Photo from Jubilee on YouTube, Pete Buttigieg discussing the election with undecided voters.
As a proud Hoosier (the nickname for those from Indiana), I have known Pete Buttigieg by many names mapping the trajectory of his career: Mayor Pete of South Bend, veteran of the War in Afghanistan, Democratic candidate of the 2020 primaries, Secretary of Transportation and now, YouTube star of “1 Politician vs. 25 Undecided Voters (Feat. Pete Buttigieg).”
The video was published by the YouTube channel Jubilee, whose mission is to be “a home for empathy and human connection” through content creation that brings together those on opposing sides of divisive conflicts. Buttigieg’s appearance is the latest in a series called “Surrounded,” in which an individual is pitted against a large group who all share opposing opinions.
In most of the videos, the individual and the group are on opposite sides of a spectrum; in Buttigieg’s video, the Democratic politician spoke to undecided voters who leaned a variety of directions, including to the left.
The minority representative sits in the middle of a circle, reading out controversial statements every 15 minutes and debates those who race to claim the chair across from them. While the two discuss, others can raise red flags, signaling that a new person should speak. When a majority raise red flags, the person in the seat is kicked out, and a new opponent comes forward.
Unlike Jubilee’s other videos, which tend to be more lighthearted, like “6 Broke Students vs. 1 Secret Millionaire” and “Who’s a Gamer Girl? Test Your Radar,” “Surrounded” has an overwhelming focus on politically polarizing topics. The first video in the series was posted on Sept. 8, yet the collection has quickly gained popularity, racking up tens of millions of views. The engagement far surpasses Jubilee’s average engagement, which ranges from hundreds of thousands to the single-digit millions.
The series has also given a larger platform to TikTok debaters like Dean Withers, who make content explaining the Democratic Party platform to solve for misinformation and a lack of knowledge. Withers has made appearances in multiple “Surrounded” videos, going head-to-head with conservative commentators like Ben Shapiro. Many have gone viral, garnering massive support. But the response is not always positive.
“Surrounded” has been chastised for its innate power imbalance. For example, when Jubilee invites professional political commentators, like Charlie Kirk, to “Surrounded,” and pits them against inexperienced college students, it does not allow for truly fruitful debate. Instead, it creates impassioned moments that are exploited for shock value. Jubilee has also faced criticism about its clickbait video titles, like “Can 1 Woke Teen Survive 20 Trump Supporters?” which raise questions regarding Jubilee’s true intentions: is the channel a beacon of morality that truly seeks to foster cooperation, or a cash grab that attempts to draw viewers in to see clips of liberals and conservatives getting owned?
The answer to that question becomes more unclear when evaluating Buttigieg’s contribution to “Surrounded,” a video unlike its counterparts.
Firstly, the structure of the video is different from typical “Surrounded” videos. While others pit Democrats against Donald Trump voters and Republicans against Kamala Harris voters, Buttigieg and the undecided voters he speaks with are not inherently opposed to each other; in fact, they have commonalities. Both the undecided voters featured in the video (including those leaning toward Trump, Harris, a third party or not voting at all) and Buttigieg currently live in Michigan, and can connect on local issues.
Secondly, Buttigieg’s manner of speaking is a clear departure from that of Shapiro, Kirk and even Withers. Rather than rapidly reiterating claims and spouting statistics, both common debate tactics, Buttigieg addresses the undecided voters with civility, even when they try to undermine some of his assertions. When Buttigieg praises Harris for bringing a fractured Democratic party together, he is asked whether the party unity was truly a result of Harris’ leadership or whether it was due to necessity. In response, Buttigieg relates to the undecided voter, revealing his own initial doubts but emphasizing how emotionally moved he felt when listening to Harris speak at the Democratic National Convention. Buttigieg’s empathetic approach produces a more respectful discussion with less quotable moments, but leaves both sides feeling heard.
The discussion began with six voters leaning Harris, four leaning Trump, five leaning third party and 11 leaning no vote. After talking with Buttigieg, there were 12 voters leaning Harris, five leaning Trump, six leaning third party and three leaning no vote. While the exchanges with Buttigieg swayed one more person toward Trump, Buttigieg was able to successfully convince more undecided voters to participate in democracy and also vote for Harris. However, the scenario that played out in the Jubilee video did not translate to reality, where Trump won Michigan with 49.7% of the vote.
Buttigieg’s appearance on Jubilee just a week before the 2024 presidential election was one of many moves made by the Harris-Walz campaign to amplify their message in an expedited time frame. Along with Harris’ visit to the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, an installment published even later than Buttigieg’s “Surrounded” episode, the Kamala HQ TikTok account was dedicated to reaching young voters, meeting them on social media. In the cases of the Jubilee video and the episode of “Call Her Daddy,” both extended standing invitations to the Trump and Harris campaigns, but the Harris campaign was the only one to accept the offers. Though this media blitz did not lead to favorable results for the Democratic Party, the results of this election could be used to inform future campaigns.
The Trump campaign also made attempts to appeal to younger generations, through their own Team Trump TikTok page. However, the Kamala HQ account frequently posted memes and edits while the Team Trump page largely stuck to clips of the candidates’ speeches, allowing other media outlets like “The Joe Rogan Experience” to conduct outreach. Ultimately, while the Harris campaign fought to be ubiquitous, the Trump campaign naturally was, a fact Buttigieg acknowledged in “Surrounded.”
When President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 election race, he declared that it was time to “pass the torch to a new generation.” A sentiment shared by almost all of the undecided voters in the Jubilee video, regardless of how they were swayed, was that Buttigieg appeared calm, collected and prepared for every question. One voter even admitted that he supported Buttigieg in the 2020 primaries and would in the future, a statement that earned nods and snaps from others in attendance.
The future of the Democratic Party could be headed by Buttigieg, who has not shied away from engaging with the other side, through Fox News debates and Jubilee forums. It could be led by Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator who has been a vocal critic of establishment Democrats, though his age has become a point of debate for many. It could be led by Gavin Newsom, the California governor who has gained a reputation for his bloodthirsty approach to taking down Republicans. Or, Harris could return again, aiming to finally get the job done.
It is uncertain who the new face of the party could be, though one thing is clear: Democrats need to give themselves enough time to launch effective strategies that produce tangible results in the popular vote, not only in the ballots cast by those on Jubilee.