Bill Maher Dismisses Pete Buttigieg: ‘Little Too Young’ for the White House

HBO’s Real Time host Bill Maher called South Bend, Indiana, Mayor and 2020 White House hopeful Pete Buttigieg (D) “a little too young” to be president during a wide-ranging interview with CNN broadcasted on Tuesday evening.

“This is the only country that I can think of in history who doesn’t seem to get something very fundamental, which is that in general people older are wiser,” Maher told host Chris Cumo. “That’s the tradeoff of life. Of course there are exceptions. There are dumb old people and smart young people. But in general, yes, I’m Okay with someone who has learned and grown and seen a lot and has experienced it and has seen patterns.”

“I like Mayor Pete but I do think 37 is a little too young, a little bit,” added Maher.

At only 37-years old, Buttigieg is the youngest of 24 Democrat presidential candidates, though according to the small town mayor, he doesn’t believe his age should be an issue with voters. During a CNN town hall event in March, the Indiana Democrat touted his military experience and pushed against talk that he’s too young to be commander-in-chief.

“I get that it might sound a little cheeky as the youngest guy in this conversation, but I actually think experience is one of the best reasons for somebody like me to be in this. I have more years of government experience under my belt than the president,” Pete Buttigieg said. “That’s a low bar, I know that. I’ve also got more years of executive government experience under my belt than the vice president and more military experience than anybody to walk into that office on day one since George H.W. Bush. So I get that I’m the young guy in the conversation, but I would say experience is what qualifies me to have a seat at this table. ”

Meanwhile, the latest national polls show Buttigieg still ranks toward the top of the crowded Democrat presidential field.

According to a Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday, Buttigieg currently sits in fourth place with 8 percent support, while former vice president Joe Biden leads with 30 percent. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) rank second and third, scoring 19 percent and 15 percent, respectively.