# And in goes Beto **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 14, 2019, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119 "2019-03-14T11:42:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/101 "2019-04-03T05:52:59Z")
Frankly I do NOT understand the fascination with Beto. Is it all just some “guy with the boyish grin” thing? Obviously Beto has achieved some celebrity status (though I’d feel better about that if he’d defeated the widely-despised Cruz). I’m afraid that if he’s the nominee, pundits will wake up and say “Hey! This guy is unqualified; he has essentially no leadership experience.” He was on only two (2) House committees (Armed Services and Veterans), wasn’t even a subcommittee chair. He seems to be a flip-flopper: He opposed Obama’s policy on DACA/DAPA but now wants “citizenship today for Dreamers.” He does NOT strike me as Presidential material, but that’s irrelevant. If he’s really The One who can beat Donald Trump, I’m happy to rally behind him. Is he? Or is he just a flash-in-the-pan Kardashian-wannabe? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/102 "2019-04-03T06:21:59Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Frankly I do NOT understand the fascination with Beto. Is it all just some “guy with the boyish grin” thing? > > Obviously Beto has achieved some celebrity status (though I’d feel better about that if he’d defeated the widely-despised Cruz). I’m afraid that if he’s the nominee, pundits will wake up and say “Hey! This guy is unqualified; he has essentially no leadership experience.” He was on only two (2) House committees (Armed Services and Veterans), wasn’t even a subcommittee chair. He seems to be a flip-flopper: He opposed Obama’s policy on DACA/DAPA but now wants “citizenship today for Dreamers.” > > He does NOT strike me as Presidential material, but that’s irrelevant. If he’s really The One who can beat Donald Trump, I’m happy to rally behind him. Is he? Or is he just a flash-in-the-pan Kardashian-wannabe? He’s not the same Beto I remember in his senate race. He’s lost his edge, and he apologizes for things he doesn’t need to apologize for. I hope he turns his shit around. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/103 "2019-04-03T11:40:15Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Frankly I do NOT understand the fascination with Beto. Is it all just some “guy with the boyish grin” thing? > > Obviously Beto has achieved some celebrity status (though I’d feel better about that if he’d defeated the widely-despised Cruz). I’m afraid that if he’s the nominee, pundits will wake up and say “Hey! This guy is unqualified; he has essentially no leadership experience.” He was on only two (2) House committees (Armed Services and Veterans), wasn’t even a subcommittee chair. He seems to be a flip-flopper: He opposed Obama’s policy on DACA/DAPA but now wants “citizenship today for Dreamers.” > > He does NOT strike me as Presidential material, but that’s irrelevant. If he’s really The One who can beat Donald Trump, I’m happy to rally behind him. Is he? Or is he just a flash-in-the-pan Kardashian-wannabe? He’s a good campaigner, which is not the same thing as someone who will be a good president. But someone who would be a good president who isn’t a good campaigner will never get to demonstrate how good a president they would be. And I agree he seems to have lost some of his fire this time around. I wonder if he really wanted to run or if he was just told that it was now or never. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/104 "2019-04-03T20:07:40Z")
I thought that he was a great candidate to run against Cruz, and I would have been overjoyed if he had won. But he didn’t. And “lost a race for Senate” is not exactly a great qualification for a Presidential run. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/105 "2019-04-03T20:39:53Z")
If he can inspire people to vote, raise a buttload of dough, craft a winning message and create a movement that extends to the industrial midwest, I’m all in for him. Whether he can do anything beyond raising the buttload of dough at this point is debatable. > [@](#): > > And “lost a race for Senate” is not exactly a great qualification for a Presidential run. He’s still got more public service experience than the current WH occupant (which, I know, is a very low bar). But in addition, he doesn’t appear to be suffering from any of the following: dementia, narcissistic behavior, a complete lack of empathy, unrelenting greed, possible influence from foreign entities, an inability to effectively write or read, a complete disregard for cultural and political norms, an absolute lack of curiosity. Even if Beto only suffered from _half_ of those “impairments,” he’d be Abraham Lincoln compared to Trump. There’s a lot to be said for decency and the ability to inspire, and being smart enough to surround yourself with the right people. If that ends up what Beto is about, I’ve got no problem with his relative lack of experience. On the other hand, he could prove to be an absolutely joke of a candidate. Who can tell at this point? But based on what I’ve seen, I haven’t written him off. