OPINION:
Last week’s Beto O’Rourke made national news for telling a “Variety Fair” writer he was simply “born” to run for the high White House office — that he was “just born to be in it.”
This week’s Beto O’Rourke can’t remember making that statement.
Would the real Beto O’Rourke — i.e., Robert Francis O’Rourke — please stand up?
“Man,” he said, NBC News reported, when asked by reporters in Wisconsin about the comment that sparked a backlash, mocking and discussions of elitism for numerous media cycles, “I hope I didn’t say that. I don’t know that anyone is born for an office or a position.”
It would’ve been better had he apologized.
It would’ve shown character, something the newly announced presidential candidate seems to be lacking of late.
Just look at these headlines: “Beto O’Rourke: Being A White Male In Democratic Primary Is Not A Disadvantage At All,” from RealClearPolitics.
Or this one: “Beto O’Rourke’s name, immigration record aren’t fooling any Latinos,” from USA Today.
And this one: “Beto O’Rourke says he never took LSD, promises to stop using profanities,” Fox News reported just recently.
Not exactly a stellar campaign start, is it?
But that’s what you get when you enter an already crowded race with little-to-no political background and zero-to-no political successes to speak of — but screaming from the rooftops of being “born” to pursue the most powerful, most prestigious title in the world. You get scrutinized, and quick.
Now imagine backtracking on that claim to fame by saying, what? I said what?
The feigned memory loss is simply a call to arms to the media, to political opponents, to truth-tellers of the nation, to remind.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.
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