this is the problem with issuing purity tests you cannot yourself pass. jon: pete buttigieg fending off attacks during the debate last night looking to hold onto his iowa frontrunner status. the first contest in the long presidential race. let s bring in howie kurtz and host of media buzz and fox news analyst. it wasn t exactly the circular firing squad. mostly pete buttigieg in the middle with everybody else taking shots at him wouldn t you say? by and large it was sort of like a pbs wine and cheese policy seminar on liberal issues with the candidates competing who could do the most for transgender people, for the dreamers, climate change and free tuition. the status of pete buttigieg in iowa. good news for him he is very relevant. bad news he had those attacks. we saw him very effectively counter punch against elizabeth