It takes about five days between right wing Republicans using their money and their mouthpieces in media to launch an attack on a Democrat and the "mainstream" press getting into a feedback loop with them, amplifying the attack.
This one was REAL obvious. A right wing group started buying ad time in Iowa to raise this "concern" about Beto O'Rourke. Immediately afterwards they "report" about this on Foxnews and they keep this headline up for a couple of days. They just used their own propaganda network and a stack of cash to create a "story" and within days the New York Times cannot help but oblige. Now, if Republicans choose to keep this festering they can report on the fact that "Lots of people are talking about this."
It's part of how they launched a massive war a few years back but more often it's just used like this to aggravate divides on the left. It's no wonder no one can tell the difference between a Republican online and a paid operative of a hostile foreign power at this point.
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As a woman in my 70s who has seen quite enough of the GOP and the despicable Trump, I do not care one whit whether the Democratic candidate is a male or female, black or white or brown, gay or straight, old or young, etc., etc. I want a candidate who can win, who has the makings of being a great president, one who will bring us together and one who will restore our country to respectability.
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From Bill Maher, 2/17/19: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=NELgksUcgDE#action=share
“Let’s give them a chance. Let’s not eat our own the way we nitpicked Hillary to death, he said. In his end-of-show “New Rules” segment, Maher called for the end of “swiping left on perfectly good presidential candidates,” adding that the pattern appeared to already be set in stone.
The goal, for democrats, should be to bring this country together by beating Trump. Not more and more divisiveness. I read this column and these comments and become depressed, not inspired.
Give Beto a chance. Give them all chance. This is what democracy looks like.
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So now the Dems who think traditionally because society says we must pander to the uniformed will enable the attacks on Beto to begin.. nothing like brutalizing your young. The RNC tells republicans that they can have anyone but 45; the DNC and democrats are subtly undercutting and destroying their own.. yeah!!
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I suspect that Beto O'Rourke's past fundraising success had to do with the fact that people were enthusiastic about the prospect of beating Ted Cruz rather than a reflection of any special "charisma" so often attributed to him.
O'Rourke seems to be short on substance, short on experience and a bit goofy. He votes with Republicans far more than other Democratic candidates even though his district is one of the most Democratic districts in the nation.
I doubt that he'll be the nominee.
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@P. Greenberg Your post is so full of errors, it must be clarified. Bernie Sanders' shills have claimed Beto votes with Republicans. Jonathan Allen of NBC went through all of Beto's voting history. Beto votes as often with the GOP as Sherrod Brown does. And frequently, he voted to the left of the Democratic position.
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Looks like the attacks on Beto and those claims that he’s unfit to pass some type of “purity test” are beginning.
If Beto gets into the presidency race, next Susan Sarandon will come out screaming that Beto is “worse than Trump” (she did this to Hillary).
And finally, as the Democrat circular fire squad proceeds, Trump gets four more years.
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@Gian Piero One can only hope...
O'Rurke offers nothing but his ambition. It is ambition without structure, purpose, belief or discipline.
He would be a catastrophic candidate and a worse president.
If he wants to help the general cause of progress he should run again for the Senate in Texas. There he could wrest a seat from the Republicans no one believes can be taken from them.
In doing that he would help elect a Democratic senate majority and put in place a foundation on which he could be the instrument to turn Texas blue.
If he did that, then in 4 years or in 8 years or in 12 years he would still be very much young enough to be elected president and inarguable the Democratic Party's choice.
Now? Now he is a confusion that this race does not need and a man seemingly confused by rank ambition, who functions at one level and one level only, which is manic excitement without any substance, vision or purpose but to fulfill his need for attention.
I want a liberal Democrat in the White House. I also want one capable of doing the work that entails. Nothing about Beto persuades me that his liberalism is any more than convenience and absolutely nothing suggests he could do the work and the job.
