General Discussion

TexasTowelie

(112,070 posts) Tue Jan 22, 2019, 08:43 AM Jan 2019

Beto O'Rourke is blogging about the fog and blackberry cobbler. But is he running for president?

If Beto O’Rourke doesn’t end up running for president in 2020, he could always try writing a travel memoir in the style of John Steinbeck or Jack Kerouac.

After drawing national attention and raising nearly $79 million in his failed bid to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) in November, the Democrat and former El Paso congressman has reportedly been considering a presidential run. Amid rampant speculation, he set off early last week on a solo road trip that took him to five states in the Southwest and the Great Plains, writing candidly that he had been “in and out of a funk” ever since leaving Congress.

"Maybe if I get moving, on the road, meet people, learn about what’s going on where they live, have some adventure, go where I don’t know and I’m not known, it’ll clear my head, reset, I’ll think new thoughts, break out of the loops I’ve been stuck in,” he mused last Wednesday.

It’s not exactly uncommon for presidential hopefuls to hold “listening tours” in which they travel through the heartland and seek out conversations with everyday Americans in bars, restaurants, and college lecture halls, much like O’Rourke has. But what is unusual is O’Rourke’s decision to document his journey with a series of lyrical, introspective blog posts that seem to invoke Bruce Springsteen or the beat poets, and which have been derided as “emo” and reminiscent of the blogging platform LiveJournal in its heyday in the mid-2000s.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/01/22/beto-orourke-is-blogging-about-fog-blackberry-cobbler-is-he-running-president/?utm_term=.9c00a04b5e9b

23 replies

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Beto O'Rourke is blogging about the fog and blackberry cobbler. But is he running for president? (Original Post) TexasTowelie Jan 2019 OP

I feel he knows the field will be stacked. joshcryer Jan 2019 #1

I get this feeling also. JI7 Jan 2019 #3

He lost me with the dentist thing. dem4decades Jan 2019 #2

Oh please. MrsCoffee Jan 2019 #8

Me, too lillypaddle Jan 2019 #9

I would just consider it noise. Oneironaut Jan 2019 #10

Seems a most shallow point from which to predicate support or a lack of it. LanternWaste Jan 2019 #12

Except it wasn't about the dentist. Is that all it takes to lose you? nt UniteFightBack Jan 2019 #17

I guess self-care is a big draw for some folks, like yoga R B Garr Jan 2019 #20

the purpose of that was actually in the story telling of the Dentist and where she came from JI7 Jan 2019 #21

Beto is a true Gen X"er Renew Deal Jan 2019 #4

That's fucked up. joshcryer Jan 2019 #5

I thought it was a compliment Renew Deal Jan 2019 #6

Maybe he should not get into the race oberliner Jan 2019 #7

How many strong options are too many? LanternWaste Jan 2019 #13

I think 5 or 6 really strong candidates would be ideal oberliner Jan 2019 #18

I don't think so either. joshcryer Jan 2019 #14

I was very hopeful about him, but now, not so much. MoonRiver Jan 2019 #11

It seems like as each month goes by since the election....... BlueintheSTL Jan 2019 #15

No one should be declaring this early. It just gives the media more time to SweetieD Jan 2019 #16

for serious candidates it's important to either announce or show real interest early on JI7 Jan 2019 #22

Is anyone really running? JustABozoOnThisBus Jan 2019 #19

serious candidates start to really look into it day after the presidential election if their party JI7 Jan 2019 #23

joshcryer

(62,269 posts)

1. I feel he knows the field will be stacked.

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 08:47 AM

Jan 2019

And that in the end he may not be able to run until 2028 (or god forbid 2024).

JI7

(89,244 posts)

3. I get this feeling also.

Reply to joshcryer (Reply #1)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 09:04 AM

Jan 2019

dem4decades

(11,282 posts)

2. He lost me with the dentist thing.

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 08:50 AM

Jan 2019

MrsCoffee

(5,801 posts)

8. Oh please.

Reply to dem4decades (Reply #2)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 11:37 AM

Jan 2019

lillypaddle

(9,580 posts)

9. Me, too

Reply to dem4decades (Reply #2)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 11:40 AM

Jan 2019

There was something so superficial about it - so "reality TVish," I didn't expect it to have such a negative affect on me, but it did.

