This week, the NPR Politics Podcast investigates defining moments in the lives of four top Democratic presidential candidates to understand how those experiences shape their politics today.
In deep conversations in college dorms at the height of the Iraq war, Pete Buttigieg joined friends to create an informal group with a mission: rebuild a Democratic Party that would live up to progressive ideals.
Now a top contender for the Democratic nomination, Buttigieg has cultivated a more moderate brand — and faces criticism from a new generation of college-aged activists.