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He has a charisma that some of the others don't. But for me the magical mystery tour is already getting old, I think people who want to run the country should just put themselves out there. Pete Buttigieg also has charisma and isn't making videos of his dental appointments, he's just talking about the issues. Biden also seems to be doing the mystery tour, waiting for us to beg him to run. Get in the race and see where it goes, man or woman, young or old.
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Dick Cheney took a solo road trip across the country in '94 to garner interest for a potential presidential run, yet I never see anyone mention that. Wow, what privilege! Or Beto is too "emotional". Good thing Abe Lincoln isn't alive to run for political office nowadays. Melancholy dripped from every pore in his body - he'd be dismissed before his campaign got off the ground.
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You ask "What would the reception have been if a female candidate left her three small children home"? Probably about as negative as the endless negative commentary of Beto doing it - your post being just the latest.
He was gone some days of the week for several weeks, the other days home. As a working single mother I have been away from the home the same amount of time. It was met with empathy, not criticism.
Also, what is up with the focus on Beto? Is he the only white male parent in the race? Why direct the criticism specifically at him? The personal attack comes across as personally motivated.
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Personal attacks, huh?
What have we got here?
anti-Betoism? Beto bias?
Better come up with a fitting term soon, given how rough the press, etc. has been on the poor guy,
though the article seems to concern Beto far less about Beto than the fairly widely acknowledged double standards many women face, especially politics
though the article seems far less about Beto per se than the fairly widely acknowledged double standards towards women in society, professionally, in politics, etc. fortunate.
Maybe we’re wrong & if we ever get a “first man,” he’ll have to essentially defend himself against charges that he didn’t spend enough time baking cookies, giving teas, etc. like Hillary did
Can’t keep up, but of the men that are/might run besides Beto, Booker’s seemingly childless, Sanders & Biden’s kids are adults, nobody cares about the wealthy Starbucks dude’s kids when he might throw the contest to Trump, expect the dude from ?CO has kids so can likely get some criticism of his parental devotion to ease the suffering Beto & his supporters are experiencing during this clearly unwarranted“witch hunt” & character assassination.
Sorry, but I’m losing patience with the inability to critically evaluate politicians, particularly potential Dem Presidential candidates.
The fact is, we need to know who these folks are even if they happen to be many people’s favorites. Additionally, if the scrutiny doesn’t derive from the left, it will come from the right ten times worse.
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@KalaI Indeed, it will come from the right worse. Conservative groups are already running attack ads on Beto despite him not yet declaring his intentions. They and Republicans know he is the greatest existential threat to them going forward. He's the only potential Democratic candidate with a shot to win Texas and that would change the dynamics of politics in this country for a generation.
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@Kala I would like to see some extensive coverage of the fact Bernie Sanders was a deadbeat father. We need more articles about that. But apparently, Bernie Sanders is not a "privileged white guy".
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I donated to his Senate bid - primarily because of intense dislike of Ted Cruz. But the more I've learned about Beto, the less I feel he's ready for Prime Time. Seems a bit empty.... We already have empty in the oval office.
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Beto has become a rising political figure because society is craving authenticity. He could have decided to ”change” who he is to escape the inevitable criticism and negative speculative opinions about who he is as an individual. Aren't we all tired of the political theater, the fake personas, and the blatant lies that pervade politics today?
During the 2018 Texas Senate race, when Beto was a widely-unknown congressman from El Paso, he allowed a videography team to document the campaign race from start to finish. He welcomed them into his home, personal life, and very intense and campaign. With approximately 700 hours of footage recorded, a soon-to-be-released documentary compiled from this footage shows how quickly his life changed for him and his family. The stress, the frustration, the emotional toll, the determination, the good, the bad, the flaws, the success, the failure— and, above all else, the strength, conviction and determination of an upright and authentic leader.
Do we want to continue to accept the broken status quo in our politics? The false personas, the lack of substance, the disengaged talking points--- the reasons that lead us to the complete polarization and division and distrust we continue to experience every day.
