Beto O’Rourke 2020 campaign megathread

[James Monroe]

Any Democrat who would choose Beto over Kamala is basically an unconsciously bigoted person. 

That applies more to Bernie or Biden, given their history on race issues. For the record I'm backing Kamala Harris but don't see any issue with Beto supporters, so long as they don't pull the white male card that is obsolete in our party coalition.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

https://theweek.com/speedreads/826611/beto-orourke-heads-metallica-concert-after-making-2020-decision

[Medal506]

A.B.B.S

Anyone But Bernie Sanders

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

A.B.B.S

Anyone But Bernie Sanders

No he's the only other candidate capable of winning my vote.

[Some of My Best Friends Are Gay]

Uh... why exactly does him attending a Metallica concert make you less likely to support him?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Uh... why exactly does him attending a Metallica concert make you less likely to support him?

Metallica sucks.

[James Monroe]

Uh... why exactly does him attending a Metallica concert make you less likely to support him?

Metallica sucks.

Much better than the King garbage you post on here. Though they'll suck as well.

[Some of My Best Friends Are Gay]

Uh... why exactly does him attending a Metallica concert make you less likely to support him?

Metallica sucks.

Is this a joke?

I can't imagine anyone seriously reconsidering their support for a candidate just because they don't like a band whose concert said candidate attended. it's just bizarre.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Uh... why exactly does him attending a Metallica concert make you less likely to support him?

Metallica sucks.

Is this a joke?

I can't imagine anyone seriously reconsidering their support for a candidate just because they don't like a band whose concert said candidate attended. it's just bizarre.

His musical taste is a big part of why I'm considering supporting him.

[I Can Now Die Happy]

Uh... why exactly does him attending a Metallica concert make you less likely to support him?

Metallica sucks.

Is this a joke?

I can't imagine anyone seriously reconsidering their support for a candidate just because they don't like a band whose concert said candidate attended. it's just bizarre.

His musical taste is a big part of why I'm considering supporting him.

Quote of the Month
March 2019

[Adam Griffin]

Uh... why exactly does him attending a Metallica concert make you less likely to support him?

Metallica sucks.

Is this a joke?

I can't imagine anyone seriously reconsidering their support for a candidate just because they don't like a band whose concert said candidate attended. it's just bizarre.

Register on AAD: there's literally an entire board dedicated to explaining this poster & phenomenon!

[Xing]

Uh... why exactly does him attending a Metallica concert make you less likely to support him?

Metallica sucks.

Is this a joke?

I can't imagine anyone seriously reconsidering their support for a candidate just because they don't like a band whose concert said candidate attended. it's just bizarre.

Welcome to America!

[Progressive Pessimist]

Uh... why exactly does him attending a Metallica concert make you less likely to support him?

Metallica sucks.

Is this a joke?

I can't imagine anyone seriously reconsidering their support for a candidate just because they don't like a band whose concert said candidate attended. it's just bizarre.

Welcome to America!

[SCNCmod]

Since it now appears Beto is running, Will he enter the race in the next 2 weeks... or later?

[History505]

https://twitter.com/toddgillman/status/1104422908854784001

[Mr. Morden]

Since it now appears Beto is running, Will he enter the race in the next 2 weeks... or later?

I'm assuming within the next two weeks, and looks like it'll be via text:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=303677.msg6705452#msg6705452

The whole thing's kind of weird though.  O'Rourke took the unusual step of admitting publicly that he's made up his mind, and did so more than a couple of days before he was ready to announce what that decision was.  But the thing is, if the answer was no, he's not running, then there's no reason to delay the announcement.  He would just announce that immediately upon making the decision.  So now we effectively know that he's running, and yet he's not admitting it publicly.

[Ogre Mage]

Since it now appears Beto is running, Will he enter the race in the next 2 weeks... or later?

I'm assuming within the next two weeks, and looks like it'll be via text:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=303677.msg6705452#msg6705452

The whole thing's kind of weird though.  O'Rourke took the unusual step of admitting publicly that he's made up his mind, and did so more than a couple of days before he was ready to announce what that decision was.  But the thing is, if the answer was no, he's not running, then there's no reason to delay the announcement.  He would just announce that immediately upon making the decision.  So now we effectively know that he's running, and yet he's not admitting it publicly.

“It’s a bit much,” said one Democratic strategist who has spoken with O’Rourke about working on the 2020 campaign. “The question is, does he have a secret sauce that no one knows about — that no reporter, no operative, no strategist understands? Or is this just the ‘Beto Show.’ And if this is just the ‘Beto Show,’ there’s a breaking point between strategy and narcissism.”

