Why are people comparing Buttigieg and Obama…and is it helpful?

A young and intelligent candidate could use Iowa to launch themselves to victory. That sounds very familiar.

The Buttigieg/Obama comparisons are in the news again. Evan Halper’s quote in the LA Times which referred to the ‘failures of the Obama era’ was erroneous, as Halper himself clarified. Nonetheless, it’s not the first time the current Mayor and former President have been spoken of in the same sentence.

Mayor Pete Buttigieg has one of the most complex relationships with Obama of anyone in the field. He doesn’t have the direct connection Biden does, but his relationship goes back much longer than the weekend’s misquote. In April this year, long-time Obama ally and now Buttigieg friend David Axlerod observed that the Mayor has plenty in common with the former President, saying “His fluency on faith and his willingness to speak about it is an asset… Carter, Clinton, and Obama — they all shared that quality”. High praise indeed.

Comparisons to Obama have come and gone since then, but along with Halper’s comments, Pete’s speech at the Iowa Liberty and Justice celebration has refocused some attention. Both candidate’s performances seem to have yield a positive impact on their respective candidacies. Polling now…