Pete Buttigieg & Don Lemon Share Laugh While Discussing Queer Families

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will hold a celebratory bill-signing event at the White House today. This afternoon, a who's who of the LGBTQ+ community, members of Congress, and other invited allies will gather on the South Lawn to watch the president sign the Respect for Marriage Act into law.

In advance of the event, transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg appeared on CNN This Morning and again proved why he is among the administration's best spokespersons who can articulate how relatably ordinary LGBTQ+ families are.

Co-host Kaitlan Collins asked Buttigieg to respond to a now-viral clip of Republican U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler of Missouri crying as she decried the bill during a debate in the House of Representatives, calling it "misguided" and "dangerous."

"I'll tell you my priorities," said Hartzler, at times through a cracked, tearful voice. "Protect religious liberty. Protect people of faith. And protect Americans who believe in a true meaning of marriage. I hope and pray that my colleagues find the courage to join me in opposing this misguided and this dangerous bill."

Hartzler's gay nephew, Andrew Hartzler, is among the people who are invited to attend today's marriage equality festivities.

Buttigieg responded, "I just wonder if [Rep. Hartzler] could see the family life that Chasten wrote about so movingly in that piece on Medium again as the most important experience in my day."

Trending stories

Elon Musk deadnames his 'killed' child — his trans daughter claps back

How climate disasters hurt mental health in young people

Exclusive: Mike Maimone honors late husband Howard Bragman in new single “On My Way”

SFAF's Dr. Tyler TerMeer says he'll continue to fight for health care for all

Gerald Garth is determined to keep people of color happy and healthy through trying times

BREAKING NEWS: Trump admin moves to end federal HIV prevention programs

Discover why chic Costa Navarino is Europe's luxury getaway

'White Lotus' S3 E6 recap: We need to talk about the incest storyline

Pride journey Walla Walla: An LGBTQ+ wine, food, and adventure getaway

Trump's orders prompt CDC to erase HIV resources

Kelly Marie Tran says all of her roles are queer — including her latest in 'Control Freak'

10 lesbian sports movies that are total game-changers

Lana Ja'Rae was the ingenue of 'Drag Race' S17. Why are you mad, sis?

All 6 rogue Mississippi cops got long prison sentences in 'Goon Squad' torture of 2 Black men

Elon Musk uses burner accounts on X, doesn’t fact-check: report

France becomes world’s first country to enshrine abortion rights in constitution

Lexi Love goes public with HIV status after Trump wipes resources from federal website

Vivian Wilson calls father Elon Musk a 'pathetic manchild' in new tell-all interview

11 hypocritical MAGA politicians and supporters accused of sexual harassment and assault

Suzie Toot says the 'RuPaul's Drag Race' cast 'got hate crimed' in Las Vegas

Yellowjackets' Liv Hewson: Breaking Hollywood's binary is 'doable'

Where to stay in LGBTQ+ Ireland: Castles, domes and luxury retreats

From rock legends to Pride flags: Discover the vibrant LGBTQ+ scene in Asbury Park

How RuPaul dragified Las Vegas with a triumphant comeback

Joe Biden has tied the record for most LGBTQ+ judges confirmed in federal courts

• 0
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8

"If you believe in family, if you believe in kindness, if you believe in love, then you ought to see what goes on in millions of families, including mine, where the love and the institutional support of marriage that binds me and Chasten together, including through hard times and tug-of-war over who's going to the dishes when we're both exhausted," Buttigieg began.

"And what to do when we run out of eggs or those puffs that you can put in the little cup that have a remarkable kind of bribery effect on getting the kids to settle down, to quiet down when they're in the stroller or the minivan," Buttigieg went on before Lemon interrupted him.

"Wait, wait," Lemon interjected. "You have a minivan?"

Buttigieg replied, "Oh yeah, and that's another example of how marriage changes you and how kids change you. I never thought I'd be a minivan person. Never!"

Lemon and fellow co-host Poppy Harlow chuckled.

"You get there, you get there," Harlow exclaimed.

"Kids do it to you," she added.

"The things we do for the love of our children," Buttigieg said.

Lemon, through laughter, explained that he and CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, have an inside joke that involves minivans.

"I'll be there one day," Lemon added.