Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forum'He's Like, Okay, Well, Screw It' (Beto O'Rourke)
For a one-time Democratic darling who hasnt sniffed double digits in the polls for months, this brewery called Backlash didnt seem like a materially strategic, smart spot to be in the run-up to a debate night that might for him be do-or-die. But ORourkes clearly not doing the obvious anymore.
In the wake of August 3, when a bigot with an AK-47 murdered 22 people in a Walmart in ORourkes hometown of El Paso, the former congressman has changed the way hes waging his presidential campaign. Hes running with arguably reckless abandon, breaking norms to try to rekindle some lost spark. Beyond his much-discussed uptick in swearing, he has traveled to places that make limited political sense, taken a provocative proposal on assault-style rifles that could permanently jeopardize his electoral viability in his native state, and trashed President Trump with increasingly explicit rhetoric. Whats interesting about ORourke at this moment is not just that hes saying fuck a whole bunchhes always dropped curse words on the stumpbut that hes entered more broadly a new phase of his 2020 bid, which supporters find inspiring and critics consider desperate to the point of pathetic. Up close, though, it feels actually pretty compelling.
Lets go ahead and call it Betos fuck-it phase.
Thats where I think hes at now, Moses Mercado, a Democratic lobbyist from Texas, told me. Hes like, okay, well, screw it.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)Article is generally fair, but underestimates the support for the gun reforms that Beto is proposing; Are all now at majority support or greater.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
brooklynite
(95,173 posts)The problem is that advocates of gun reform don't care ENOUGH to make it a primary factor in their voting behavior, unlike gun rights advocates.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Amimnoch
(4,558 posts)Up until last week I was very much a Beto advocate. His proposals on background checks are great. However, once he turned to mandatory buy-back programs, I no longer see a path to winning. Great idea, but as a campaign position? Toxic.
All of my support for him was 100% based on turning Texas into a battleground where a win for him could also have been a win for us in the senate. The whole "Texan" vs "New York businessman" angle could have edged him right over into a Texas win due to the ridiculous state level form of nationalism we have in this state.
Now though? Sorry, but his mandatory buy back program lost his Texas edge. If he takes the nomination, the GOP will flood the airwaves and every other form of media with that bullshit "he wants to take your guns" angle.. Additionally, all evidence shows that the other swing states aren't going to receive that message well.. the American north west? Florida? Arizona? I see the uninformed voters swallowing that "he's going to take your guns" angle hook, line, and sinker. Sure it'll help him in the more solidly blue states of the west coast and New England/North east, but those aren't the states NEEDED to get that electoral college 270.
I LOVE his message, but I think it was a HORRIBLE move for him.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)Beto is showing the most leadership on this issue of anyone running.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/sept-2-5-2019-washington-post-abc-news-poll/d4e18b36-79bf-492d-91e3-d1c7a49d37e2/
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Amimnoch
(4,558 posts)In case you missed it, the majority don't get to pick the president. Else we'd have had President Gore in 2000. We'd have President Clinton right now.
I live in Texas. I don't believe for a second the majority here in Texas would support it for one second. I do, but I don't believe the majority of Texans would. I believe there would be pretty good support in the traditionally blue areas of Austin, DFW, El Paso, and here in Houston. I strongly suspect there will be less enthusiasm in San Antonio, and Corpus Christi/southern border blue areas. I do strongly believe that it will energize the remainder of "red" Texas against him. I have family, and fairly regularly visit said family in both Ohio and Wisconsin. I don't believe that holds true for both those states as well. The gun nut culture is strong in those states.
I can believe that it's possible that a majority in Pennsylvania and Michigan would go for it, but I've seen no data that either supports or refutes that.
It's about the swing states that will determine who our next president will be, not about the majority of America. I'd think this would be painfully obvious by now.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)68% Support
32% Oppose
https://latinodecisions.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Univision-UH-Texas-crosstabs-Sept-2019.pdf
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
brooklynite
(95,173 posts)...and "support" doesn't mean "will vote for as a top issue".
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
brooklynite
(95,173 posts)We vote State by State. Is it a majority in an aggregation of States that total 270 EV
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)is already at 68% percent support in Texas than mandatory buyback is probably over 50%.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)He's polling in the low single digits.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)"Finished? we're just getting started."
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Bayard
(22,292 posts)Is he saying, screw it, so he can say whatever he wants? Because he knows he's not getting the nomination anyway?
I'm all for it unless it hurts the party.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)Fuck this.
Fuck that.
It'll get Beto attention but not votes, in my humble opinion.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)Americans want a president in whom we can be proud,
and not one who debases the office even further than Trump by cussing up a storm.
And with that
I say
bye bye
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NYMinute
(3,256 posts)and if elected, he will not use it in official statements and at official events.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Tipperary
(6,930 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Nevermypresident
(781 posts)come close to debasing the office as trump has.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Turin_C3PO
(14,170 posts)Beto most certainly would not debase the office as Trump has. Thats an ignorant statement.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
JI7
(89,305 posts)it was that we were not doing anything in gun control. and to point out how people get outraged by the wrong things.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
dalton99a
(81,741 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NYMinute
(3,256 posts)The F word is used far far more in a non-sexual context in contemporaneous language to express disgust.
His disgust for the gun situation is palpable and I'm glad he is showing it like no one else can.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Mayor Pete is too modest:
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/04/29/lis-smith-buttigieg-2020-president-campaign-manager-226756
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/henrygomez/pete-buttigieg-2020-campaign-phase
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
aikoaiko
(34,186 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.