Trump mocks Buttigieg: ‘He has a great chance’

President Trump mocked 2020 Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg (D) during a campaign rally in Florida on Wednesday, saying he would “want to watch” the South Bend, Ind., mayor take on the Chinese president.

At the rally, Trump mockingly floated Buttigieg’s name while attacking other 2020 Democratic contenders, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Vice President Joe Biden. 

{mosads}”You got a choice between Sleepy Joe and Crazy Bernie,” Trump said. “And I’ll take any of them. Let’s just pick somebody, please, and let’s start this thing. Let’s start it.” 

“We have a young man, Buttigieg,” Trump continued while attempting to sound out the mayor’s last name. “Boot-edge-edge. They say ‘edge-edge.'”

“He’s got a great chance. He’ll be great. He’ll be great representing us against President Xi of China,” he said to laughs from audience. “That’ll be great.”

“I want to be in that room. I want to watch that one,” he continued.

Trump previously speculated that he may end up campaigning against either of those three candidates in the 2020 race. 

Last month, in his first public acknowledgement of Buttigieg, the president said he would welcome the chance to run against the 37-year-old mayor.

“I think I’d like running against him, too,” Trump said of Buttigieg. “But it’ll be interesting to see it unfold.”

In recent polling, Biden and Sanders have led the crowded field of 2020 Democratic presidential contenders. However, Buttigieg has seen a surge of popularity in polling in the past few weeks since launching his presidential campaign.