Joe Biden looks to rally in New Hampshire primary following disappointing Iowa caucus results
2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls prepare final push in New Hampshire. Jacqui Heinrich reports from Manchester, New Hampshire.
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign released an ad Saturday that mocks rival Pete Buttigieg’s experience as mayor of South Bend, Ind. -- and sharply contrasts their achievements -- as Biden seeks to regain ground before next week’s New Hampshire primary.
"We're electing a president," says the narrator in the ad. "What you've done matters."
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The ad, titled "Pete's Record," highlights the differences between the candidates, with dramatic music swelling playing as Biden’s experience and accomplishments are recited.
“Both Vice President Biden and former Mayor Buttigieg have taken on tough fights. Under threat of nuclear Iran, Joe Biden helped to negotiate the Iran deal,” the ad says. “And under the threat of disappearing pets, Buttigieg negotiated lighter licensing regulations on pet chip scanners.”
The mocking continues: "Both Vice President Biden and former Mayor Pete have helped shape our economy. Joe Biden helped save the auto industry, which revitalized the economy of the Midwest and led the passage and implementation of the recovery act, saving our economy from a depression. Pete Buttigieg revitalized the sidewalks of downtown South Bend by laying out decorative brick."
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The ad also notes Buttigieg's decision to fire the city’s first African-American police chief.
The attack ad comes amid increasing scrutiny on Buttigieg, who appears to have won the most delegates in the Iowa caucuses according to delayed returns. Biden, meanwhile, finished fourth and admitted Friday that he is “probably going to take a hit” in New Hampshire’s primary on Tuesday.
Buttigieg’s campaign shot back at what it called “this classic Washington-style of politics.”
“While Washington politics trivializes what goes on in communities like South Bend, South Bend residents who now have better jobs, rising income and new life in their city don’t think their lives are a Washington politician’s punchline,” national press secretary Chris Meagher said in a statement Saturday afternoon.
“The Vice President’s decision to run this ad speaks more to where he currently stands in this race than it does about Petes’ perspective as a mayor and a veteran,” he said.
Biden made a similar attack against Buttigieg on Wednesday, when he said it was a risk "for this party to nominate someone who’s never held office higher than mayor of a town of 100,000 in Indiana.”
The ad is also facing backlash from municipal community leaders.
Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess tweeted: "As the Mayor of Nashua, NH I am disappointed in this. Mayors must solve problems and get things done. Many Mayors are working on projects like this one."
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On Friday night, presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., also appeared to take a swing at Buttigieg -- without mentioning him by name -- for accepting campaign donations from billionaires.
“I don’t think anyone should be able to buy their way into a nomination or to be president of the United States," she said, adding, “I don’t think people who suck up to billionaires in order to fund their campaigns ought to do it.”
Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
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