GOP Rep. attempts to shade Pete Buttigieg over climate change but fails miserably

One of the most pressing concerns facing the world today is climate change. It’s a threat that Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and future generations, will continue to grapple with if more action is not taken by those in power now.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg realizes that. However, many on the other side of the political spectrum are still grappling with the science. Yesterday, during a hearing held by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on the Biden administration’s climate objectives, GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa, 63, thought he’d try to show up Buttigieg.

LaMalfa, who represents California’s 1st District, got into a debate with Buttigieg over climate change and asked the out-gay politician what percentage of the atmosphere is carbon dioxide. Buttigieg admitted he did not have the answer at hand. LaMalfa presumably thought he’d scored a “gotcha” moment.

“What I can tell you is that climate change is real,” Buttigieg coolly continued, undeterred.

“Yes, this one’s called autumn,” LaMalfa interrupted.

“I’m sorry?,” said Buttigieg, forcing LaMalfa to repeat his lame quip.

Buttigieg still didn’t understand the level of stupidity he was hearing.

Buttigieg: Climate change is real.

GOP Rep. LaMalfa: This one is called autumn.

Buttigieg: I’m sorry, I didn’t make out what you said… pic.twitter.com/5Xu5rHVfwr

— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) September 20, 2023

LaMalfa was forced to repeat himself a third time: “This climate change right now is called autumn.”

“That’s the season changing,” replied Buttigieg, as if explaining to a five-year-old. “Which is not the same as climate change. And as someone who is hoping to retire in the 2050s, who has kids who will be old enough to ask me—they’ll be in their 30s—whether we did enough to deal with climate change or whether we just did what was convenient, I take that really seriously.”

Ouch.

LaMalfa yielded his time, and was almost immediately dragged by another lawmaker. Democratic Californian Rep. Jared Huffman begun by saying to Buttigieg, “Mr. Secretary, it’s good to see you. You can see that I serve here in Congress with some of the greatest minds of the 19th century.”

Buttigieg praised for dragging LaMalfa

Buttigieg’s response was praised online.

Pete is very good at this

— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) September 20, 2023

Pete is lightning in debate. Don’t try and beat him. Seasonal change. Sheesh

— Bill (@doxie53) September 20, 2023

#Republicans love to yield their time when they’re 100% wrong. A member of Congress should know the difference between seasons change and climate change.

— Tim Scott (Private Citizen) (@NCPawPaw06) September 20, 2023

On X (formerly Twitter), LaMalfa still seemed to think he’d got the upper hand. He shared a video of himself quizzing Buttigieg on the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. His tweet was instantly ratioed (prompting way more comments than likes).

The Secretary of Transportation does not know what percent of the atmosphere is CO2 and that his plan to spend trillions doesn’t work.https://t.co/YwZtDlkz35

— Rep. Doug LaMalfa (@RepLaMalfa) September 20, 2023

Many told him to sit this one out.

You got owned today

— gloomlord (@vmushrooms) September 20, 2023

Oh buddy … look at your ratio! That’s literally the worst I’ve ever seen. Someone on your staff needs to prepare you tweets better. And maybe prepare you better to talk to witnesses… you got owned today.

— Jason’s Blue Advocacy (@j_blue_advocacy) September 20, 2023

Oh honey, take the rest of the day off. Try again tomorrow.

— Chisel Pointed Fluff (@DSpinnyd) September 20, 2023

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