Three Whole Onions with Secretary Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg is the Secretary of Transportation, which means that he is in charge of the 55,000 person U.S. Department of Transportation. They do a lot of stuff....we get into some of that stuff here now. You will probably not be surprised to find that I quite liked Pete, he's a big ol' nerd and is very focused on understanding people's problems and systems to help people rather than what rhetoric we happen to use to get there. That might be great for a national politician but it is very good for someone who is just in there getting work done.
I made this video in a weird way (and it was not what the Pete team, like, /agreed/ to...so hopefully they don't mind...it seemed the proper way.)
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[@Pascal112]

I love that Secretary Buttigieg's team was just like hmm notable things to do in Missoula: Hank Green's house?

[@therabbithat]

I assumed they made an exact copy of hank's office in the airport, including the drawers and their contents

[@ianfarrugia4495]

that's pretty much it to be honest

[@gavinathling]

What could have had a bigger impact on visibility into the Administration, though? For NerdFighteria, not much!

[@scheitahnberg]

I smell a nerdfighter in their ranks!

[@TheRavenfish9]

@@scheitahnberg Ooo! Good point! I bet there is and that is awesome. DFTBA, transportation nerdfighter!

[@demonac]

I want Hank to cross-interview EVERY cabinet Secretary with fact-checking in post

[@geofatic]

omg YES

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

Yes, please

[@Symphing12]

And the secretarybird question must be asked every time

[@pokechatter]

But maybe John could interview the health and human services secretary, considering his specialization.

[@SageLegacy]

But a majority of politicians would never agree to do a video then! How will they ever sustain their job?

[@BrightBlueJim]

You know what's great? This guy, who ran for President and was a mayor, seems every bit as committed to his work in transportation as anything else. This is the kind of person who makes the world work. No matter what task you give him, he will give it everything he's got.

[@joanneclarke771]

Just think how lucky those two kids adopted by Pete and Chasten (sp?) are.

[@graceaute3648]

This. 👏🏼

[@lpr-pe2ic]

So well said BrightBlueJim! "This is the kind of person who makes the world work. No matter what task you give him, he will give it everything he's got."

[@hdlam1]

​@@lpr-pe2icPete is an example of a serious government official, not typical loudmouths who constantly want to "fight".

[@waspsandwich6548]

I mean, he says that, but I haven't really noticed a lot changed. I'm sure he's at least trying, which is good, as it would probably take more effort to lie about trying than actually trying, but I'm not sure if he's trying hard enough. Then again, I'm not Secretary of Transportation and perhaps getting something noticeable done is way harder than I think it is. Still just want to remain skeptical.

[@Just_a_commenter]

Yes, I'll take "Faces I didn't expect to see in a video thumbnail" for $500, Alex.

[@SylviaRustyFae]

Alex? His name is John Green, not Alex Green :p

[@liam-hogan]

@@SylviaRustyFae It's Alex Green

[@cjwrightmusic]

@@SylviaRustyFae um actually this isn’t a John video! Obviously a Dave video.

[@SylviaRustyFae]

@@cjwrightmusic Who the eff is Dave?

[@sincewhen]

@@SylviaRustyFaeunacceptable Dave erasure

[@Vogel612]

"humans don't experience distance in miles, we experience distance in minutes" is such a quintessential understanding of transportation issues...

[@magicoA]

A very green brothers thing to say. Well done Pete

[@thomaseboland8701]

I lived in Los Angeles for 30 years. It was one of the first things that you learn when driving there - every trip is always discussed in minutes (or hours). Because going 5 miles could be 5 minutes or it could be an hour. It all depended on where you were and where you were going.

[@joshgoldenberg4398]

Was looking if someone picked out this quote. Great line

[@BardianAngel]

my job involes dealing with walking assessments. The number of times i ask "how far can you walk" and get an answer in units of time rather than distance...

[@Zorilla10]

@@thomaseboland8701 And when.

[@marciawalden]

“I have been told by people smarter than me….” is what I want to hear from all of our federal employees.

[@hadriantinous]

Yes, it is called humility.

[@laurahaule3809]

That is what manager's say when they want to credit and feature their wonderful staff members.

[@tobistein9831]

Highly preferable to the “I am the only one who can save us” rhetoric from Biden right now. I will 100% campaign for Pete when he runs for elected office again.

[@OmniTheSecond]

“I am the smartest one in the room” is what you would prefer to hearing?

[@simonj.7954]

Yep, of course actually not too many smarter than Buttigieg. Cheers, Simon J.

[@supersaturate]

“three whole onions” is the only thing that could be said in that moment. it was the only answer.

[@IrisGlowingBlue]

+

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Same goes for the airline pilot thing. We were all thinking it.

[@SAmaryllis]

This comment made me burst out laughing, thank you 😂

[@Lucarioguild7]

I thought about a magic card because I'm a massive nerd

[@stevenhawkinsii7241]

That's gotta be what pete renames the podcast to

[@flam1ngicecream]

"I had the benefit of having a cheap cancer." What a horrifying sentence.

[@geeksdo1tbetter]

in so many ways!

[@lucasreid4443]

Absolutely horrifying

[@solitarybeag]

But true. And sad. Having been through a recurring 8 surgeries, radiation, over 15 years cancer.

[@cremebrulee4759]

All the more so because it is so true.

[@ruufusdeleon1264]

I have a PT employee who at 31 is dealing with potential prostate cancer. He's a vet and going the the VA system is like molasses in winter. He's stressing about the 4 days off and no pay after a procedure yesterday AND the stress of possible cancer and long term surviving. This country does not value its citizens nor its veterans.

[@Charlemagne89]

You can REALLY tell that Pete was probably an amazing fit for something as niche, nerdy, and important as Transportation Secretary. He seems to be incredibly good with nuance and details, and he brings so much competence to the table. Really happy this guy is out in the background handling all of these weird issues that most of us didn't even really know existed.

