Beto O'Rourke Goes for Broke
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Wonder Land: The White House now says the U.S. economy is 'in transition.' They got that part right. Images: Getty Images/The Universal Archive via AP Composite: Mark Kelly By The Editorial Board May 25, 2022 6:39 pm ET
It isn't easy for a Democrat to win statewide in Texas these days, and Beto O'Rourke already lost once to Sen. Ted Cruz. Now he's running for Governor against incumbent Greg Abbott, and on Wednesday he gambled on a stunt that could make or break his campaign.
Gov. Abbott and a variety of state and local officials were holding a press conference to update the public on the Uvalde massacre at Robb Elementary School. It was a governing, not a campaign, event.
After Mr. Abbott had spoken for several minutes, Mr. O’Rourke interrupted to point a finger at the Governor and declare, “This is on you,” referring to the murder of 19 children and two teachers by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos. “You said this was not predictable. This is totally predictable when you choose not to do anything,” Mr. O’Rourke added. The Democrat was then asked to leave by other officials on the stage, with at least one uttering an epithet.
Trailing in the polls, Mr. O’Rourke must figure he had to take a risk on politicizing the murders even as emotions are raw and officials are still trying to figure out Ramos’s motivation. Mr. O’Rourke famously said during his short-lived 2020 presidential campaign that he wanted to ban AR-15 rifles. On Wednesday he got his sound bite. We’ll see if Texans agree that this mass murder was all about gun control.
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To be filed under the never ending odyssey of Beto "Bozo" O'Rourke.
It's too bad the police didn't escort him out the way police removed a father of a raped girl from a school board meeting not long ago.
Beto is a obnoxious grandstanding self adsorbed dweeb who has zero business in elected office. Mr "Hell yes I'm coming for your guns!" Will not be elected governor of Texas as manages to just piss too many Texans off.
Taking a different tack, this was the first time that I approved of Beto. Greg 'Gonzo' Abbott will never be President.
I fail to see the allure of being obnoxious & disrespectful. To each his own!
Abbott will never be President.
Especially since he's not running for President.
You voted for someone who was and still is.
I never praised anyone for being obnoxious & disrespectful. You just did.
I'd love to hear what whatshisname has to say on this.
You know, the former 'president'. I'm sure he'll blame the Democrats/Progressives/Liberals for this
You had every chance to hear his opinion. Let me help:
"Since he’s taken office, President Trump has dealt with three of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history – and after the most recent high school massacre, he signaled that he’s willing to take action on certain gun control measures .
After the Parkland, Florida shooting on Feb. 14, 2018 – which claimed the lives of 17 students and faculty members – Trump both defended the Second Amendment and called for a strengthening of federal background checks and a ban on devices that allow guns to rapidly fire.
Here’s what the president has said about gun rights and control.
Defending the Second Amendment
In an all-caps tweet, Trump declared , “The Second Amendment will never be repealed!” He added that “as much as Democrats would like to see this happen,” the Second Amendment will remain in place.
Trump’s declaration came after former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens called for the repeal of the Second Amendment. Hundreds of thousands of students also walked out of school and participated in nationwide marches in protest of gun control in March.
Aside from his tweet, Trump has also done things in office that point to his support of gun ownership. He nominated Neil Gorsuch – a federal judge who was praised by the National Rifle Association (NRA) as someone who “respects the Second Amendment” – to the Supreme Court in January 2017. He also signed a resolution blocking an Obama-era background check rule designed to keep guns out of the hands of certain people who suffer from mental illnesses.
During the presidential campaign, Trump accused his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, of planning to eliminate the Second Amendment, using that fear as a rallying cry among conservative supporters.
In a 2012 interview with a Washington Times columnist, Trump said he has a concealed weapons permit for New York City and revealed he owns a HK45 and a .38 Smith & Wesson.
Don’t be afraid of the NRA
Trump hosted a bipartisan group of lawmakers at the White House to talk about gun control and safety in February – and encouraged Republicans, especially, to stand up to the NRA.
“I’m a fan of the NRA,” Trump said. “There’s no bigger fan. I'm a big fan of the NRA. These are great people, these great patriots. They love our country. But that doesn't mean we have to agree on everything.”
During the meeting, Trump accused Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., of being “afraid of the NRA.” The NRA was a strong backer of Trump during the 2016 presidential election.
Trump has also clashed with the powerful gun lobby on certain measures, including raising the minimum age to purchase semi-automatic weapons to 21. After Trump’s meeting with lawmakers, where he promoted that idea, NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch told Fox News the meeting made for “good TV,” but some of the proposals were “really bad policy.”
Even still, Trump has remained a stalwart defender of the NRA, including on social media. He said NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre and chief lobbyist Chris Cox are “great people and great American patriots.”