Hank Sheinkopf, a longtime Democratic strategist based in New York, called O’Rourke’s demurrals “good media theater.” But he said, “It’s lousy politics … Your supporters are going to dissipate.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/its-a-bit-much-beto-drags-out-his-2020-tease-at-south-by-southwest/ar-BBUzRv4?li=BBnbcA1&ocid=mailsignout

[SCNCmod]

Any Democrat who would choose Beto over Kamala is basically an unconsciously bigoted person. 

This comment is Flatly Crazy.

2 years ago I fully expected to be backing Kamala & really hoped she would live up to the Hype.  But the reality is I don't think she has lived up to the Hype....

On the Flip side- I was against Beto being the Dem Senate Nominee in Texas (I thought Castro would be the better candidate)... Then Beto exceeded all expectations and showed that he seems to have that rare political X-factor that B. Clinton & Obama had (we will see if he is able to replicate this in a national campaign).

I am looking for a charasmatic candidate who has an Obama/ B Clinton type X-factor... And although it may be that none of the 2020 candidates will have it...  (like I stated earlier... I was hoping it would be Kamala)... but so far, Beto looks like the candidate most likely to fit this bill.

[SCNCmod]

I think its Hugely important that Beto's opening Rally far surpases all others in attendance.  Many Dems are looking for most electable... and having the largest opening Rally will set a strong tone in this regard.

[Mr. Morden]

The Club for Growth already has an anti-O'Rourke ad going up in Iowa:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/10/beto-orourke-2020-attack-1214805

The anti-tax Club for Growth is expected to begin airing a two-minute commercial in Iowa this week aimed at dampening liberal support for O’Rourke, who's expected to enter the race any day. The spot paints the former Texas congressman as a politician dripping with "white male privilege" who's undeserving of the comparisons he's drawing to Barack Obama.

“With a charmed life like his, you can never really lose,” the ad concludes. “That’s why Beto’s running for president — because he can.”

The offensive represents the GOP’s first concerted effort to wreak havoc in the Democratic race, and it arrives as senior Republicans have begun deliberating how the party should seek to influence the Democratic primary. With President Donald Trump’s job approval mired in the low- to mid-40s, Republicans are starting to focus on ensuring he faces as weak a candidate as possible.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The Club for Growth already has an anti-O'Rourke ad going up in Iowa:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/10/beto-orourke-2020-attack-1214805

The anti-tax Club for Growth is expected to begin airing a two-minute commercial in Iowa this week aimed at dampening liberal support for O’Rourke, who's expected to enter the race any day. The spot paints the former Texas congressman as a politician dripping with "white male privilege" who's undeserving of the comparisons he's drawing to Barack Obama.

“With a charmed life like his, you can never really lose,” the ad concludes. “That’s why Beto’s running for president — because he can.”

The offensive represents the GOP’s first concerted effort to wreak havoc in the Democratic race, and it arrives as senior Republicans have begun deliberating how the party should seek to influence the Democratic primary. With President Donald Trump’s job approval mired in the low- to mid-40s, Republicans are starting to focus on ensuring he faces as weak a candidate as possible.

Hahahahahahahahaha.

Yeah attacking someone for "white male privilege" in Iowa, that's a winner! LOL

[Rookie Yinzer]

Republicans want Bernie Sanders to be the nominee and fear Beto could drain key constituent support from him. They are trying to cut him off at the knees before he even enters the race.

[Mr. Smith]

Republicans want Bernie Sanders to be the nominee and fear Beto could drain key constituent support from him. They are trying to cut him off at the knees before he even enters the race.

They ought be careful what they wish for.

Such groups loved Obama around Iowa/New Hampshire 2008, then turned their affections to Hillary off all people once Obama proved a staying force.

[Zaybay]

Republicans want Bernie Sanders to be the nominee and fear Beto could drain key constituent support from him. They are trying to cut him off at the knees before he even enters the race.

Yeah, that almost never works out when the opposition party tries to pick their competition. Just a couple of examples:

1960: Being Catholic, Nixon believed Kennedy would give him the edge in the election.

1980: The Democrats wanted Reagan to be the GOP nominee, as they saw him as "too Conservative for the Nation to handle".

2008: Obama was seen as the man that could lose the election to McCain, and Clinton as a guaranteed loss.

2016: Trump was seen as the man who would lose the election by 20 points.

[Mr. Smith]

Republicans want Bernie Sanders to be the nominee and fear Beto could drain key constituent support from him. They are trying to cut him off at the knees before he even enters the race.

Yeah, that almost never works out when the opposition party tries to pick their competition. Just a couple of examples:

1960: Being Catholic, Nixon believed Kennedy would give him the edge in the election.

1980: The Democrats wanted Reagan to be the GOP nominee, as they saw him as "too Conservative for the Nation to handle".

2008: Obama was seen as the man that could lose the election to McCain, and Clinton as a guaranteed loss.

2016: Trump was seen as the man who would lose the election by 20 points.

It did work in 1972, and Trump is in a lot of ways...very Nixonian.