[@marysharvey]

He is very intelligent and is a Rhodes Scholar!

[@daryl9905]

Pete for VP ❤😊

[@tabaxikhajit4541]

He applied himself with devotion to the task, though it was not his first choice, and he delivered. That shows his character and drive. He is motivated to make our world better in any capacity.

[@cross_key]

I just want to see him as a Defense Sec. He's got the cabinet experience now, he was an intelligence officer in the Navy, and it would let him pick up the foreign policy experience that would lend him some legitimacy for a presidential bid in 2032

[@tabaxikhajit4541]

@@cross_key I agree! Hopefully people in the white house will see this potential. He has definitely proven himself. I see him running for President again, down the road. He is an asset to our nation.

[@clupus63]

We need WAY more sit downs like this with public officials in this country. Just a good conversation about what is happening in their corner of the government. Kudos to Sec. Pete and his team and to Hank for making this happen. Well done.

[@vengerofthelight]

SECONDED

[@lynnaschaefer]

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[@Calvero52]

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[@oswenaisla4016]

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[@Dept_Of_Ducks]

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[@Kazemba]

No one could have predicted Orin's question for the secretary of transportation. Poor guy probably thought a kid would ask about trains, but he got hit with an obscure bird question. Handled it like a champ!

[@EducatedNation2]

Birds do transport themselves quite effectively

[@Platypi007]

Clearly Hank's son, also maybe much of the inspiration behind The Fix on D20.

[@johnny2003]

@@EducatedNation2they’re also known to transport things far distances, like coconuts.

[@miriamrosemary9110]

@@Platypi007 There's even a character inspired by the secretary bird in another D20 series - Lou Wilson's character in A Court of Fey and Flowers. Maybe that's where Orin learned of that bird? Who knows!

[@rttotheparty1]

​@johnny2003 it's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.

[@carolion48]

Main thing that I get from Pete Buttigieg is that he cares, he’s curious, and he wants to do things that improve everybody’s life. This is what we need in a politician.

[@thesjkexperience]

As political types go, he’s far more intelligent than most. Let’s hope his future is bright.

[@brock985]

Him inventing the idea of “Medicare for All Who Want It”, and trying to undercut the actual M4A movement, really trashed any authenticity in my mind, but he has done a good job building back his reputation.

[@lukekline9513]

​@@brock985I would agree. But in terms of who is working in Washington today, he's a damn good one

[@aerime]

@@brock985 nothing wrong with his health policy. Germany has that policy, and it is one of the best health care model in the west. There are always people who dislike a public health system, and the policy provides flexibility for that.

[@brock985]

@@aerime Not true, Germany has a universal model that includes private insurance. From what I understand, that’s the same thing as Canada. Basically, the universal public coverage doesn’t include extra things that would be supplemented by private companies. In Canada this would be dental care and other things of that nature. I’m not entirely familiar with Germany to say what the private insurers there do, but I do know that a public option is not universal coverage. Everyone has to pay into the system, or it would never work. I think Australia may be closer to what you’re thinking of, which I am not a big fan of. It still separates healthcare access by financial and social classes.

[@lmleavitt3338]

Im very charmed by Orin finding a question to ask that is relevant to his interests without knowing what a secretary in the Presidential cabinet is... What a champ.

[@secretforreddit]

+

[@Vallam23]

pete not knowing what a secretary bird is lost my vote 😤

[@nathanderover6929]

He's Hank Green's boy. In 30 years, he's going to save the world.

[@eragonawesome]

​@@nathanderover6929 we can hope but let's also be sure not to like, put a ton of weird pressure on the kid lmao

[@NormalaSamdin]

​@@Vallam23 Give him a break. After all we've all had our collection attention focused on a would-be / should-be jailbird recently.

[@Martina-bg1oi]

"You look like an airline pilot" is about to be my new pickup line

[@carterfrvr]

He seemed genuinely pleased by that comment, like "My childhood dream has come true!" We're all just big kids.

[@iambiggus]

It's definitely not an insult, lol.

[@coachtaewherbalife8817]

It won't be a good pick up line for a pilot of a Boeing jet.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

I think that would work on me, maybe.

[@jonm4206]

Pilots in movies are not known for having a problem getting the ladies. Or fellas. Never a bad thing to be told lol.

[@KingZarathus]

Pete's approach to the secretary bird tangent was so endearing. Basically, "I don't know much about that, please tell me more." Humble, encouraging to Hank's child and showing he's open to learning new things.

[@thedevicebook]

I agree. It's refreshing when adults realize they can learn something from children instead of assuming education only goes the other direction.

[@vialoxn]

Thanks for putting this into words. More important than ever!

[@simsamsammie]

When pete was first appointed to the cabinet I thought "sec of transport seems random" but after this interview, it makes so much sense that a good mayor would be very knowledgeable about infrastructure

[@fdm2155]

Nonsense. You may not like the guy but he's neither creepy nor underwhelming in any way. The guy is objectively highly accomplished and incredibly competent at his job. 🙄

[@perrywilliams5407]

It is so refreshing that a cabinet secretary holds the position they do because of what they know, not who they know. It is sad that the previous administration had that backwards.

[@simsamsammie]

@@fdm2155 oh don’t get me wrong, I like him a lot! He’s incredibly knowledgeable and well-spoken and it was so cool to me, a lesbian, that a gay candidate got so far in the race! I just didn’t see the transportation expertise at first bc I didn’t think about it that hard

[@fdm2155]

@@simsamsammie Same. I would not have thought about it but for hearing others layout why Transportation is (apparently) a sought after post! Who knew...?

[@SpencerioQ]

In fairness, his department has probably evaded much of the circus of partisanship more than some of the others (education, treasury, defense, etc), so the level of competency and objectivity of his subordinates is likely far higher.