Since Trump’s public comments, top NRA members met with Trump at the White House. Cox signaled after the meeting that Trump does not “want gun control.”
Before he became president, Trump criticized Republicans who he said “walk the NRA line” in his 2000 book, “The America We Deserve.” In that book, Trump also said he supports a “ban on assault weapons,” according to Newsweek .
Arming teachers
Along with many Republicans, Trump floated the idea of arming some educators after the Parkland school shooting. He suggested having “highly trained, gun adept” teachers, coaches and faculty in schools who could confront a shooter before first responders arrive. These armed faculty members could also serve as a “deterrent to the cowards that do this," he said.
“If a potential ‘sicko shooter’ knows that a school has a large number of very weapons talented teachers (and others) who will be instantly shooting, the sicko will NEVER attack that school. Cowards won’t go there...problem solved. Must be offensive, defense alone won’t work!” Trump said on social media.
Bump stocks and background checks
Trump has called for strengthening the federal background check system for gun purchases, saying it should be a bipartisan effort to do so.
The president has often promised to back “very strong improvement and strengthening of background checks,” including on social media.
He also signed a $1.3 trillion spending bill in March 2018 that included a provision to fix the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and provide additional funding to states and agencies that comply with the system. Those that do not, will be punished.
Additionally, Trump has said he supports a ban on bump stocks , an attachment that allows a semi-automatic rifle to resemble a fully automatic rifle. The devices were used in the 2017 Las Vegas concert massacre that left 58 people dead.
The Justice Department has started the process to amend federal firearms regulations to clarify that the law defines bump stocks as machine guns, which are largely already illegal in the U.S., it said.
Trump, on social media, has blamed the Obama administration for the legalization of bump stocks. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) approved bump stocks in 2010.
‘Take the guns first’
Trump stunned Republicans and gun rights advocates, including the NRA, when he suggested law enforcement officials should be able to confiscate people’s firearms without a court order if doing so would prevent tragedies.
oesch later told Fox News that the NRA would “protect due process for innocent Americans.”
“We stressed this to the president,” she said. “It is a foundational principle of this country and due process must be protected and respected in terms of going around any solutions.”
Gun-free zones are 'targets'
One of Trump’s most consistent proposals when it comes to firearm reform is eliminating gun-free zones.
“Gun free zones are proven targets of killers,” he said on March 1.
“If schools are mandated to be gun free zones, violence and danger are given an open invitation to enter,” Trump said on March 12. “Almost all school shootings are in gun free zones. Cowards will only go where there is no deterrent!”
During a listening session with school shooting victims and their families, Trump said gun-free zones say “let’s go in and let’s attack because bullets aren’t coming back at us” to the “cowards” who commit these acts.
Trump lamented gun-free zones during a 2012 interview with the Washington Times, as well. Citing the 2012 Aurora, Colorado movie theater shooting, which left 12 people dead, Trump argued, “If some of the people in the movie theater had a gun, they’d have been shooting at him. Nobody had a gun so they were totally defenseless.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
I don't give a shit what whatshisname said in the past, all he has done is lie and continually stir up and inciting hatred and division and hate of republicans/gqp/alleged conservatives against Democrats/Liberals/Progress but what does whatshisname have to say on this?
Only commenting on this one section - this is COMPLETELY MORONIC AND FUCKING IDIOTIC
It's a waste of time to address the rest of his ignorance and hate.
Nothing compares to the human fuck up machine currently in the Oval Office. Brandon has cornered the market on lying; and inciting hatred and division. Unfortunately for Democrats that hatred is being directed at them. Brandon has fucked this country up so much; even Democrats running for reelection in tight races want him, and his administration, to stay the hell away!
All the TDS driven left has is "But Trruuummmppppp!!!!!" I doubt even the severe losses coming at midterms will be enough to snap them out of their TDS back to reality.
I agree .... for those folks that hatred is chronic and permanent.
That's odd because you said "You'd love to hear whatshisname has to say on this."
I go to a lot of trouble providing you with links.
What a shock that you would say such a thing!
It's a waste of time to address the rest
Then why ask what he thought?
Your usual projection, deflection, and denial.
I asked what the steaming pile of shit had to say on this incident, not what the steaming pile of shit 'thought' in the past.
"I go to a lot of trouble providing you with links."
Which I don't read. I don't care what useless things you do with your time.
"I'd love to hear what whatshisname has to say on this"
"I don't give a shit what whatshisname said in the past"
Every quote comes from the past - now you're arguing with a calendar. But hey, enjoy the long weekend.
Maybe if Chuckie would actually do something instead of having worthless votes to show where people "stand" and feign outrage every chance he gets things would be better. Why doesn't Chuckie care about our children?
You don't say!
