Many were angered or amused by President Donald Trump's extraordinary efforts to not admit he was wrong when he told people in Alabama Category 5 Hurricane Dorian was headed toward them.
Fox News even pointed out it may have violated federal law—18 USC 2074.
But 2020 presidential candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana stated on CNN that he feels neither angered or amused.
Buttigieg said he mostly feels pity and concern for the President and the United States.
Watch his remarks here.
"I feel sorry for the President," Pete Buttigieg says on President Trump appearing to show an altered Hurricane Dor… https://t.co/Ksn3KTYbpz— CNN Politics (@CNN Politics) 1567687200.0
Buttigieg explained on CNN's New Day:
"I feel sorry for the President, and that is not the way we should feel about the most powerful figure in this country."
"Somebody on whose wisdom and judgment our lives literally depend."
"I don't know if he felt it necessary to pull out a sharpie and change the map. I don't know if it was one of his aides believed they had to do that in order to protect his ego."
"No matter how you cut it, this is an unbelievably sad state of affairs for our country. If our presidency is not in good shape, then our country is not in good shape."
"And on one level it's laughable, on another it is exactly why we've got to do something different."
Others concurred that while the absurdity was hilarious, it was pitiable and pathetic that a 73 year-old man! was so focused on never admitting he makes mistakes.
The President made tweet after tweet about being right to warn Alabama about a deadly storm no expert thought was headed for them.
He even had his National Security adviser issue a statement claiming the President didn't make a mistake because well before Trump sounded the alarm, it was a possibility Hurricane Dorian could change paths and head into the Gulf of Mexico instead of up the east coast.
But if that was the basis for his Sunday morning warning, why not warn Mississippi, Lousiana and Texas too?
The storm could have swung out to sea, traveled up the eastern corridor and slammed into Maine. Why not warn them too if the basis was 'what if' remote possibilities when Trump warned Alabama on Sunday morning?
@CNNPolitics @PeteButtigieg He's right. It is pathetic and sad for our country— Groots (@Groots) 1567698712.0
But some Trump supporters also clung to the illusion that unlike all other humans, President Trump never misspeaks and never makes mistakes.
@el_shoeberto @BishesBrew @CNNPolitics 18 U.S. Code section 2074 And it's not even the alarming part; he made a mi… https://t.co/w3k0upyAyb— Foxy ✊🏻 🏳️🌈 🇺🇸 🦋 (@Foxy ✊🏻 🏳️🌈 🇺🇸 🦋) 1567731490.0
@CatfishSubmarin @jf5048 @CNNPolitics Nah man, @jf5048 knows it's not about the Sharpie. He's just too vested, too… https://t.co/dQ5U0a7f51— Silky Johnson (@Silky Johnson) 1567702644.0
But many felt Buttigieg was right on point, even if they didn't share his pity for Trump.
@CNNPolitics @PeteButtigieg I certainly understand Pete’s concern, and compassion for another human being, especial… https://t.co/8VpEmIeCP0— Michael Durkin (@Michael Durkin) 1567726576.0
@HokieCarrie @CNNPolitics @PeteButtigieg But Pete is basically saying that Trump’s growing ego and narcissism (and… https://t.co/VGj1VL5TGh— Rae Anne (@Rae Anne) 1567741836.0
@CNNPolitics ON the day he tweeted about Alabama, the hurricane was already heading north and not predicted to be… https://t.co/aTrKpMD7no— Ou812? (@Ou812?) 1567687710.0
@CNNPolitics @smartdissent I do not feel sorry for the president. He is a jerk and a liar and consistently puts Am… https://t.co/NQbvWrxuNa— Ruthann (@Ruthann) 1567691217.0
@omggg_its_leah @CNNPolitics @PeteButtigieg He always makes his point! Thank you for speaking for America. # petebuttigieg— PianoSal (@PianoSal) 1567704496.0
@Andrade2kids @CNNPolitics @CNN It’s Mayor Pete Buttigieg (boot edge edge) from South Bend Indiana. Democrat (centr… https://t.co/YQsw4rgmiI— Ohiomom (@Ohiomom) 1567694061.0
To learn more about Pete Buttigieg, his book Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future is available here.
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