[@vitaemins4527]

"why dont we just make the trains go faster?" "we are!" "OH GREAT! :D"

[@justyourlocalrat_]

+

[@flam1ngicecream]

It's so wholesome lol

[@Trohnald]

It’s cool that people in the public are finally getting to see all of the work that has been put in by the rail advocacy groups. High speed rail is popping up everywhere, and amtrak is upgrading tracks wherever it can

[@therabbithat]

Can they also make them stop derailing and poisoning towns? Wait.. I guess that's industry and not public transport

[@thecanefromcitizenkane]

Separate from holding the freight carriers' feet to the fire, they are also just making trains faster! It's just a lot of work. Still: Amtrak and the Illinois DoT recently upgraded the maximum speed of the Lincoln Service (Chicago to St Louis) from 90 mph to 110 mph! Even with intermediate stops, this actually makes it competitive with a non-stop drive!

[@KarlaKloppstock]

A Secretary who actually knows what he's talking about. Incredibly refreshing.

[@frtdew]

Thank you Pete for ensuring I keep my job as a train conductor with your 2 man crew requirements for freight trains. My union has tried so long and it kept not passing through legislation in my state of Virginia, and the very next week the DOT made it happen!

[@amberbydreamsart5467]

love to hear about these practical cases of what our government has done for us, glad you got to keep your job and that our trains are well kept in your hands! thanks for sharing!

[@agnishom]

Thanks stranger for your service. I love trains.

[@Hannahsacumen]

Wow! That's great!

[@TheRavenfish9]

That is fantastic to hear!

[@bowler7922]

I'm a Virginian here. I support you man. Rail is so important for our societies.

[@Idefilms]

4:36 While I suspect that the Buttigieg team does do excellent research, there have *got* to be some long-time nerdfighters in that group as well... surely??

[@Catl0v3r23]

Have worked with Pete’s team before - can confirm that there absolutely are!

[@Idefilms]

@@Catl0v3r23 Hell yes haha thanks for sharing

[@Elizabeth-tq7qw]

@@Catl0v3r23 Thank you for making my day.

[@yuxie3048]

That venn diagram gas to be damn near a circle.

[@miriamrosemary9110]

@@Catl0v3r23 So cool!

[@RobK-x3x]

Pete is extremely intelligent, hard working and clearly knows transportation, which he was thrown into in 2021. He works his butt off to make the US a better place for ALL people. Thanks Pete! Thanks for making this video

[@Idefilms]

For hankschannel deep dives, Hank uses Google and spreadsheets like the rest of us. For vlogbrothers deep dives, Hank interviews members of the US cabinet.

[@ninamo3523]

The smartest people I know recommend Duck Duck Go. -- They don't track you.

[@goldenoodles6281]

@@ninamo3523 duck duck go had a scandle or something where they did track more data than they claimed. brave is a browser which hasn't had a info leak, so I'm currently using it. Its very similar to chrome but there's a built in ad/tracker/cookies blocker.

[@SimianCode]

@@ninamo3523 They do though. They literally were exposed for tracking you.

[@Luke-zv6bb]

My mother will be furious when I inform of this

[@sweetpotatoyams]

did not have hank giving pete buttigieg a garfield figurine on my bingo card for this friday’s video

[@RumtumtuggerTB]

What’s was on your bingo card for this video? What normally goes on your bingo card?

[@IrisGlowingBlue]

@@RumtumtuggerTB Well, the free space is most likely "Good morning John" p:

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Neither did Pete Buttigieg.

[@jasmine3250]

Me either, but it doesn't seem out of the realm of normal Hank behavior.

[@sophelet]

But was Pete Buttigieg giving Hank the official lapel pin of the USDOT *ON* your Bingo card?

[@Jasondpruitt]

Seriously! This gentleman instills confidence in me of competence and honesty. I really would love to see him as President one day!!!!

[@willkimball7677]

Vice President…

[@_DREBBEL_]

I can honestly say Secretary Buttigieg has fully accepted the responsibility of his position and used it to better our country. Thanks gentlemen for being great Americans 🇺🇸🫡

[@tabaxikhajit4541]

I'm looking forward to watching the future success of Buttigieg in whatever role he serves next. He is a valuable national asset and a wise leader.

[@joshwhalen6881]

longtime lurker/longertime Nerdfighter here, but feel compelled to say that this style of interview is incredibly effective. It's both informative and entertaining to have an interview with a government official featuring fact-check cutaways that offer context (not necessarily critique!) to what is being discussed. It taught me a lot and kept me engaged. Hank, you really excel at this and I hope it is not the last we see of this format!

[@mayas3422]

+

[@blue9070]

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[@SheBloomsAgain]

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[@Swarmofrats1]

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[@kate-turn]

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[@miinerai]

I WORK for the department of transportation (Colorado) and it was so genuinely interesting listening to our secretary about what they’re planning to do. I was very proud to know about a lot of these things! And learn some very cool things as well! So highways / interstates are more long lasting because we build them that way. they’re made of exclusively concrete (no asphalt) which lasts closer to 40 years. Asphalt lasts around 30 years at best and requires more patching. Least to say, the risk of having to fix a interstate road is too high in terms of getting goods and services around from state to state that states make sure they get the good materials so we have to fix them less often. Also generally asphalt is more carbon positive than concrete, fun fact! ALSO I HAVE A FUN FACT: A COWORKER OF MINE IS RESEARCHING SPIDER RESISTANT FENCING BECAUSE WE HAVE A TARANTULA MIGRATION IN THE SOUTH PART OF THE STATE AND THEY GET SQUISHED ON OUR ROADS. ALSO SHE WANTS TO BUILD LITTLE UNDERPASSES FOR THEM AND THE IMAGINE OF THAT KILLS ME ME. 😂

[@ValDraper]

As someone who has arachnophobia...the phrase "tarantula migration" is utterly terrifying to see in print...That said, I think it's super cool that y'all are tackling this issue! It feels so niche, and yet very important.

[@patrickdunn7804]

i'm confused - do you work for the US DOT in Colorado, or do you work for the Colorado state-DOT???

