Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg said Sunday he won't "take lectures on family values" from conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who suggested Americans wouldn't elect Buttigieg president because he's been "kissing his husband on stage" after debates.
"I love my husband. I'm faithful to my husband," Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said on CNN's "State of the Union. "On stage, we usually just go for a hug. But I love him very much. And I'm not going to take lectures on family values from the likes of Rush Limbaugh."
Limbaugh said Wednesday that Democrats must be thinking of Buttigieg standing on a debate stage with President Donald Trump, "OK, how's this going to look?"
"Thirty-seven-year-old gay guy kissing his husband on stage, next to Mr. Man, Donald Trump," Limbaugh said. "What's going to happen here?"
The comments came a week after Trump awarded Limbaugh, who said he is battling advanced lung cancer, the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the State of the Union address.
Buttigieg, who is vying to be the first openly gay president, addressed the historic nature of his candidacy during an interview on "Meet the Press" last week.
"There was a moment before we went out when Chasten pulled me in and just reminded me what this means for some kid peeking around the closet door wondering if this country has a place for them," Buttigieg said. "I didn't set out to be the gay president, but certainly seeing what this means is really meaningful and really powerful."
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In a radio interview with Geraldo Rivera, Trump was asked whether he thinks Americans would vote for a gay man to be president.
"I think so," Trump said, adding: "I think there would be some that wouldn't. I wouldn't be among that group, to be honest with you."
Buttigieg heads into Nevada after claiming victory in the Iowa caucuses and finishing second in the New Hampshire Democratic primary to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
