Buttigieg Attacks Biden and Sanders by Name in Bid to Make Up Ground

Pressed by reporters earlier this week, Mr. Buttigieg had resisted calling Mr. Sanders a risk himself and would not say if he believed Mr. Sanders could beat Mr. Trump. On Thursday, he cast his new remarks as airing an “honest and respectful” difference between the visions of the three men. He also acknowledged that he needs a “strong finish” in the Iowa race.

“This is certainly the moment when folks are choosing, and I want to make sure everyone understands the choice between us,” he told reporters. “We’re competing, it’s a respectful but important competition about what the best approach is going to be.”

Yet, in a moment when many Democrats want party unity around a goal of defeating Mr. Trump, there’s a chance that Mr. Buttigieg’s harsher hits could backfire. The primary race has been notable for its lack of particularly tough attacks, with the candidates often circling one another warily even in the final days before caucusing begins.

Now that Mr. Sanders and Mr. Biden are ahead of him, Mr. Buttigieg has shifted from an argument against a progressive revolution toward one focused around his rivals’ age, albeit without explicitly calling Mr. Sanders, 78, and Mr. Biden, 77, old.

Many of Mr. Buttigieg’s campaign stops have the words “TURN THE PAGE” spelled out in large blue letters behind the stage, a reminder of both his own far younger age, 38, and the idea that he would be free of the political entanglements and baggage that he ascribes to Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders.

A political newcomer, he argues, would have both a better chance of defeating Mr. Trump in a general election and a more unfettered mandate to enact progressive policies in Washington.

Mr. Biden, of course, believes the opposite. And in his speech on Thursday, he said he was committed to progressive policy priorities, adding that he could “hardly wait to debate” Mr. Trump on issues like climate change and fighting gun violence.