Beto O’Rourke Says We’re All In This Together

Beto O’Rourke is a media darling. Therefore, he stands a decent chance of advancing to the Democratic nomination.

Running for President today is a made-for-TV, multi-year entertainment event. You have to be magnetic and natural in front of the camera. Beto is. We can discuss policy until the cows come home, but policy won’t translate into enough votes to win. To win, you must understand how to successfully frame media narratives.

Beto’s way is to be himself, which is an extension of the punk rock “Do It Yourself” ethos that he adopted as a youth. Right now, his seemingly uncalculated “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” approach to campaigning is fresh and appealing. Will it be one year from today?

“I am going to do everything it takes to win consistent with my values. I will never employ a pollster or take a poll to find what I believe or what I want to say,” O’Rourke told his hometown newspaper. “I’ll never use a consultant to come up with the words I speak at a town hall or a rally, for better or for worse. And Amy can probably think of some times that it’s been for the worse.”

Sadly, there’s a nasty echo of Donald Trump in Beto’s solo flights. It’s fine to question the value of political consultants, but bashing experts, even political experts, isn’t becoming and it doesn’t strike the positive note that Beto is seeking.

Bright Lights, Small Town Iowa

It’s not easy being a media darling and it’s even harder to run for the highest office in the land.

“No one in recent memory, save for Donald Trump, has received so much free advertising by simply showing up.” –@kathleenparker https://t.co/cfLTQalbQ6 cc: @betoorourke

— Adpulp (@adpulp) March 16, 2019

Beto’s campaign is now three days in, and he’s had to weather some biting criticisms already. He’s been attacked by people on the left for his launch video, where his wife Amy sits quietly at his side beaming her affection. He’s been attacked for saying that he “helps” Amy raise their kids. He’s been attacked as another white male egotist who doesn’t make way for women candidates. And he’s been attacked for his youthful poems and short stories, and for being part of a hacker collective. All in the past 48 hours.

Beto isn’t perfect. Here’s how he’s different: If he makes a mistake, he steps up and owns it. How rare is that in any leader, public or private, today?

.@BetoORourke says blowback to him joking about raising his kids “sometimes” is constructive criticism. “Not only will I not say that again, but I will be much more thoughtful in the ways that I talk about my marriage.”

— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) March 16, 2019

The man has great political instincts, and he’s genuine. I can’t say that for many people in public life. The value of Beto’s punk ethos is you let yourself make mistakes, before you gracefully recover, live, on stage. By being open to your own imperfections, and allowing people to see you sweat, you transcend the packaging that traps so many pols.

Also, Beto isn’t a dogmatic Democrat. This upsets those who are. Beto isn’t rehearsed. He’s naturally likable and increasingly popular, and these facts tend to annoy cynics who perfer to bitch and moan. People on all sides of the political spectrum are outraged today, and Beto is happy-go-lucky. This confuses some and maddens others. Meanwhile, Beto keeps on keeping on. He shows up and listens, and he makes friends wherever he goes.

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