Hewitt praises Buttigieg's distinction from El-Sayed
Hugh HewittPolitical commentator and radio host
Hewitt praises Buttigieg for separating himself from what Hewitt calls El-Sayed's radicalism and says he is waiting for Rahm Emanuel to do the same.
“Thus far only @PeteButtigieg has separated himself from the radicalism of Abdul El-Sayed. It was deft but definite.”
Original post
Original video
Where this statement fits
Abdul El-Sayed describes dangers from Israel and Iran; Pete Buttigieg draws an ally-enemy distinction
Abdul El-Sayed declined to rank Israel and Iran as threats during Michigan's Senate debate, describing different dangers from each. Pete Buttigieg answered that Iran is an enemy and Israel an ally, while saying he would still vote for El-Sayed.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Hewitt interprets Buttigieg's comments as separating himself from El-Sayed and urges other Democrats to reject the position. This is Hewitt's assessment; Buttigieg maintained his electoral support.
Original video
About this source
Fox News's upload of Martha MacCallum's interview with Pete Buttigieg on The Story, which aired October 14. MacCallum played a clip of El-Sayed's debate answer that left out his explanation, then asked what Buttigieg's answer would have been. Buttigieg also said he would vote for El-Sayed over Mike Rogers.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Hewitt posted on October 15, the day after Buttigieg's Fox News interview in which Buttigieg called Iran an enemy and Israel an ally. The quoted words open the post.
After the quotation
Hewitt says he is waiting for Rahm Emanuel to do the same, criticizes Sen. Chris Murphy for campaigning with Angie Nixon, and argues that Democrats who reject what he calls anti-Semitic extremism could benefit politically.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Reference point: El-Sayed's refusal to rank Israel and Iran as threats and his comparison of the dangers they pose. Condemned: posting the morning after Buttigieg's Fox News answer, Hewitt calls El-Sayed's position radicalism and praises Buttigieg for separating himself from it. Defended or excused does not fit, since the praise is for Buttigieg's break with El-Sayed, not for the answer.
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- Abdul El-Sayed
More from this case
Read the full caseTrent defends El-Sayed against repeated questioning
“I mean, he’s put it to rest so many times. It just keeps getting asked and asked and asked.”Read statement
MacCallum says El-Sayed must distinguish allies from enemies
“You have to be able to understand who is our enemy and who is our ally. That is an easy, easy question, okay?”Read statement
Buttigieg distinguishes an enemy from an ally but still backs El-Sayed
“Iran is our enemy. Israel is not. They’re an ally, so that’s pretty clear to me.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Hewitt praises Buttigieg's distinction from El-Sayed". First published: 2026-10-18. Last updated: 2026-10-18. https://disputeindex.com/events/5929-hewitt-praises-buttigieg-for-separating-himself-from-what