Bad Beto Bet

Before the first Democratic presidential debate for 2020, Beto O'Rourke was reported by NBC News as being anxious, and someone I know, who hates it when the word "anxious" is used to mean "eager" and "excited," was critical of NBC News' verbiage.  It turned out that the word was properly used.

In the weeks leading up to the debate, O'Rourke, who had famously shunned the national media and got payback from the national media in the form of insults, ridicule and snark that had once been hurled at former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley during his 2016 presidential campaign, began doing interviews with the press and appeared to be a more confident candidate.  Even MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski, who supports Kamala Harris and has no tolerance for anyone else, found him impressive.  All O'Rourke had to do was look presidential in a debate.

Then the debate took place.

O'Rourke's fellow presidential candidate and fellow Texan Julián Castro clobbered him over immigration and came out of the debate so strongly, he spurred a rush of donations to his own presidential campaign, the sort of donations that Harris is now getting.  Beto O'Rourke, who seemed to have turned a corner just weeks before, has since gone back to being Beto O'Rourke.

As for O'Malley, it was bad enough that he declared his non-candidacy for President six months ago today, but even more distressing was his decision to support O'Rourke, whom he thought could offer the new leadership he couldn't.  But with each day that passes, it's become all too obvious how O'Malley misjudged his man.  O'Rourke seems completely rudderless, flailing for relevance after declaring his presidential campaign and following up his declaration with what Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch's mom would have called a big fat nothingburger.  O'Rourke is just not ready for prime time.

I may have said this before, but it's worth repeating: O'Malley didn't deserve the abuse he got from the national media, but O'Rourke brought the abuse he's gotten on himself.

As for O'Malley, he should just cut his losses and concentrate on promoting his book.