Buttigieg: Society 'Inching Toward' Acceptance of Sexuality

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg says of questions about his sexuality: "It'll come, and I'll be ready."

But the openly gay former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, also says, "It's important to recognize that change on these issues and acceptance and equality – even though it's got a long way to go – is happening at a pace that a lot of people are struggling with."

During a CNN town hall from Nevada on Tuesday night, Buttigieg said society at large is "inching toward the direction of acceptance." He added people should help anyone who is not yet there "to get there, instead of clubbing them over the head and telling them they're bad people."

He also answered criticism from Rush Limbaugh, who suggested the country was not ready for a gay president. Buttigieg noted the conservative radio personality has defended President Donald Trump despite his many moral transgressions.

Buttigieg added, "If they want to debate family values, let's debate family values."

Buttigieg says he’d accept financial support from presidential rival Mike Bloomberg, even as he slams the billionaire former New York mayor for trying to buy the election.

Bloomberg is competing with Buttigieg for the presidency, but has promised to pour vast sums of his own fortune into helping whoever wins the Democratic nomination to defeat Donald Trump.

Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was asked Tuesday night at a CNN town hall in Las Vegas if he would accept Bloomberg's support and said "sure." That came shortly after Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., refused to answer the same question during an earlier CNN town hall.

But Buttigieg went on to criticize Bloomberg for spending so much of his personal fortune to run for president himself in the meantime. He said there was no question Bloomberg was trying to buy the election.