[@AureliusR]

​@@patrickdunn7804clearly US DOT as they referred to "our secretary"

[@m.w.kaplan447]

delightful, I'm glad someone is working on this critical issue /genuine

[@Izzy-Maurer]

All interviews with politicians should be edited with cutaways to explain things and factcheck them. Love it! And shoutout to the person on the Buttigieg staff who knew about Hank's longstanding feud with the I94, that's a deep cut!

[@Blake-jl8lh]

Anyone from the Orlando area hates I4. I feel like the department of transportation knows this. They did their work to find the blog but also they could have said you grew up in the Orlando area I know you hate i4

[@justyourlocalrat_]

+

[@Vallam23]

it was about I4 in florida, but he probably has opinions about I94 too

[@MyRegularNameWasTaken]

God I love this guy. He's always so well-spoken and reasonable, and I'm hopeful he tries again for president in 2028

[@KSRailfan]

UPDATE: Or 2024… 😬

[@trwent]

He cannot be elected president anytime soon. We are just not ready for an LGBTQ+ president, and we likely will not be for at least another decade.

[@commane21]

@@KSRailfanSame. Holy shit what a cluster.

[@maricormagali6063]

Love him too. He's so sharp and smart and yet a very good honest person

[@SrirachaChugChallenge747-jq7by]

@@maricormagali6063First gay president too if he does win

[@RusTsea196T]

With Kamala being the presumptive new Dem Presidential candidate- PETE BUTTIGIEG FOR VICE PRESIDENT!

[@toyotaprius79]

Vile that's the only option to Trump

[@carolynsmith6398]

Favorite aspects of this video in no particular order: 1) The juxtaposition of Pete’s calm, measured politician voice and Hank’s excitable youtuber voice 2) Hank trying very diligently to look at the person he was interviewing instead of the camera 3) Being able to read Hank’s reactions in real time to Pete’s answers and then have my suspicions confirmed in the fact check portion 4) Pete excitedly explaining asphalt research and technology/describing the Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center as only slightly less glamorous than the CIA headquarters 4) Secretary bird! This was really interesting overall! It’s nice to hear about what the government is working on improving that you wouldn’t otherwise!

[@curiousKuro16]

I also thoroughly enjoyed the road construction break down! I knew that companies were working on things, but I had no idea it was integrated into the Government and how they test it seems so funny

[@DaTimmeh]

​@@curiousKuro16What's your job? "I drive 8 hours a day." Where to? "Nowhere"

[@khovre]

4) You love number 4) :D

[@wesselstienstra7020]

I'll throw in my favourite etymology fact: the Buttigieg family originally hails from Malta, the only EU-country where a Semitic language is spoken. Most of Maltese grammar and a lot of its basic vocabulary is derived from Arabic. Buttigieg then, comes from Bu-DiGieG, or earlier Abu DiGiG, which in Arabic would be Abu al Dajaj (ابو الدجاج). This literally means 'father of chickens', indicating that Pete's family would have likely been Maltese poultry keepers back in the day!

[@geeksdo1tbetter]

This is the nerdy stuff I read the comments for!!!

[@brettgoldsmith9971]

Neat

[@kristhebrownie]

I love interesting etymology like that

[@climbingdan]

🍗

[@Delightedly]

This comment is what nerdfightaria is here for.

[@Texmatt21]

I love how deep Pete went into his Secretary of Transportation role. I'm fairly sure he had little to no experience in the field, but he completely immersed himself in all the knowledge and regulations necessary to kick butt at a job that isn't exactly glamorous. Its a good look Pete and says a lot about your potential for higher government roles in the future.

[@wavesofbabies]

You were 100% correct that he looks like he could be an airline pilot. I can just picture the little cap and outfit and him going "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" into the intercom.

[@RobertMilesAI]

Pete Buttislegs

[@LucasBenderChannel]

my god

[@Idefilms]

++++ how have we never said this before

[@bectionary]

Perfection

[@RamenNoodle1985]

You win the interwebs today 😂

[@theanyktos]

😂😂

[@richardroy2430]

So nice to watch two intelligent people having a conversation.

[@crunchie83]

Sounds a lot better than something like, "We have big beautiful roads, the best rail system in the world they say, and airports like the world has never seen before...".

[@AlRoderick]

"I'd get hurt on a jetski" My brother in democracy you were in the army.

[@TakenTook]

He was willing to risk injury for his country, but is more careful when it comes to leisure time. That's OK.

[@sophelet]

@@TakenTook He has a young family and he cares about them first.

[@TakenTook]

@@sophelet -- I agree! My comment was not a criticism of him being willing to risk his life while in the military. I was pointing out that it's OK for him to avoid risky things that are frivolous. Being a father is an important reason to be extra careful with all activities, frivolous or otherwise. But given that he's never been on a JetSki, he was likely already being careful even as a young person without children.

[@JesBales16]

As someone who was also in the Army, Soldiers should not be assumed to be safe or competent on jet skis.

[@Shamaroth]

@@JesBales16 I've never been in an army, but I know a good chunk of any army is 18-22 year old. That is not a "safety" demographic, anywhere. Especially young males.

[@Ford_prefect_42]

"where are we on universal health care?" BRAVO

[@tfw62192]

Why did Pete ask the question? 😂 when he knew he didn’t have a good answer

[@Ford_prefect_42]

@@tfw62192 I think he genuinely wanted to hear the answer. He may possibly have been thinking there's something he doesn't know about what cancer patients go through that maybe he could help. I appreciate him showing his curiosity and willingness to learn. It's refreshing

[@Honeypot833]

If government people don't encourage conversations, then things won't change!

[@callmeturquoise]

I also love the semi mumble they both used because we know Pete is in support of major overhaul... even if Medicare is currently super rough administratively right now

[@justyourlocalrat_]

+

[@francesweathers7497]

I freaking love Pete Buttigieg!! I work in transportation, overseen by state and federal entities, and he's the best secretary of transportation I've ever seen. He's responsive, proactive, and actively seeks out information. Y'all are bringing me joy!!!!