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/106 "2019-04-03T21:12:16Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And “lost a race for Senate” is not exactly a great qualification for a Presidential run. I hear this from people all the time, and I don’t understand it. How can people not see that coming within two and a half points of defeating a Republican incumbent in Texas is actually more impressive than winning by double digits in Massachusetts? Talk about what poker players call “results-based thinking”! ETA: What was Abraham Lincoln’s CV? One term in the House, and a failed run for Senate. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/107 "2019-04-03T23:11:27Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > ETA: What was Abraham Lincoln’s CV? One term in the House, and a failed run for Senate. Abe also served 8 years as a state legislator, was a successful self-taught lawyer, a Militia Captain, a leader of leaders — not just a charismatic campaigner — and has several other CV bullets. For example, _Abe Lincoln is the only U.S. President to hold a U.S. Patent as inventor._ And he was a mature and experienced 51 years of age when he ran for President. _ **Lincoln is one of the very greatest American orators.** (And he wrote his own speeches.)_ Does Beto have speeches for comparison? When I Google “Beto O’Rourke speech” I have to add “transcript” or all I get is YouTubes. What’s the “best” paragraph in [this speech](https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2019/03/30/beto-orourke-el-paso-rally-speech-beto-2020-donald-trump-immigration-wall/3323327002/)? > [@Beto O'Rourke](#): > > The challenges before us are the greatest of our lifetimes. An economy that works too well for too few and not at all for too many more. A healthcare system where millions are unable to see a doctor or be well enough to live to their full potential, and the last best hope of averting the catastrophe that will follow additional climate change fading before our very inaction. We must overcome these challenges, but we must first ask ourselves how this, the wealthiest, the most powerful country on the face of the planet, the most powerful country that world history has ever known, has found itself in such a perilous position. OK, maybe, but I’m not impressed. If he’s really The One, I recommend he find a better speechwriter. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/108 "2019-04-05T17:49:23Z")
This out of Politico yesterday bugs me: [Beto’s driving himself around Iowa. Again.](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/04/beto-orourke-van-iowa-1255287) Now I get that Beto’s a bit of a punk, a rogue, does things his own way, and I know this is a relatively minor thing (relatively speaking), but I’m looking for a couple of things in the candidate I’m gonna get behind: 1. Can win the industrial midwest back from Trump. 2. Is smart and humble enough to know when to take advice from the people around him. The first speaks to his/her electability. The second speaks his/her ability to effectively govern. I hope Beto doesn’t run his presidential campaign the same way he ran his Senate campaign. He needs to defer to those around him on things he’s less knowledgeable about. He’s never won a state-wide race, let alone 51 of them. I hope he is able to look to others for guidance and advice-- and actually take it, even on small things like not driving from campaign stop to campaign stop. Otherwise I’ll get on board with someone else in the primary. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2019, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/109 "2019-04-06T12:02:31Z")
I think he should be careful not to get too “managed”. His instincts may well be better than those of high-priced political consultants. Texas is such a big state, what he did there is more major than most of the candidates in this race have achieved. None of them have had to compete in a huge state where they were an underdog, or even where they were only a slight favorite in the general election. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2019, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/110 "2019-04-07T02:00:33Z")
He’s driving himself in a minivan. All the downsides of driving yourself, without any of the benefits of attention or street cred that driving a cooler vehicle would get you. He should be driving some kind of idiosyncratic vehicle like a biodiesel jeep, if he’s going to keep doing that. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/111 "2019-04-24T21:43:02Z")
