Pete Buttigieg isn’t just a smart choice for Kamala Harris’s 2024 running mate—he’s the only choice that makes sense.

Keep your swing state governor. Let the retired war general enjoy the sunset years.

We have come this far in shaking status quos. Now it’s clobberin’ time.

Buttigieg has already transformed politics, from his unlikely mayorship of South Bend to the groundbreaking presidential run to Transportation Secretary today.

Being the first openly gay cabinet member isn’t just historic—it’s revolutionary. His presence on the ticket would signal a seismic shift in representation. His military service, which included a tour in Afghanistan, stifles any toughness question.

And for political wonks, his Midwest roots could be crucial in swing states.

Yet his vision resonates far beyond regional boundaries. Together, Harris and Buttigieg would embody what we all are: Human immigrants.

This pairing isn’t just strategic. It aligns with the liberal arc of history. From women’s rights to minority rights to the welfare of plants and animals, all modern politics drift left (with protest lurches by and for the right) because technology allows us to peek into the struggles of others.

Harris and Buttigieg are emblematic of those struggles. Even if they don’t win, their campaign would force crucial conversations about representation and progress.

The 24/7s are apoplectic with hypotheticals: Is the country really ready for a female president? A gay vice president?

Even if an electoral college isn’t, it’s time to take the questions seriously.

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I’m seeing a lot of hand-wringing on the intertubes about the electability of Kamala Harris, the 11th-hour campaign strategizing necessary, and whatever Agent Orange is belching about.

Fuck all that. The Dems have finally staked the right moral ground. It might not make a difference, but that’s the difference.

Progress would have been a tougher claim under Joe, that he was 2024’s agent of change —when it was uncertain he could even compete another term.

Now he really is that agent, albeit through transition. That he accepted that role (and, in doing so, became only the sixth president to willingly serve just one term) illuminated a blindingly stark difference with the GOP.

A difference we needed. It matters, what ground you choose to stand on.

Donald Trump might waltz back into the Oval Office, not despite his circus acts, but because of them. His Bible-thumping flag hags have anchored themselves so firmly to their gospel-laden, star-spangled narrative that reality has become an inconvenient afterthought.

Trump’s base is unwavering in its devotion. They see him as a savior, not a symptom. Their loyalty is both his greatest strength and the country’s greatest threat.

Democrats can now stand for more than just “not Trump.” They can offer candidates who actually represent citizens of this nation; not just the white, well-fed and penised.

Not that anything actually changes. The Supreme Court essentially ruled on the election their last term. And six of the Justices were blatantly clear: they love them some white penised backwater. Democracy be damned.

Sometimes, though, standing for change is all you can do, even if it means taking another fall.