Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg responded Thursday to a Sevier County commissioner's homophobic label of him, saying he at least got his sexuality correct.
"He’s right that there is a gay man running for president,” Buttigieg told reporter Sharman Sacchetti of Boston station WHDH. “He doesn’t seem to be right about much else.”
Buttigieg, the two-term mayor of South Bend, Ind., spoke during an interview while in Nashua, N.H. He added he didn't think Warren Hurst's insult represented the way most people feel about him.
On Monday night, Hurst set off on a four-minute speech about the decline of America and the threats Democrats and liberals pose. It came before commission took up a vote on a measure declaring Sevier County as a gun sanctuary. The resolution has no practical weight.
"We got a queer running for president of this country," Hurst declared to scattered laughter in the audience and some smirks among his fellow Sevier County commissioners. "Now if that ain’t about as ugly as you can get."
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He continued, targeting what he identified as liberal Democrats: "They stand for killing. They don’t want you to protect yourself and your home. But now they’ll kill babies. They’ll kill babies as fast as they get ‘em. Borned or unborned."
He referred to former President Barack Obama, who is black, as a "thug."
"We're being run by thugs from these other countries," he said.
Then he said: "Let me tell you one more thing. I’m not prejudiced. But, by golly, a white male in this country has very few rights and they’re getting took more every day.
"But now you’ll hear ‘em stand on the stage and say, Oh, I’m for the poor and the black, and.you never hear’ em say, I believe white people has rights."
No commissioner responded to the District 1 commissioner's remarks.
A Democratic Party member walked out of the meeting in protest.
Several Sevier County leaders and governments have distanced themselves from Hurst, an officeholder for more than 30 years. Pigeon Forge leaders called his comments "disturbing," and the city of Gatlinburg said they were "offensive."
Efforts to reach Hurst have been unsuccessful this week.
Sevier County relies heavily on tourists for government revenue. Some past and prospective visitors have said they' won't be coming back to Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Gatlinburg or Great Smoky Mountains National Park until Hurst steps down.
Hurst's outburst has drawn national attention and widespread condemnation.
While some of Hurst's fellow commissioners smiled faintly, others stared at him expressionless. One appeared to look up at the ceiling in an effort not to reflect any emotion.
Many members of the audience attended the meeting in support of the gun sanctuary resolution. When Hurst spoke they clapped and murmured support and sometimes waved American flags they'd brought.
Buttigieg, 37, is a U.S. military veteran. He readily acknowledges he is gay and has a male spouse.