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BEND MAYOR ASSURES VOTERS HE’S READY TO BE COMMANDER IN CHIEF. REPORTER: A YEAR AGO FEW NEW HIS , NAME, BUT NOW PETE BUTTIGIEG, THE 37-YEAR-OLD AFGHANISTAN WAR VETERAN WHO JUST WRAPPED UP TWO TERMS AS MAYOR OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, IS IN POSITION TO COMPETE FOR THE TOP SPOT IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMAR AS FAR AS HE’S COME, IT’S STILL A LONG WAY TO FIRST-IN-THE-NATION BALLOTS BEING CAST. SITTING DOWN FOR AN INTERVIEW THAT WILL AIR THIS SUNDAY ON CLOSEUP, WE ASKED BUTTIGIEG HOW HE PLANS TO MAKE HIS CLOSING ARGUMENT. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE VOTERS LOOKING AT A JOE BIDEN OR AMY KLOBUCHAR, BECAUSE THEY FEEL YOU NEED TO MUCH ON THE JOB TRAINING? >> THERE’S NO JOB QUITE LIKE THE PRESIDENCY, AND I GET THAT. AGAIN, YOU CAN BE A SENIOR SENATOR IN THE COUNTRY AND NEVER IN YOUR LIFE HAVE MANAGED MORE THAN NOT HUNDRED PEOPLE. -- 100 PEOPLE. REPORTER: BUTTIGIEG BELIEVES HIS MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE WILL TRANSLATE, AND CONTENDS HE’S EXACTLY THE KIND OF YOUTHFUL, CHANGE CANDIDATE THAT TRADITIONALLY WINS THE WHITE HOUSE FOR DEMOCRATS. HE’S ALSO PUSHING BACK ON CRITICISM FROM OTHER PRIMARY CONTENDERS. >> ELIZABETH WARREN LIKES TO POKE THE FACT THAT YOU HAD A FUNDRAISER AT A WINE CAVE. IS SHE BEING DISINGENUOUS? >> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE WHO HAS ALSO HAD FUNDRAISERS AT WINERIES. THESE PROCESS QUESTIONS ARE GOOD FOR SCORING POINTS IN A DEBATE, BUT THIS IS A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE REPUBLIC. TRYING TO MAINTAIN A POLICY FOCUS ON HIS 15TH TRIP TO THE GRANITE STATE, BUTTIGIEG IS HONING IN ON KEY NEW HAMPSHIRE ISSUES, LIKE PERFLUOROCHEMICAL DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION. >> THE NUMBER OF PARTS PER TRILLION SHOULD BE SET BY SCIENCE, NOT BY ANY POLITICIAN. WHAT I WILL DO AS PRESIDENT IS SEE TO IT WE HAVE A SCIENCE-BASED STANDARD, AND THAT IN ADDITION TO STANDARDS WE HAVE ADEQUATE ENFORCEME

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Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is trying to assure voters that he's ready to be commander in chief as he kicks off a four-day New Hampshire campaign swing.>> Download the FREE WMUR appA year ago, few knew his name, but now, Buttigieg, a 37-year-old Afghanistan war veteran who just wrapped up two terms as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is in position to compete for the top spot in the New Hampshire primary.In an interview that will air Sunday on "CloseUP," Buttigieg described how he plans to make his closing argument."There's no job quite like the presidency, and I get that," he said. "Then again, even though we're more used to seeing senators, you can be a senator and never in your life managed more than 100 people."Buttigieg said he believes his management experience can translate to the Oval Office, and he contended he's exactly the kind of youthful change candidate who traditionally wins the White House for Democrats.He also pushed back on criticism from other primary contenders, such as Elizabeth Warren, who has criticized him for holding high-priced fundraisers."We're also talking about somebody who has had fundraisers at wineries," Buttigieg said. "Look, these process questions, maybe they're good for scoring points in a debate, but this is a conversation about the future of the republic."As he tries to maintain a policy focus on his 15th trip to the Granite State, Buttigieg is focusing on key New Hampshire issues such as perfluorochemical drinking water contamination."So, the number of parts per trillion should be set by science, not by any politician," Buttigieg said. "What I will do as president is see to it we have a science-based standard and that, in addition to standards, we have adequate enforcement."