BETO DAYS ARE COMING

Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker recently described in an opinion piece titled Beto O’Rourke’s 2020 campaign is a youthful folly, that while Beto O'Rourke youthful campaign is admiring, she'd prefer him to be a geriatric before she could take him seriously.  In what she describes as a “political evisceration”, she characterizes Beto as a child, describing him as precious, with boyish mannerisms – a minor leaguer.  I believe, like most right-winged hacks that are 65 or older (Kathleen is 67), she couldn’t be more off the mark.  Or, like most, she is clearly finding him to be a real threat and a political force to be reckoned with.  I mean, isn’t that what old people do when they want to wave off someone younger with new ideas?  They try and disparage them, using their careers, knowledge and experiences as goal posts for what they believe should be the norm.  Well not this time.  BETO DAYS ARE COMING.

Kathleen tries to depict O’Rourke as hungry.  She claims to want to serve him up a hamburger every time she sees him.  Based on how hard Beto is working on his information tour before his campaign launch on March 30^th, I hope that she sees him quite often, and not only feeds him a hamburger, but feeds one to everyone on the campaign trail.  But I have to agree in some degree.  Beto is hungry.  He is starving for the knowledge of what he can do to bring this country back together.  The environment is leaving him famished, and healthcare and education have given him such a hankering that he has gone out and taken his campaign to the people to listen and gather information, not just hold rally’s and shout nonsense. Hardly sounds like child's play.

Ms. Parker would like to claim that the “Media Machine” is responsible for O’Rourke’s popularity.  But she contradicts herself when she compares his speech patterns and mannerisms to Robert F. Kennedy and Barack Obama, going as far as calling him “Berto O’Bama.”  Being compared to two political icons is more of a complement than a put down.  She would like to discredit him by referring to his DWI and Burglary arrest history, which, like her, is old news.  A golden-ager like herself should know that he would not be the first President with a DUI.  I credit some of his popularity to the fact that he manned up about his past, apologized for it, and has moved past it.  For me, that makes him more human and relatable.  I’m convinced that his high energy inspires young voters and that his ideas are reflecting the thoughts of the youth of our nation.  He gives hope to many who have lost it these past two years under our current administration and his positivity is a breath of fresh air.  BETO DAYS ARE COMING.

Kathleen goes on to question if Beto is “Presidential material,” claiming he offers little substance.  Considering our current commander in chief, a caveman would be a better alternative.  Beto is like E.F. Hutton, and when he speaks, people listen.  His responses go viral.  He packs huge crowds into small spaces and when you look at the number of people on both sides of the aisle commenting on him – positive or negative, he has power.  Since his announcement, the GOP and even members of the democratic party are on the attack, clearly showing that he is a political threat.

For many people like Kathleen Parker, Beto O’Rourke is just a shiny new penny in a sea of ever hopeful democrats looking to take down the President.  Like Donald Trump, he may not be being taken seriously at the moment.  But, I believe Beto has what it takes to get the democratic nomination, and he has a real chance at the Presidency.  He’s young, he’s fresh, he’s inspiring, he’s listening, and he can hold a conversation using coherent sentences.  He offers inclusion and togetherness at a time when the nation is so polarized, and he is finding a way to bridge the gap between young and old, black and white, democrat and republican.  I think Kathleen Parker may have a little crush on our poor little Beto, and by writing this parody, she is proving what I have thought all along.  BETO DAYS ARE COMING.  Light up the BBQ Pit, Ms. Parker, sounds like you’ll be serving up a lot of burgers before this campaign is through.