( APPLAUSE ) BUTTIGIEG, WHO IS HERE ON

THE SHOW.

I FEEL SO LUCKY.

>> LIKEWISE.

I'M HONORED TO BE WITH YOU.

I'M A FAN.

>> James: THAT IS THE LOVELOVELIEST THING YOU COULD

SAY.

I'M SO HAPPY YOU HAVE MADE THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US

TODAY BECAUSE THIS IS THE EVE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION.

WE'RE ALL FEELING, IF I'M HONEST IN THIS ROOM, A

LITTLE WEIRD.

WHERE IN THE COUNTRY ARE YOU RIGHT NOW, AND HOW ARE

YOU COPING THROUGH ALL OF THIS?

>> I'M RIGHT AT HOME IN SOUTH BEND, BUT I'VE BEEN

ON THE ROAD A LOT.

I WAS IN MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN, PENNSYLVANIA,

CAMPAIGNING FOR JOE BIDEN, AND IN FLORIDA NOT LONG

AGO.

IT FEELS GOOD TO BE ON THE ROAD, ALTHOUGH WE DO IT IN

A DIFFERENT WAY FOR THE CONCERN OF THE SAFETY OF

THE PEOPLE WHO JOIN US.

I DO A LOT OF TV APPEARANCES AND MAKE LOT

OF PHONE CALLS TO FRIENDS.

THERE IS A -- THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN IS

GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT THERE ARE

GREAT CANDIDATES RUNNING UP AND DOWN THE TICKETS.

WE'RE FOLLOWING A LOT OF THOSE RACES AND HOPING FOR

THE BEST TOMORROW.

>> James: I'M FINDING IT INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL.

WE'RE JUST FOCUSING ON THESE FEW STATES.

FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, HOW CLOSE DO YOU THINK

THIS RACE IS GOING TO BE?

>> SO IT COULD BE VERY CLOSE.

LOOK, THE STRANGE THING ABOUT THE SYSTEM THAT

WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW IN THE U.S. IS THAT YOU CAN HAVE,

AS IT LOOKS LIKE JOE BIDEN HAS, A 10-POINT LEAD

NATIONALLY, BUT IT DOESN'T COUNT UNLESS YOU WIN IN

THESE CRITICAL STATES.

LATER ON I HOPE WE HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THE

SYSTEM COULD BE FAIRER, BUT THIS IS THE SYSTEM

WE'VE GOT.

IT WILL COME DOWN TO THE SWING STATES, AND IF YOU

HAVEN'T GOT YOUR VOTE IN EARLY, GO TO

Iwillvote.com, AND MAYBE YOU ALREADY VOTED AND

YOU'RE NOT SURE ABOUT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, CALL A

FRIEND, CALL A COUSIN, CALL SOMEONE YOU CARE

ABOUT, AND DOUBLE CHECK THEY MADE A PLAN, TOO.

IT IS ALL GOING TO COME DOWN ABOUT GETTING OUT THE

VOTE, THE EARLY VOTE WE'VE BEEN PUSHING, AND THAT

CRITICAL ELECTION DAY VOTE.

>> James: THAT ELECTION DAY VOTE IS CRITICAL.

WE'VE ALL SEE THE NEWS STORIES OF THE PAST FEW

WEEKS, OR EVEN MONTH, WHERE RECORD NUMBERS OF

MAIL-IN BALLOTS -- YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT TRUMP AND

HIS CAMPAIGN TEAM HAVE ALREADY STARTED SAYING

THAT, OH, THESE VOTES SHOULDN'T BE COUNTED.

THERE IS MAIL-IN FRAUD.

IF HE CLAIMS VICTORY, HOW CAN HE EVEN DO THAT?

AND, SECONDLY, HOW DO WE STAY CALM AND GO, NO, NO,

WE JUST HAVE TO COUNT EVERY VOTE?

>> THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT OUR

COUNTRY IS DEMOCRATIC.

IT IS ONE OF THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF

AMERICA.

THIS ISN'T UP TO THE PRESIDENT.

IT IS UP TO US.

HE CAN SAY WHATEVER HE LIKES, BUT WE'VE GOT TO

MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE VOTES GET IN AND ALL

OF THOSE VOTES ARE COUNTERED.

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TROOPS SERVING

OVERSEAS WHO HAVE TO MAIL IN THEIR BALLOTS.

PEOPLE WHO VOTED EARLY.

EVERY ELIGIBLE VOTER DESERVES TO BE COUNTED.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING THE

POLLS, I'VE MET THEM IN OUR COMMUNITY AND AROUND

THE COUNTRY, AND THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB WITH

INTEGRITY.

THAIRNTHEY'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOTES GET

COUNTED.

HE CAN'T DROWN OUT THE SIMPLE AMERICANS WHO ARE

COMING OUT TO VOTE.

>> James: HE IS STIRRING UP SO MUCH RAGE AND ANGER.