Most Americans, even the old ones :p, don’t know who Hawkwind is. (I recall a few Dopers- smapti, Dropzone, making Hawkwind references.) Anyway, Dave Brock sends his regards to Beto. > **[Beto gets backing from rock group Hawkwind's leader](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/beto-o-rourke-wins-endorsement-original-psychedelic-warlord-david-brock-n998111)** > > The rock band Hawkwind's leader wished Beto O'Rourke luck 'From one Psychedelic Warlord to another.' “From one Psychedelic Warlord to another, Dave sends Beto his best wishes and hopes he finds Utopia for the American people,” Brock’s spokesperson said in an email from England. (Psycedelic Warlord and Utopia are both Hawkwind songs.) ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/112 "2019-04-24T21:55:10Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > He’s driving himself in a minivan. But I did hear that it has paddle shifters. And that he replaced the cigarette lighter with a rechargeable flashlight. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/113 "2019-04-24T21:56:32Z")
A friend forwarded me a story today about Beto trying to leave the scene of the wreck he caused while DUI. That’s not good. I’m definitely reconsidering my support. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/114 "2019-04-24T22:16:08Z")
link? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/115 "2019-04-24T22:17:58Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > A friend forwarded me a story today about Beto trying to leave the scene of the wreck he caused while DUI. That’s not good. I’m definitely reconsidering my support. Yes, in [1998](https://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2018/aug/22/silvestre-reyes/beto-orourke-arrested-1990s-burglary-and-dwi/), though he [disputes the claim](https://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2018/sep/25/beto-orourke/beto-orourke-claim-he-didnt-try-leave-drunk-drivin/) that he tried to leave the scene. I thought it was common knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/116 "2019-04-24T22:24:20Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > A friend forwarded me a story today about Beto trying to leave the scene of the wreck he caused while DUI. That’s not good. I’m definitely reconsidering my support. The DWI accident happened in 1998, when he was 26. He was drunk, driving way too fast, and the accident was totally his fault. My impression is that you’d have to go back there with a time machine to determine whether he was trying to leave the scene, or was just stumbling around, drunk and confused. Whoever the Dem nominee is, I’ll crawl across broken glass to vote for him/her, including Sanders and Biden, neither of whom I’m too keen about. But I’d like to see guys like Beto and Buttigieg to put up some policy positions on their websites, and maybe a particular program or two that would be a high priority of theirs if they got elected. Right now, they both seem to be running on “I’m a smart, charismatic (Beto) / likable (Pete) guy.” When I think of them, Mondale’s “where’s the beef?” line comes to mind. ETA: Ninja’d by **scr4** about the accident. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/117 "2019-04-25T01:59:30Z")
Whether it’s Beto or someone else, I want a Democrat to visit Texas. I want a Democrat to compete in Texas. I want a Democrat to visit Houston, to visit Austin, to visit El Paso, to visit Dallas, Arlington, Ft Worth, Temple, San Antonio, Galveston. God damn, Democrats just give up this state, and I think that for the right Democrat, it’s there to be taken. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/118 "2019-04-25T02:31:19Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Right now, they both seem to be running on “I’m a smart, charismatic (Beto) / likable (Pete) guy.” When I think of them, Mondale’s “where’s the beef?” line comes to mind. As I say, I don’t know if I can support Beto anymore after learning about these DWIs. But just for the record, I don’t believe the “where’s the beef” criticism of Beto is at all remotely fair. I have watched a couple of his town halls on Facebook and he is impressively knowledgeable and specific in his responses and proposals. This is just some weird stereotype people have tagged him with (perhaps because of his looks?), which really does not apply in actuality. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/119 "2019-04-25T03:36:17Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > A friend forwarded me a story today about Beto trying to leave the scene of the wreck he caused while DUI. That’s not good. I’m definitely reconsidering my support. Well, people do say he’s “Kennedyesque”… ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119/120 "2019-04-25T03:48:37Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > As I say, I don’t know if I can support Beto anymore after learning about these DWIs. But just for the record, I don’t believe the “where’s the beef” criticism of Beto is at all remotely fair. I have watched a couple of his town halls on Facebook and he is impressively knowledgeable and specific in his responses and proposals. This is just some weird stereotype people have tagged him with (perhaps because of his looks?), which really does not apply in actuality. I’ve heard him talk about this several times. He was with a date, he says he never tried to leave, and says his conduct was inexcusable. Since he hasn’t had a repeat since 1998, I’ll assume he learned his lesson. BTW, what do you mean “these DWIs?” Unless I’m mistaken, there was only one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-in-goes-beto/831119.md?page=7)