[@adandygoon]

Who could have guessed that hank 6 years ago would be interviewing the secretary of transportation

[@vlogbrothers]

Well, nine years ago I was interviewing Obama so you could make the case that this is a step down...

[@kaypgirl]

I mean he's also interviewed a sitting President, so I'm not surprised.

[@Sophieetta0627]

Would Pete Buttigieg commit to a baby name though?

[@Idefilms]

​@@vlogbrothers They didn't come to YOU though, in your bespoke maximalist wizard office

[@unfortunatelyrob2635]

​@@vlogbrothers thats the joke

[@jbartlet827]

I had the good fortune to live in South Bend when Pete was our mayor. He truly saved the town from the brink of being another Detroit. I also had the honor of working with him when he guest lectured at Notre Dame, where I worked. He is, without hesitation, one of the sharpest and most well-spoken people I've ever met. He actually acts on his ideas instead of just spouting what he thinks people want to hear. Good to see him in the nerd community : ) Great man!

[@StarlahMutiny]

Came for the Transportation Secretary, stayed for the Secretary Bird 😊

[@alezanders]

“We don’t experience distance in miles, we experience it in minutes” is a great thing to hear from the Secretary of Transportation and to me at least, it shows that his priorities are in the right order

[@ciscoserrano]

I love how he instantaneously gifted you his pin when he saw your pin collection. The kindness and respect in all your videos gives me hope they we might be okay.

[@slashplane]

I have never seen or heard this channel before, no idea why YT recommended this, but this was phenomenally well done and a great watch. Thank you,

[@Justin22139]

The first time I ever heard Pete Buttigieg speak, I immediately thought ‘this guy is going to be President one day’. I still think so. He’s caring, intelligent, articulate, and he really listens to people. He reminds me a lot of Obama.

[@mariag.8242]

I agree that he’s brilliant, charming, a great communicator and a centrist so a lot like Obama. He also has very little experience of being in the federal government, like Obama. Biden has accomplished so much more in his single term than W, Obama and trump put together because he really understands his job and has negotiated deals with people across the aisle and across the globe. Don’t vote only on the superficial characteristics of a candidate. Look at the full resumé.

[@NormalaSamdin]

​@@mariag.8242 Well wouldn't Biden have brought his experience and expertise to the table when he was VP to Obama? His invaluable advice would have helped Obama where Obama himself was lacking. He couldn't have been selfish and kept his knowledge to himself?

[@joancharbonneau3510]

He would get my vote today...

[@danielmize6567]

I had the same thought about him, and about Obama...it's a presence... statesmanship, intelligence and compassion... He's a winner, not just for himself, but for all.

[@MarkieBee1]

@@mariag.8242 um, Obama saved us from a second Great Depression and gave 25 million people healthcare. I'm a Pete fan and attended three of his rallies, but Obama accomplished a lot more. Look at Obama's full resume from his first term.

[@b33thr33kay]

1. This guy seems very smart. 2. I love that you are basically fact checking every answer he gives!

[@JosephDavies]

So many times when I see interviews, especially when I know something about the topic (but also when I don't), I find myself wanting there to be this sort of interjection with context/fact-checking. This style is great, and doesn't detract or feel inappropriate.

[@justjustinin207]

I’ve always respected Buttigieg’s ability to explain things in a way everyday people can understand as well as his willingness to engage with people in general. He’s kind of like a government version of Hank in those ways, I guess.

[@SAmaryllis]

Yes! I was surprised on how easy it was to understand him and the straightforward answers - no verbal tricks or talkarounds that many politicians do that make you question yourself on if you're just too stupid to understand what they said or if they just said a whole lot of nothing

[@TakenTook]

He's a Vlog Brother from another mother

[@lbputzer]

The way Pete maintains his integrity is his humility. He will always be the kid from a middle class neighborhood in South Bend. He leans into it, and never forgets it. He went to prestigious Harvard in Boston and Oxford in the UK, lived in Chicago & Toronto for short time while working in the corporate world, served in a war zone in the military overseas, ran a presidential campaign, is is now a cabinet Secretary in the US Government. Despite being exposed to an intellectual, cosmopolitan, international life, he still treats rural & uneducated people with the same respect as his boss, the President.

[@TakenTook]

@@lbputzer -- He's good people, as it were. I wish we had more people like him in public office.

[@tanuvazi]

Really could be a great President. 2028? Remember this is a Democrat who did a town hall style interview on Fox News and got a standing ovation from the crowd, not by pandering but by speaking honestly and intelligently.

[@DanielKlein23]

While Mr Buttigieg is a little too centrist for my taste politically, I hugely appreciate the amount of just sheer competency and informedness he brings. This should be table stakes for such a position, but it hasn't been for a bit, and it's really nice to see someone who just clearly lives deep in the problem space he controls.

[@d_dave7200]

Yes this

[@trevinbeattie4888]

His being more centrist (or center-left) gives me hope that if he makes it through the primary he can win the support of the large bloc of independent / swing voters and thus the general election.

[@tiffanymarie9750]

He's more centrist than I am politically, but I do believe he's so good at throwing himself so fully into a job that if he were POTUS he would end up moving more left just in terms of his actual actions. I also tend to believe the majority of politicians should be centrists, though, just because I think compromise is far more important in keeping a government running and functioning than people realize. It's why I couldn't be a politician, I consider myself very far on the left, and I would have a hard time managing those compromises. I still think those compromises are important, it just couldn't be me. 😅

[@theEduEnthusiast]

Very well said! I wholeheartedly agree!