JUST OVER THE WEEKEND, WE SAW TRUMP SUPPORTERS

SURROUNDING JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS' BUS, AND

THEY WEREN'T ON THE BUS, BUT IT WAS TRAVELING

THROUGH NEW JERSEY AND TEXAS AND NEW YORK.

THEY SHUT DOWN BRIDGES AND MAJOR HIGHWAYS.

I'M SEEING SHOPS BEING BOARDED UP.

IT IS ALL WELL AND GOOD SAYING WE HAVE TO KEEP

CALM AND TRUST THE PROCESS.

WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE, AND HOW NERVOUS ARE YOU

ABOUT TALK ABOUT CIVIL UNREST THIS COMING WEEK?

>> IT SHOWS YOU THE CHAOS THAT WE'VE COME TO IN THE

TRUMP ERA.

THE IDEA IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WE ARE

WORRYING ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF POLITICAL

VIOLENCE.

IT SHOWS YOU EXACTLY WHY WE CAN'T AFFORD FOUR MORE

YEARS UNDER THIS PRESIDENT.

BUT, AGAIN, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A REALLY ROBUST

CORE TO OUR SYSTEM.

AND, BY THE WAY, ALSO, THIS KIND OF THING IS ONLY

HAPPENING BECAUSE THERE IS A LEVEL OF PANIC ON HIS

SIDE.

THIS BEHAVIOR YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THIS IS NOT

THE KIND OF THING YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE WINNING.

IT IS A SHOW OF DESPERATION, AND IT IS NOT

GOING TO HELP.

IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT WE'VE LEARNED IN RECENT

YEARS, SHUTTING DOWN BRIDGES IN NEW JERSEY HAS

NOT EXACTLY WORKED OUT WELL FOR THE REPUBLICAN

PARTY.

THESE KINDS OF THINGS AREN'T GOING TO HELP THEIR

CAUSE.

THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO STRENGTHEN THE

AWARENESS -- I'M A DEMOCRAT, LIKE JOE BIDEN,

BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF REPUBLICANS AND

INDEPENDENTS CROSSING OVER, AND IT IS HELPING US

BUILD A COALITION THAT ISN'T JUST ONE PARTY.

IT IS DEMOCRATS, PROGRESSIVES, MODERATES,

REPUBLICANS, ALL SAYING ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

IT IS TIME TO GET A NEW PRESIDENT, THAT ALL COMES

TO A HEAD TOMORROW.

>> ames: IT IS LOVELY TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT

THAT.

FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, MY ENTIRE LIFE GROWING UP IN

HIGH WICKEM BUCKINGSHARE, AMERICA WAS THIS BEACON OF

HOPE AND JOY AND POSITIVITY.

IT WAS A PLACE WHERE ANYTHING WAS POSSIBLE.

AND ME AND MY FAMILY, OUR CHILDREN -- YOU KNOW, I

HAVE AN AMERICAN DAUGHTER.

AND WE RUSHED HERE.

AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

AND IT REALLY HAS ONLY BEEN IN THE PAST SORT OF

TWO YEARS THAT FRIENDS OF MINE BACK HOME, ON THE

PHONE, ARE GOING, YOU'RE NOT GOING THE STAY THERE,

ARE YOU?

IT IS ONE THING SAYING WE HAVE TO BEAT TRUMP.

STILL, THAT DOESN'T BEAT TRUMPISM OR WHAT HE

REPRESENTS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> James: WHAT DO YOU AND JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA

HARRIS, YOU SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY,

WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR TRYING TO RESET THE

COUNTRY AND REBUILD SO MUCH OF WHAT HAS BEEN

BROKEN OVER THESE LAST FOUR YEARS?

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, THIS IS UP TO ALL OF US.

I THINK STEP ONE IS GETTING THE RIGHT KIND OF

LEADER, AND THAT'S WHO JOE BIDEN IS.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE GOT TO DO IN OUR OWN

LIVES.

REMEMBER WHAT AMERICA CAN BE, AND BUILD A FUTURE

WHERE EVERYBODY CAN BELONG.

I'M SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE BREAK DOWN OF TRUST,NITY

JUST IN INSTITUTIONS, BUT IN NECHTD.

IN EACH OTHER.

JUST FOR OUR COUNTRY TO BE ABLE TO RUN AND THINGS TO

BE ABLE TO WORK.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE LIVE IN THE SAME REALITY.

YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TELL FROM GOING ONLINE,

BUT THE HARD TRUTH IS WE'RE GOING TO RISE AND

FALL TOGETHER AS A COUNTRY.

ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, IT WILL BE MAKE OR BREAK FOR

THE WHOLE AMERICAN PROJECT.

AND AS YOU TALK ABOUT IT, AND THE WHOLE WORLD IS

WATCHING, THERE ARE A LOT OF FRIENDS WATCHING WHO

WANT AMERICA TO BE OUR BEST AMERICA.

