KEENE, N.H. (AP) 鈥 The husband of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Thursday he hasn鈥檛 heard from Mike Pence in the days since the former vice president mocked his family, but will continue to hold him accountable for his words.
Chasten Buttigieg was asked on ABC鈥檚 鈥淭he View鈥 whether Pence contacted him after joking at a dinner for journalists and politicians that Pete Buttigieg took 鈥渕aternity leave鈥 after he and his husband adopted newborn twins.
鈥淧ete is the only person in human history to have a child and everyone else gets postpartum depression,鈥 Pence said Saturday at the Gridiron Dinner.
Chasten Buttigieg, who said he doesn鈥檛 expect to hear from Pence, called the remarks 鈥減art of a much bigger trend attacking families.鈥
鈥淚 spoke up because we all have an obligation to hold people accountable for when they say something wrong, especially when it鈥檚 misogynistic, especially when it鈥檚 homophobic, and I just don鈥檛 take that when it鈥檚 towards my family, and I don鈥檛 think anyone else would, especially when you bring a very small, medically fragile child into it,鈥 he said.
Pence defended his comments Thursday night after speaking at a Republican Party dinner in New Hampshire.
鈥淭he Gridiron Dinner is a roast. I had a lot of jokes directed to me, and I directed a lot of jokes to Republicans and Democrats,鈥 he told reporters. 鈥淭he only thing I can figure is Pete Buttigieg not only can鈥檛 do his job, but he can鈥檛 take a joke.鈥