[@d_dave7200]

@@tiffanymarie9750 I would just point out that centrists in the US Congress would be far right in Europe. The “center” is itself variable and subjective. And US public opinion is also significantly to the left of Congress, especially economically. People’s views have shifted enormously over the last couple of decades. One of the reasons Biden was the nominee was that the media scared people into voting for the “sure thing” to make sure we beat Trump. If people were voting their actual opinions in the primary, Bernie would have won. (All the above based on polling averages.)

[@emmathomas2832]

honestly, answered the questions he was asked, seemed humble, admitted he didn't know the answer to Orin's question and said the sentence "I have been told by people smarter than me". 10/10 politician

[@kaldishelbryndjar]

I want more people in the government casually coming in for a sit down with smart people and talking about things relevant to non-elite Americans

[@Prelude610]

Is there another person in the Federal government at this level that could and would give such straightforward and clearly stated answers to your questions? This dude needs to be our President!

[@beeheart6529]

I agree!!

[@AleksandrMotsjonov]

On one hand, I am glad this slightly more political comment is so low compare to all non-political nerdy ones at the top. But that's what I thought as well. As outsider non american it is so so so increadably unbelivebly bizzar that your system couldn't come up with some smart/bright/young/energetic politicians as a candidates but two old farts you got in the end, again. Someone like Pete would be a good example of such a choice.

[@Prelude610]

@@AleksandrMotsjonov In Biden's favor, he knows the game very well and he knows all of the players, and I think he is doing a great job bringing us back to a more sensible middle, undoing a lot of what the Republicans have been doing to us. A younger candidate, idealistic and energetic, would be easily stalled by the establishment. Imagine what Pete could get done after a few more years of seasoning. As for Trump, I am convinced he ran just for the sake of the publicity so he could get another TV show, and he's proof of what the English, back in the early days of our country, said about the whole idea of democracy.

[@xWood4000]

​@@AleksandrMotsjonov I mean the last election had a bunch of candidates as bright as Buttigieg, but the status quo doesn't like them at all. Buttigieg is more progressive than Biden but he is also very middle of the road. Tgeir system just can't elect those candidates

[@mr_mustash]

We tried in 2019/2020! Pete Buttigieg ran a wonderful primary campaign and I was happy to be a part of it in my state. I hope that I get to cast my primary vote again for him someday!

[@t3hSurge]

Electrification Subsidies ✅ Self-Driving Cars ✅ Ending Parking Minimums ✅ High-Risk Transportation Research ✅ High-Speed Rail ✅ On-Time Passenger Shared-Rail Performance ✅ Priorities Centered On Traffic Fatalities ✅ Reflective, Inquisitive, Deferent ✅ Pete is an amazing public servant.

[@amyberger9559]

THREE WHOLE ONIONS

[@Norman834]

and the way he said it was so serious!

[@SolaceEasy]

Scallion ≠ Onion

[@Tinyvalkyrie410]

@@SolaceEasymy guy are you really trying to fact check an off the cuff, terrible dad pun? You sir, deserve to be here

[@lisanorwoodtreefarm]

to be fair, Sec. Buttigieg did say "tri-scallion" instead of "triskelion"

[@geeksdo1tbetter]

​@@SolaceEasy I fixed that for you!

[@XerrolAvengerII]

I honestly was like "oh did you give Pete a screen cap of your desk to use as the background filter for remote meetings?" but then immediately he was IN YOUR OFFICE and I was shook.

[@susanhartman1718]

Legit thought it was a green screen or Photoshop at first from the thumbnail

[@blackawana]

Wonderful!!! Good luck to both of you! Thanks!🎉

[@mikemorr100]

This is not an official poli "THIS IS AN OFFICIAL POLICY POSITION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT" Brave joke to make, hilarious

[@virtualeuphoria8532]

Hank - Airline pilot here. I wouldn't be embarrassed about saying he looks like a pilot. We have a look, so much so its often easy for me to guess if someone is crew or not at our layovers based on looks/ outfit. Pete fits the mold!

[@dww2006]

Pete does his research. He’s always prepared.

[@lauramccullagh980]

I really appreciate his point that reducing reliance on cars actually INCREASES our freedom of choice. It’s definitely a politicians answer, but it’s also a way of framing this that I think might help the point resonate with more people.

[@probsnooneyouknowtbh3712]

Definitely. Growing up in a car-dependent area with no public transportation and not having access to a car and a license until I was 21, I can speak from experience when I say being reliant on cars is not at all freeing. During that period of my life I was basically stuck at home unless I could get someone to take me somewhere. Couldn't have a job, a social life, or go to college until I got a car. If I'd had a disability that prevented me from driving, I probably would still be stuck there. That's not freedom.

[@Winspur1982]

Yes. I think I would just say this: let's not make the rich man's toy of 1915 a shackle for the working American today.

[@lorellstoneman74]

Love Pete!..he is the perfect balance of communication and calm...so smart.....an expert communicator...and a get r done guy......great interview.

[@99thTuesday]

Wild that Secretary Pete, himself from Indiana, chose to visit the Montana brother rather than the Indiana brother.

[@Kim_D09]

I laughed so hard

[@miriamrosemary9110]

😂

[@lizbeigle-bryant1710]

Pete was there for the airport but stayed for Hank.

[@communitygardener17]

Pete used to work for a city in Indiana and spent his time there. Now his job assignment is the entire U.S., so he travels throughout the entire U.S.

[@Roanmonster]

The way he asks Hanks son for a handshake is just so kind, he really looks like a genuine guy

[@claireduston5177]

When he asked, "Can I give you a really big..." my brain screamed, "Don't hug kids without the parent's consent!" Then he finished with "handshake?" Such a gentleman.

[@KunamaElgar]

I apparently totally missed this part of the video and can't find it by scrolling through - can someone please give me the timestamp?

[@claireduston5177]

@@KunamaElgar Orin comes in at 17:30

[@KunamaElgar]

@@claireduston5177 thanks!

[@simianbarcode3011]

Trains. Literally just more trains. That's how we improve transportation systems. . . . . . . . . . TRAINS!

