LOS ANGELES _ The feud between Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg _ both competing to be moderate pragmatic Midwestern alternatives in the Democratic presidential contest _ grew increasingly personal and ugly during Thursday's debate.
Klobuchar accused Buttigieg, 37, of previously scoffing at the experiences of the senators on the stage.
"You basically mocked the 100 years of experience on the stage," she said, before highlighting accomplishments by former Vice President Joe Biden, and Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and herself. She said she had not denigrated his experience as a small-town mayor, and he should be similarly respectful of their experiences in the nation's capital. "I think this experience works."
Buttigieg shot back that Klobuchar had denigrated his experience when she earlier dismissed his words about the First Amendment as "talking points." When he served in the military, he said, he took an oath to defend the Constitution with his life. "That is my experience and it may not be the same as yours, but it counts, senator," he said.
Klobuchar responded that while she respected his military experience, the debate was about selecting who was best qualified to be president and which candidate could gather the support of a coalition of moderate Republicans, independents, and the Democratic base. She said that she had done it multiple times in her home state of Minnesota.
Buttigieg retorted, "Try putting together a coalition to bring you back to office with 80% of the vote as a gay dude in Mike Pence's Indiana."
Klobuchar responded that he failed to win statewide office, a reference to his failed race for state treasurer in 2010. "Had you won in Indiana, that would be one thing. You tried and you lost by 20 points."
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