Politico
With his hollow yet passionate appeals to goodness, light and possibility, the candidate exploits the naiveté of the mob. Will it work in 2020?
"Windmilling his arms as if operated by an amateur puppeteer and drawing on the leftover youth-pastor energy that powered his losing Senate campaign against Ted Cruz, Beto O’Rourke commenced his presidential campaign on Thursday in Keokuk, Iowa. Having cemented in the Cruz contest the political persona of a “better angels” candidate who preaches positivity and uplift, who espouses the right thing rather than the expedient thing, and who hails the other Democratic contenders and flatters his audiences with every breath, O’Rourke slathered the Iowa crowd with his usual campaign honey.
"And they loved it.
"But like any great chef, O’Rourke also knows when to sprinkle the vinegar.
“This is a defining moment of truth for this country, and for every single one of us,” O’Rourke said in the video announcing his candidacy earlier in the day. “The challenges that we face right now—the interconnected crises in our economy, our democracy and our climate—have never been greater. And they will either consume us or they will afford us the greatest opportunity to unleash the genius of the United States of America.”
"Challenges have never been greater? The economy looks pretty good, doesn’t it? Our democracy just replaced the Republican majority with a Democratic one in the House in an orderly election, so no impending crisis there, either. After conceding the climate point to O’Rourke, you’ve still got to ask: What’s behind his hysterics?" . . .
"And they loved it.
"But like any great chef, O’Rourke also knows when to sprinkle the vinegar.
“This is a defining moment of truth for this country, and for every single one of us,” O’Rourke said in the video announcing his candidacy earlier in the day. “The challenges that we face right now—the interconnected crises in our economy, our democracy and our climate—have never been greater. And they will either consume us or they will afford us the greatest opportunity to unleash the genius of the United States of America.”
"Challenges have never been greater? The economy looks pretty good, doesn’t it? Our democracy just replaced the Republican majority with a Democratic one in the House in an orderly election, so no impending crisis there, either. After conceding the climate point to O’Rourke, you’ve still got to ask: What’s behind his hysterics?" . . .
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