[@LucasBenderChannel]

This is such a TikTok-brain way of editing a politician's interview. And I sadly have to admit: It works on me. 😅

[@mossypebbles]

not really, sure it can be split up easily if you're that content brain rotted. but it's to fact check each answer concisely and effectively

[@duby.industries]

I’m vastly disappointed this isn’t an onion mukbang with Pete Buttigieg

[@KylesBigPig]

Onions All The Way Down

[@dragonflies6793]

To be quite honest when I saw the title I immediately thought of John's videos about like, cooking eight peas or whatever number of tomatoes

[@despres380]

i was like oh is there an onion challenge? lol

[@TakenTook]

Thanksgiving week group zoom call live stream special

[@NP-zl7dz]

If we ever needed an 'Onion mukbang with Pete Buttigieg' t-shirt, it's NOW

[@raetona]

I hate to admit that I'd never listened to Secretary Buttigieg speak before. I want to be a person well versed in politics, but life and my mental health has not supported that over the past several years. This conversation rekindled a spark of hope in me that it is possible to get intelligent, passionate, charismatic people into positions of power and have them actually DO something with it. The past 12 years has really squashed that so I am going to nurture this feeling. Thank you for taking this opportunity, Hank.

[@sarahmorais9312]

That Pete is so well-informed. A walking encyclopedia. I wish we could vote for him in the upcoming election.

[@sdtayw]

You can, by voting Dem to keep him in this job.

[@ajbemrose8259]

Hey! I’m one of the people who’s job it is to _keep_ the new airport amazingly dope. Thanks for noticing how amazingly dope it is!

[@ajbemrose8259]

Also, for my fellow Montanans (or anyone else) there’s a Newsweek poll going right now for “Best Small Airports” and MSO is nominated. You can find it by searching “best small airports newsweek” if your interested in voting. You can vote once a day for the next couple weeks or so.

[@geeksdo1tbetter]

Great work, ya'll!

[@miriamrosemary9110]

+

[@TheRavenfish9]

Thanks for making it dope! :D

[@13thvoz]

I appreciate this dude taking his job so seriously.

[@Radar_of_the_Stars]

pete was my mayor a few years ago, it's so weird that he's a national politician now

[@stiffjalopy4189]

I remember when he did Not My Job on Wait, Wait. He was SO in the weeds on South Bend’s new sewer infrastructure, but so excited and energetic. I was hoping he’d go national, and I haven’t been disappointed!

[@geeksdo1tbetter]

Oh! That makes so much more sense now! He was a mayor in Indiana, and John's from Indiana. d'oh!

[@RTMonitor]

It's the same iwht Robert Garcia, he was a mayor in my town before he became a Representative, which is a huge jump, to be honest. But hey, I respect that.

[@ValeriePallaoro]

Australian here. I sooo wanted him to be president. Js. All the interviews (all of them) gave me hope for a better run America.

[@jakubb9498]

​@stiffjalopy4189 ask people of South Band Indina about former mayor. You are going to be surprised. No he was not loved when he left

[@davetoms1]

23:07 *Buttigieg:* _"We don't actually experience distance in miles, we experience it in minutes"_ *Me:* _Cheering in Canadian_

[@quasinfinity]

Saskatoon resident, and I definitely have had a hard time explaining this to some of my more car centric coworkers. I appreciate this quote so hard. I used to live in Humboldt, which is an hour away from work. Now I bus from the opposite side of the city, and my commute is just a little over an hour, but longer. Humboldt is 110 km away, where I live now is 15 km away. I don't care about the actual distance, I care about time, convenience, and the environment (in that order).

[@lethargogpeterson4083]

And we don't even have to do metric/imperial unit conversions!

[@therabbithat]

Hans Solo experiences time in distance

[@doomsdayrabbit4398]

​@@lethargogpeterson4083Minutes aren't metric. Seconds are. Also Americans use US customary. Smaller gallons.

[@nni9310]

In Australia, when you're asked how far something is, you say how long it takes to drive there.

[@jojolly54]

OMG! This man is brilliant! It is so refreshing to listen to a politician who uses facts, data and logic in his conversation. I’m praying he becomes our next VP…and in 8 years, our next Prez.

[@cassidybecker1690]

As someone who works in electrical infrastructure in the US, this conversation was deeply cathartic. Infrastructure problems and improvements are tranches upon tranches of complex political and policy puzzles, but there are people, both in government and industry, who are deeply passionate and knowledgable who are trying their best to make things better.

[@Mengjoanne]

Thank you for help making it happen!

[@mayas3422]

+

[@aoford5351]

Three cheers for Secretary Pete!🎉 We must keep a place for the smart, articulate and innovative leaders in American government - and he is the top of the class, in my view.

[@RyanBeemer]

Woohoo, Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center! I know some awesome people that work there.

[@alexnelli7962]

It’s so nice to see a government official who seems like he knows what he’s doing and isn’t a million years old. It’s refreshing

[@Laura-kl7vi]

Who cares about age (you, obviously). No need to be ageist, there will be a time for young people. It's nice though, that younger people get into office to get experience. Imagine if Pete Buttigieg runs for President again-he's just, very competently, managed a 55,000 person department as cabinet secretary. It's great experience.

[@TheRavenfish9]

@@Laura-kl7vi Because we want a diverse group of people helping to run the government. It isn't any more ageist to want equitable representation for younger people than it is that we currently have almost none. There's nothing wrong with wanting to see yourself exist in your representatives.

[@crystaltheweirdpotato]

My mom met with Pete Buttigieg the other week (he was also our former mayor, miss him so much😔) and now that he's met you, I've basically met Hank Green😎

[@carterfyi]

Can we make "Hank Number" a thing? a la the "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon" begotten Bacon Numbers? EG, Yours is 2.

[@admiraloverdone]

the civil engineering student in me felt so good watching this

[@angela0042]

Go after the freight lines like John went after tuberculosis.😂

[@TheAnnaK74]

Yes!!

