NBC "Meet the Press" - Transcript: Interview with Mayor Pete Buttigieg

Interview

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CHUCK TODD: And joining me now from Americus, Georgia, is former South Bend mayor, and presidential candidate, Pete Buttigieg. Mayor Pete, welcome back to Meet the Press.

PETE BUTTIGIEG: Thank you. Good to be back with you.

CHUCK TODD: So let's -- I assume you don't want to sugar coat things. You spent the second or third most amount of time in South Carolina. You put every effort that you could into this state. It's not like you glossed over it. I assume you're disappointed in your finish. Where does this -- where do you think your campaign stands now?

PETE BUTTIGIEG: Well, you know, every day I get up and look at how we can do our part to make sure we defeat Donald Trump, and that continues to be my focus. We knew South Carolina was going to be a challenging state. We competed hard there, but nothing can take away from Vice President Biden's commanding victory, and I congratulate him on that. I think the most important thing right now is to look at what we can do to make sure that we put forward a campaign that is going to end the Trump presidency because everywhere I go, Americans are focused on ensuring that we not only get better policies, that we turn the page on all of the things that this president is doing and has done to our country, to our democracy, but also that we turn the page on the tone in our politics and that we move on from this divisive and toxic season in American public life. And that continues to be my focus, as it has every day since the campaign began.

CHUCK TODD: You know, the Venn diagram of presidential messaging, of what you just said right now, and Vice President Biden's victory speech last night, there would have been a lot of overlap there. Joe Biden makes almost the same case you're making now of what the nominee of the Democrats needs to be, the focus on Donald Trump. At what point do you have to look at that and say, "Huh, we both have the same message. He's winning"?

PETE BUTTIGIEG: Well, there's certainly that overlap there. We also, obviously, represent a different style and approach in many ways. But what I'll say is that call to decency, I think, is something that is very strong in our party right now. And it's what we need in our country right now. We cannot go on like this with a politics of being at each other's throats. And part of how I believe our campaign has been able to beat the odds and defy all of the expectations is that our message of belonging is one that has resonated across the country and that is reaching people in so many different ways.

CHUCK TODD: You had said that you thought voters of color were giving you a second look. The exit poll shows, shows a pretty tough number here, 3 percent of the African American vote according to these exit polls here. This is after a second look. The nominee of the Democratic Party has to be able to win -- has to be able to have a strong coalition of African American voters, Latino voters. This has been a struggle for you both in Nevada and South Carolina.

PETE BUTTIGIEG: Well, again, there's no question that the Vice President had a commanding lead with black voters in South Carolina. And that bar of earning the trust of voters of color right now, that bar is high for a reason, especially when you're talking about black voters in the south. That is a hard-won vote that was brought about -- often that access was brought about within living memory. I understand why that bar is so high. I'm humbled by the challenge and have continued to focus on making sure I present not just our policy ideas, but what this campaign is about in a way that can reach out to black voters and to voters across the board.

CHUCK TODD:You ran for DNC chair a couple of years ago. Had you succeeded, you'd be the chair of the Democratic Party right now. What do you believe Chairman Buttigieg would be saying to candidate Buttigieg in this situation? You have said Bernie Sanders is a very polarizing figure. You think that is not the direction the party ought to go. At what point would Chairman Buttigieg say to candidate Buttigieg, "Do what's best for the party"?

PETE BUTTIGIEG: Well, look, every day I'm getting up, looking at how we can do what's best for the party. It's why we got into this race in the first place, the belief that a different kind of message and a different kind of messenger could rally people together, could forge new alliances, could help us reach out in the very places where we have the best messaging, yet found ourselves defeated by President Trump in 2016 and cannot let that happen again. And every day we're in this campaign is a day that we've reached the conclusion that pushing forward is the best thing that we can do for the country and for the party.

CHUCK TODD: How should we judge success for you on Tuesday? Your campaign hasn't pointed to a state you're going to win. You've talked about it being a delegate strategy, and that is what it's about. It's about getting delegates. But tell me where you're going to get these delegates.

PETE BUTTIGIEG: Well, we believe that there are places from coast to coast, in districts across different states, where our message is resonating particularly well. We'll be looking at the math as we continue to push and make the most of the resources that we have. And I think what matters most right now is calling Americans to that vision of what it could be like in this country if we could turn the page on the toxic and divided character of our politics right now. Look, there is already an American majority that agrees with us, that agrees with our party on the need to raise wages and empower workers and do something about climate and act on gun violence. You wouldn't always know it from looking at the outcomes in Washington, but right now the American people are already with us. What's going to be needed is a message, a messenger, and the leadership to make sure that those priorities are met. And I find that true in the reddest of states and on the coast as well.

CHUCK TODD:Is there a result on Super Tuesday for you that would change your outlook on your campaign? You know, if you don't keep up the delegates --

PETE BUTTIGIEG: Every single day, yes, we do a lot of math on this campaign. And so we'll be assessing at every turn not only what the right answer is for the campaign, but making sure that every step we take is in the best interest of the party and that goal of making sure we defeat Donald Trump because our country can't take four more years of this.

CHUCK TODD: All right. Mayor Pete Buttigieg, in Americus, Georgia. I know you're going to be spending the morning with the Carters. So, thanks for coming on and sharing your views and be safe on the campaign trail. When we come back, Joe Biden has about 48 hours to make this a one-on-one race with Bernie Sanders. Can he do it? The panel is next. And later, how prepared is the Trump administration to deal with the coronavirus? My interview with Vice President Mike Pence.

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