YES, THAT'S UP TO HAVING A BETTER PRESIDENT, BUT IT

IS UP TO ALL OF US.

>> James: I THINK YOU PLAY A MAJOR PART IN THIS,

I REALLY, REALLY DO.

YOU HAVE EARNED THIS WONDERFUL NICKNAME OF

SLAYER PETE FOR YOUR SHARP TAKEDOWN OF FOX NEWS

ANCHORS AND PUNDITS.

IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE WATCHING YOU GO INTO THE

LION'S DEN.

I THINK YOUR ATTITUDE THIS WHOLE CAMPAIGN, I FOUND IT

REALLY ENLIGHTENING.

DO YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN CHANGE SOME REPUBLICANS'

MINDS BY GOING ON FOX NEWS AND BEING SO OPEN WITH

TRUTH AND FACT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WIN EVERYBODY OVER.

BUT, YES, THIS IS A NETWORK THAT IS NOT VERY

FRIENDLY TO MY PARTY OR MY PERSPECTIVE.

BUT I KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE GET THEIR NEWS FROM THIS

NETWORK, AND THEY'RE WATCHING IN GOOD FAITH.

AND I CAN'T BE MAD AT SOMEBODY FOR NOT

SUPPORTING MY PERSPECTIVE IF THEY'VE LITERALLY NEVER

HEARD IT.

SO IT IS MY JOB TO CROSS THAT LINE, TO COAX THROUGH

THE WALLS OF THAT MEDIA BUBBLE.

AS LONG AS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE ME ON, I'VE GOT TO

GET ON THERE.

I'M DOING IT AGAIN TONIGHT, TO MAKE SURE THAT

THAT PERSPECTIVE IS THERE.

I DO THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MAYBE VOTED

REPUBLICAN THEIR WHOLE LIVES, MAYBE GREW UP IN A

FAMILY WHERE BEING REPUBLICAN IS THE SAME

THING AS BEING A PATRIOTIC AMERICAN, OR A PERSON OF

FAITH.

AND NOW THEY'RE SAYING, THAT IS NOT ME, THAT'S NOT

WHO I AM, AND THEY'RE READY TO DO SOMETHING

DIFFERENT.

I HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW IT IS OKAY TO CHANGE YOUR

MIND.

>> James: MY FAVORITE PART WHEN YOU GO ON FOX

NEWS IS NOT NECESSARILY WHEN YOU SPEAK, BUT THE

THREE SECONDS OF SILENCE BACK IN THE STUDIO AS THE

HOSTS GET ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED AND GO...MOVING

ON.

[LAUGHTER] >> James: OF COURSE, ALL

OF THIS IS HAPPENING DURING THIS MOST STRANGE

OF TIMES WHERE, YOU KNOW, 80,000 NEW INFEC INFECTIONS OF

COVID-19 ARE BEING REPORTED DAILY.

WE JUST SAW AND TALKED ABOUT IT AT THE TOP OF THE

SHOW, THE LATEST TRUMP RALLY WHERE PEOPLE WERE

CHANTING FIRE FAUCI.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THIS SORT OF BEHAVIOR?

>> IT IS REALLY DISTURBING BECAUSE YOU LEAD FROM THE

TOP.

AND THE EXAMPLE THAT THE PRESIDENT SETS MATTERS.

NOT JUST THE POLICIES.

OBVIOUSLY WE NEED BETTER POLICIES THAT GET

EVERYBODY HEALTH CARE AND TAKE CARE OF THESE ISSUES,

BUT JUST THE EXAMPLE.

HE IS TELLING A LOT OF PEOPLE IT IS PERFECTLY

OKAY TO GATHER IN CLOSE QUARTERS, NOT HAVE A MASK

ON, AND BLAME DOCTORS SOMEHOW FOR THIS PANDEMIC.

WHEN HE SIGNALS THAT, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO

BELIEVE IT JUST BECAUSE HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE

UNITED STATES.

DOWN TO THE MOST BASIC LEVEL OF FAMILIES AND

COMMUNITIES.

WHEN I BECAME MAYOR, I REALIZED JUST SOMETHING

LIKE WEARING A BIKE HELMET WHEN I WAS RIDING A BIKE I

WAS IMPORTANT.

NOT JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD THINK LESS OF ME IF

THEY SAW ME WITHOUT ONE, BUT BECAUSE A KID MIGHT

SEE THAT EXAMPLE AND THINK THEY DIDN'T NEED TO BE

SAFE.

THAT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN

THE LAND.

AND I GET IT, IT'S A PAIN, IT'S NOT FUN TO WEAR A

MASK, AND THE HUGE SACRIFICES THAT PEOPLE

HAVE MADE WITH STUDENTS NOT BEING ABLE TO STUDY IN

SCHOOL, AND FAMILY GATHERINGS BEING CALLED

OFF, AND ALL OF THE THINGS ALL OF US PUT UP WITH.