Oneironaut

(5,491 posts)

10. I would just consider it noise.

Reply to dem4decades (Reply #2)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 11:42 AM

Jan 2019

It was off-putting to me too, but I want someone who will advance Liberal policies.

The video did make me question if he could win elections, though. It was a blunder, imo.

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)

12. Seems a most shallow point from which to predicate support or a lack of it.

Reply to dem4decades (Reply #2)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 11:54 AM

Jan 2019

But I get it... that's the kind of nation we are in the here and now.

UniteFightBack

(8,231 posts)

17. Except it wasn't about the dentist. Is that all it takes to lose you? nt

Reply to dem4decades (Reply #2)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 12:38 PM

Jan 2019

R B Garr

(16,950 posts)

20. I guess self-care is a big draw for some folks, like yoga

Reply to dem4decades (Reply #2)

Wed Jan 23, 2019, 04:31 AM

Jan 2019

and facials seem to be the in thing now, too.

I really appreciate Beto’s genuine slog through a deep red state. We need more like him who can get it done in those areas.

JI7

(89,244 posts)

21. the purpose of that was actually in the story telling of the Dentist and where she came from

Reply to dem4decades (Reply #2)

Wed Jan 23, 2019, 04:55 AM

Jan 2019

the media focused just on the examination part and made it seem as if that was what he was showing.

but it was really a q&a thing he had been doing and was now doing it with his dentist.

in the future maybe he will consider the setting of these things and how the media can focus on something else from what was intended.

Renew Deal

(81,852 posts)

4. Beto is a true Gen X"er

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 09:21 AM

Jan 2019

joshcryer

(62,269 posts)

5. That's fucked up.

Reply to Renew Deal (Reply #4)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 09:55 AM

Jan 2019

But so true.

Renew Deal

(81,852 posts)

6. I thought it was a compliment

Reply to joshcryer (Reply #5)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 11:33 AM

Jan 2019

oberliner

(58,724 posts)

7. Maybe he should not get into the race

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 11:35 AM

Jan 2019

We have a plethora of strong options already.

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)

13. How many strong options are too many?

Reply to oberliner (Reply #7)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 11:55 AM

Jan 2019

And on what objective measure is that number predicated on?

oberliner

(58,724 posts)

18. I think 5 or 6 really strong candidates would be ideal

Reply to LanternWaste (Reply #13)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 01:43 PM

Jan 2019

It would allow for debates that give each candidate more time to speak and expand on their ideas. Possibly even lead to some more genuine sorts of interactions in the debates. When you get much larger than that, it feels like it's harder to keep the debates productive.

joshcryer

(62,269 posts)

14. I don't think so either.

Reply to oberliner (Reply #7)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 12:25 PM

Jan 2019

MoonRiver

(36,926 posts)

11. I was very hopeful about him, but now, not so much.

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 11:48 AM

Jan 2019

BlueintheSTL

(135 posts)

15. It seems like as each month goes by since the election.......

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 12:35 PM

Jan 2019

I have become more and more cooler towards him. A lot of his moves post election have been puzzling to say the least. Also, I get the vibe he really does not want to run RIGHT NOW anyway. A while back he was my top choice; now I have all but moved on from him when it comes to 2020.

SweetieD

(1,660 posts)

16. No one should be declaring this early. It just gives the media more time to

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 12:37 PM

Jan 2019

Wear you down.

JI7

(89,244 posts)

22. for serious candidates it's important to either announce or show real interest early on

Reply to SweetieD (Reply #16)

Wed Jan 23, 2019, 04:57 AM

Jan 2019

the voting starts in early february . and there is fundraising and you want people to come and see you also . the earlier the better so more people have a chance to get a more up close experience.

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,336 posts)

19. Is anyone really running?

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Jan 22, 2019, 02:18 PM

Jan 2019

It's fine to announce, and maybe visit Iowa (it's beautiful in January). But it's more than a year until the first primary/caucus, so why start running in earnest now? You'll just get tired sooner.

JI7

(89,244 posts)

23. serious candidates start to really look into it day after the presidential election if their party

Reply to JustABozoOnThisBus (Reply #19)

Wed Jan 23, 2019, 04:59 AM

Jan 2019

did not make it into the white house or the winner was 2nd term .

Biden, Harris, Warren and many others have been looking into it for 2 years.

Beto has only had about 2 months. so i can see why he hasn't announced yet and probably wants to be really sure.

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