[@armerls]

+

[@niftythegoblin]

honestly? True. Once the Green brothers become passionate about something, they manage to enact crazy amounts of change rather quickly.

[@yuvalngg]

+

[@HurricaneCook]

I really hope we get to a space in America in my lifetime where Pete Buttigieg can become president. Smart guy, earnest, engaged, inspirational.

[@beeheart6529]

Same!

[@sophelet]

The biggest obstacle is homophobia in the general public, and the constant threats Pete Buttigieg and his family get because of the family they are is really serious and concerning. It's already become unsafe for his kids. So that's something we all have to work on if we want him to be president (as I do).

[@xzonia1]

I'd vote for him! :)

[@jeffbergstrom]

This was rally great. Sec. Buttigieg is great when it comes to communicating this complex issues.

[@nancyreid8729]

Biden made a brilliant choice when he offered Mayor Pete the Secretary of Transportation; he’s good!

[@rebeccawright4712]

I hope he runs for president again he will have my vote!

[@TheRavenfish9]

@@rebeccawright4712 I agree. It would be so nice to have someone this smart and kind explaining all the things to us like this.

[@fdm2155]

I believe he actually negotiated for the post because he understood the opportunity make a meaningful practical difference in ways Americans will see and understand. That's gonna be useful in 2028! 😄

[@jessamynrising3990]

I agree wholeheartedly!

[@BrightBlueJim]

Biden could have made him Secretary of Anything, and I think he would be just as great.

[@susanzemke6569]

Pete Buttigieg is one of the BEST!! He takes the wellbeing of Americans seriously.

[@caitlinwolf8858]

I worked for Pete in NH during his 2020 run and it remains one of the things I am most proud of

[@StephanieCiccorelli]

You should be. I'm 77 yes old and this man makes me feel so much better about our gov chances of continuing as a democracy. Pete Buttigieg is a star, a shining light and everytime I hear him speak, I feel better,

[@truerthanyouknow9456]

Pete is a great communicator and clearly cares about improving systems that people use every day. I hope that he's our next Vice President. Subscribed!

[@UdderlyEvelyn]

Not gonna lie I only clicked because I couldn't fathom why it was called "three whole onions" and I couldn't live my life without knowing.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

For the kind of infrastructure nerd that I am, an interview like this is super exciting to me. I pay a lot of attention to the way government policy can shape the way we get around, and getting to learn more about it from the highest infrastructure policymaker in the country means a lot. A while back I read the news that Buttigieg was trying to combat the way freight trains block passenger trains from moving. I'm glad that was mentioned in this video and very glad that he says there's progress being made there.

[@Jake9066]

The whole "yeah, we WOULD get out of your way, but this lay-by is only a mile long and our train is two" problem?

[@pas.]

@@Jake9066 it's strange that it's not more well known ... after all there definitely were twitter threads about it due to the East Palestine oopsie ... there was a LastWeekTonight segment about looong freight trains are tooo loong... well maybe not everybody goes so deep into anything involving trains. but that's because they are making questionable life choices, wasting time in their cars, not looking at the road, texting and traffic jamming, and ... not listening to quality pseudo-podcast episodes like this, obviously!

[@quasinfinity]

As a public servant (in municipal parks), I love getting "complaints" from nerds that clearly care. Squeaky wheel gets the grease, and too often that goes to "old man yells at cloud."

[@jeffschroeder4805]

Very interesting conversation, Pete Buttigieg is such an effective speaker, answering and asking questions so clearly and compassionately, open to so many points of view and working toward solutions rather than name calling and accusing others of being the problem. Refreshing!

[@t_withmilk]

Orin being a bird nerd is absolutely perfect

[@KBRoller]

I wonder if, when Hank was on Dimension 20, Orin and Brennan ever got to chat about bird facts? 😁

[@yaakovgoldsmith7099]

The great thing about Pete is that he’s a good educator. Like Hank said, so much happens in the nitty gritty and we need someone we can trust and someone who is loyal to the truth and committed to bringing that truth all the way to us.

[@MrBellsa61]

"we don't actually experience distance in miles, we experience it in minutes" 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@Vanta_Blue]

Pete is just such a good person and competent politician. I really appreciate him. He and his team are really clever about media presence too.

[@MrBogus213]

I have a lot of respect for Secretary Buittigieg. His ability to break political philosophies down into communicable ideas is really impressive and he seems to have a great deal of empathy.

[@tammyalbertsen9522]

The Secretary of Transportation just drops by. 🤯 AND knows the answers on every angle of transportation, kinda just off the cuff! Really love Pete.

[@KalebPeters99]

I would PAY to see you do this with every politician you can get your hands on, Hank. The style of sincere-but-goofy interview with fact-checking interjections is GENIUS for both retention and education. Pete gets a lot of points in my book for doing this ✨✨

[@Honigbiene1]

I think it would depend on the politician being willing to have a good-faith argument

[@grambo1980]

Pete is one of the smartest most genuine government official we have. Sure do hope he gets a shot at president at some point.

[@SmileyxKyley]

hope he gets a little more leftist before then.

[@Mitchthemysteryman]

@@SmileyxKyley Agreed.

[@jakubb9498]

Yeah but only because the bar is extremely low right now.

[@eleephant9726]

Pete's very accomplished and highly educated. Imagine if he had won the 2020 election. Great debater too. KZbin him.

[@sara1448]

I remember tuning into NPR in the middle of an interview and immediately being drawn in & thinking to myself “who is this incredibly articulate and thoughtful person I’m hearing.” Turns out it was Pete. His primary was the only political campaign I’ve ever donated to.

[@lisica8458]

Me too. I'm a boomer and Pete was the first candidate I had ever felt compelled to financially support on a monthly basis.

[@LaPrincipessaNuova]

I love this little exchange so much: “When I was young I wanted to be an airline pilot.” “You look, right now (I’m sorry), like an airline pilot” “Well thank you!”