Buttigieg: Oprah mentioning me ‘a bigger deal’ than polling at second place

South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) remarked Tuesday that Oprah Winfrey mentioning him in a new interview is “arguably a bigger deal” than him placing second in a poll of the 2020 Democratic presidential field.

“In the car on the way over, somebody just said that Oprah mentioned me, which is arguably a bigger deal than coming in second in a poll,” Buttigieg said during an interview with Boston Public Radio after being asked about his performance in polling.

Buttigieg didn’t specify which poll he was referencing, though a Suffolk University-Boston Globe poll published Tuesday showed him tied for second place in New Hampshire. However, recent Morning Consult and CNN polls show his national support stalling at around 7 or 8 percent, behind several other candidates.{mosads}

In an interview published Tuesday in The Hollywood Reporter, Winfrey said she is currently studying the 2020 Democratic presidential field and reading Buttigieg’s book, “Shortest Way Home.”

“I call him Buttabeep, Buttaboop. The name’s either going to really hurt or [really help] — I think it’s going to help, actually,” Winfrey said of the Midwest mayor’s often-mispronounced name.

She also encouraged filmmaker Steven Spielberg to look up the Democratic presidential candidate.

“Just the other day, I was at Apple with Spielberg and we were in the hallway talking about, ‘What are we going to do?’ And I said, ‘Have you heard of this Butta guy?’ He goes, ‘No, Butta-who?’ I go, ‘Buttabeep, Buttaboop. Look him up,” she said.