He will need 10 GOP votes. That means reaching across the aisle
Obviously you just want to call him names and try and trigger his supporters.
I don't read.
No shit
The imbecile Obama opened his pie hole with this tweet.
What a piece of crap.
"I go to a lot of trouble providing you with links."
Links that are promptly ignored, saying she does not read them anyway.
That's usually how it turns out when the left shows up.
Bingo!
Not all, only certain particular ones...
Didn't want to hurt their feelings by singling out one. You know they cry over everything.
Yep.
And the people on the sidelines say to themselves why would I want to subject myself to that?
Those are the smarter ones.
Sometimes I wonder.
You're right. The next president will probably be Ron DeSantis.
One can only hope.
Then we had the Obama tweet that was embarrassing and disrespectful to the families and victims in Texas.
"As we grieve the children of Uvalde today, we should take time to recognize that two years have passed since the murder of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer. His killing stays with us all to this day, especially those who loved him."
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 25, 2022
How does one compare the murder of 20 plus innocent children with some cop going over the line with a criminal suspect who was resisting arrest?
THAT pissed me off too...................
Typical Obama. He never failed to react to any & every racial incident as president.
We don't want to leave out Rittenhouse - found not-guilty by an all-white jury.
Yes, but the free press keeps it up with the gas can phrases.
You mean the kid who killed the white people who were attacking him?
Look mister - don't go mixing facts into this.
Just another useless piece of shit has been trying to connect the dots where none exist.
Imagine trying to use this for political gain?
Bozo Beto is indeed one sick son a bitch for politicizing mass murder.
I did enjoy the article about Beto bitching about Abbott going to a political fundraiser after the school shooting, shortly after Beto himself crashed a news conference on said school shooting in order to score himself some polical points. Wonder if he notices what he does...
Maybe.. I just have this feeling that after he loses to Abbott, he's pop up again for the runup to 24.
Not gonna suggest he can win at the national level, but I would expect to see him in the Democrat primary races just like he did for the 2020 elections. To be a politician requires a thick skin, which in my mind means that a lot of these lessons that normal people would recognize are just completely missed. I expect he will jump into the primaries with both feet and fully expect that he's the candidate who can win. Who knows, maybe it won't take him until November this time to realize he doesn't have the support...
We won’t be so lucky.
Beto is like COVID-19..... he just won’t go away.
It's a longshot, I agree, but that will depend on who's running against him.
Let's be honest, Trump could not have beaten a remotely decent Democrat for the WH. He couldn't even beat Biden, who is clearly senile, feeble, and spineless.
For his part, Biden could never beat any decent Republican. The only reason he's in the WH is that Trump is such a moron.
I think the Democratic field is currently so pathetically weak that Beto could actually win the nomination. If the Republicans are stupid enough to nominate Trump again (which is incredibly unlikely, I know), I could definitely see the anti-Trump masses coming out and swinging the election.
He comes in variants as well; morphing between pro and anti AR.
Maybe instead of having an Instagram of his dentist visit he will film his colonoscopy (he will be 50) for all the dems that seem to love him.
... because it is about politics. the NRA and the gun industry own the republican party. the same party that has effectively blocked all gun legislation in the senate while they stuff their pockets with NRA cash. their knee jerk deflective response of "now is not the appropriate time to talk about it" continues to work for them when mass shootings approach becoming a weekly event. logic suggests that any progress towards sane gun legislation will likely never occur until prominent republicans are at risk of becoming victims themselves.
Define or give examples of sane or practical gun legislation that would stop determined mass shooters
There isn't any...............short of confiscation and outlawing their existence.......period. It's all virtue signaling bluster.
You don't even know what that means yet you just throw it around.
So profound
Yet I had to define it for you a few months back.
Your usual projection, deflection, and denial.
Do you know what it means? I'll give it to you the definition. According to The Cambridge Dictionary the definition is as follows:
"Virtue Signalling" is an attempt to show other people that you are a good person, for example by expressing opinions that will be acceptable to them, especially on social media. The expression in often used to imply that the virtue being signalled is exagerated or insincere.
Pretty much sums up Beto in a nutshell.
It is a political issue. There are real political solutions. Literally every other advanced nation on Earth has solved this issue (for the most part) except us. We are the only country that refuses to do what everyone else has done, and 8 year olds pay the price.
Not just mass shooting victims, those of us in law enforcement pay the price too. You know why so many officers are so quick to shoot your bitch ass as opposed to try nonlethal force? Because we have to assume you are armed, and we have to assume that you are pulling a weapon. Full stop. If you put your hands in your pockets with me my hand is on my piece. The officers who get lax in that regard get shot.
What an asshat.
Sorry Beto, mass murder is the price we all have to pay so about 30% of us can feel like they have a dick women respect.