that we vote for Pete Buttigieg!
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@Now what
Of course. But our ideological purity warriors would excoriate him for choosing to work at a place that would give him even potential contact with their ideological foes.
You can't make this stuff up.
32
@Now what Low level consultants at these firms are used to root out and expose client inefficiencies and report them. Clients use that information to justify badly needed improvements to their stake holders.
9