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If Democratic candidates keep engaging in identity politics, it will only sow division among what could be a strong coalition. Hillary did it to Bernie in 2016 and that didn't work for her. I don't want other candidates to repeat that mistake again.
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All politicians will do what is best for them, it's human nature and magnified in that group. Yes, Beto is getting the white Male privilege. Fine, hopefully he is self aware enough to recognize that fact. The Presidential Office is not for trainees or the grossly incompetent, see: Trump. I prefer that a Senator or Governor get our nomination, the best way to defeat Trump is to offer an accomplished, honest, no-nonsense leader. As for Beto and Abrams, either would make a fine VP. But, both would be outstanding Senators from their respective States. That is absolutely critical, and they are capable of Winning. Best wishes.
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I noticed the conspicuous absence of Andrew Yang's name under the list of Democratic candidates running for office. If you haven't looked into Andrew Yang's campaign you're missing out.
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I thought that same thing - about him neglecting his wife and children - right away when I started reading his poorly-written travel journals. How do men get off abandoning their families for "road trips" like you'd do when you're single or in college? The idea that he could just pick up and do that is a luxury married women - mothers - don't seem to have in this country. Or at the very least, they'd be criticized. Now it looks like Beto's ego trip will lead him to again abandon his family for a vanity run at a presidency he is not ready for.
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Neglecting his family? I disagree. Would you say military members serving away from home neglect their families, or any other public servant? Serving in office, or contemplating doing so, requires sacrifice. Beto has served three terms as a congressman, which required being away from his family to serve in Washington. It certainly should not be something used to question his character. As I’m sure most individuals can imagine, being called by many to run for the presidency is not a decision you make over night. After a grueling senate race, taking a “road trip” to meet groups of every day people and listen about their viewpoints and concerns is nothing to be critical of. Politicians are human beings— big decisions take careful thought and reflection. I would surely hope a potential presidential contender would take the time they need to choose what is right for themselves, their families, and the country.
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But is this Beto's fault? Or the fault of the press and its reflection of the culture at large.
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I want to see if he will get the Amy Klobuchar treatment given that he apparently berated his staff repeatedly in that documentary.
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@JJ - He won't. He's a man. They get away with it. It's "passion" or "perfectionism" or whatever. When women do that you know what we are called.
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@JJ
come on, please don't you the gender card here. Amy Klobuchar did not treat her employees well. I'm glad the Times brought it up, so we constituents can discuss before the primary.
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"Imagine ...if Beto were Betsy. What would the reception have been if a female candidate left her three small children home and spent several weeks traveling..."
Beto's road trip lasted 5 days. If your husband won't allow you to go on a 5-day road trip, I would advise you to get a new husband.
My husband allows me to travel by myself, he has even looked after our children. Imagine that.
As a woman and a feminist, I am offended when women portray other women as hapless victims, worrying themselves silly over 'what will people say about me??'.
I thought we'd all got beyond that. I have.
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@Eilidh Ritchie Thank you, Eilidh Ritchie. What is to prevent any of the female candidates from getting in a car and doing a five day road trip, which was really a solo "listening tour" like Hillary and others have done. If these women aren't independent and confident enough to do that, I don't know if they should be trying to run the country. To my knowledge, none of the announced female candidates have young children. If Amy O'Rourke wanted to get away, I think Beto would be happy to take care of the kids. I believe the Obamas left the kids with their grandma a lot when they were on the trail together. I just don't understand the heat Beto has taken for going on a five day road trip and writing a chronicle of his experiences. His love of people and love of the country showed through in his words. And where did all these literary critics come from, suddenly proclaiming that it was poorly written? It was cryptic, casual, intimate. I liked the writing style.
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@Joe Langford I notice the author also claims Beto receives "a benefit of the doubt that wouldn’t be extended to a woman or a candidate of color" Is Julian Castro a candidate of color? If so, he hasn't had a job since end of 2016 and has spent all his time roaming the country trying to build up support for a Presidential run rather than helping out his wife with the kids and holding down a job. Maybe the author needs to write a critical post about him, too?
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