I'm saddened over the end of Beto O'Rourke's campaign.

[RLG]

I held my tongue regarding supporting a candidate, but I was intrigued by him.

But I never understood why he never took off and why candidates like Buttigieg and Yang became media darlings.

I will vote for the Democratic nominee to get rid of Trump, but it'll be like getting root canal; you don't want it, but you have to do it.

[dalton99a]

1. It's fucked up.

There was a concerted campaign to ridicule, minimize and marginalize him from the moment he announced.

The vast majority of media coverage was negative no matter what he did or said.

[TexasTowelie]

9. +1

I'm in agreement.

[customerserviceguy]

44. In fairness

he handed his detractors a lot to work with.

The field had to winnow down, and I knew that O'Rourke was not going to be in the finals.

[lapfog_1]

2. he was "Bobby Kennedy"

but not quite the same substance.

If he had pulled of the miracle and beat Ted Cruz... I think he could have run in 4 or 8 years as the Junior Senator from Texas and made a bigger impact.

The one thing that the El Paso shooting did was sort of turn him into a one-issue candidate.

All that said, he was the first candidate I donated to for this run.

[CountAllVotes]

42. the swearing was a big turn-off for many

I was all for him until that started up.

It made him seem crude.

Oh well.

Maybe another seat elsewhere w/o the swearing down the road.

[brooklynite]

66. The problem was that, before El Paso, he was a "no-issue" candidate...

Nothing in his campaign particularly stood out.

[dalton99a]

74. You conveniently ignored his detailed climate change plan which he announced in April.

The first presidential candidate to do so.

His plan was immediately dismissed and attacked by Bernie's crowd (who had zero plan beyond empty bullshit)

There was a host of issues he campaigned on - including Trump's impeachment.

[brooklynite]

75. I'm willing to bet if you asked 100 voters....

none would remember it.

Inslee was a "climate change" candidate because he talked about it repeatedly. I don't remember O'Rourke saying anything about climate change.

[dalton99a]

76. He talked about it wherever he went - e.g. look at his videos in Iowa

or his CNN town hall

[Hoyt]

3. Sorry too. Especially liked his guts with gun issue, but don't think he was seasoned enough. n/t

[dalton99a]

4. Buttigieg received a total of 8,515 votes in his most recent election. Beto: 4,045,632 votes.

[RLG]

6. This!

Even if he is the nominee, you don't think the conservative operatives won't use this against him?

[scheming daemons]

24. Completely meaningless metric to cite

Trump got 63 million in his last election... based on your metric, no Democrat has a chance to come close.

Andhe didn't even have a prior election.

[customerserviceguy]

45. Apples and oranges

Maybe apples and toasters.

[redqueen]

5. No idea why the media dumped Beto to make Pete their darling,

but Yang is really not a media darling. They have tried plenty hard to pretend he just doesn't exist.

[BeckyDem]

7. Me too. He speaks to my head and heart on gun violence.

I have said before, if I was running for president, I would want this guy for my friend. He came incredibly close to winning Texas. I want him helping turn Texas blue.

Hang in their Beto!

[cwydro]

8. Wait, you're comparing voting for the Dem nominee to a root canal?

You “don’t want to but you have to.”

You sure you’re on the right site?

Most of us here are excited as hell to vote the shitstain out of office. I’ll happily vote for our nominee, no matter who.

[RhodeIslandOne]

10. Bizarre comment

There are plenty of good choices in this race, and only a couple bad ones (though none of those are viable anyway).

[RLG]

12. I didn't say I wasn't going to vote.

My expectations are low.

[cwydro]

13. No, you compared voting for a Democratic candidate to a root canal.

I find that really strange.

[RLG]

15. Why is this a problem for you?

This is my opinion.

[cwydro]

16. I think it's your problem, that you have so little enthusiasm for our Democratic candidates.

Member since 2002 and less than 300 posts?

Interesting.

[RLG]

17. So, you're getting personal because I haven't posted since 2002?

What are you accusing me of?

[cwydro]

21. I said nothing personal.

I find it odd you’re not enthusiastic about voting Dem.

Odd. And sad.

[pangaia]

30. I don't see why a person has to be 'enthusiastic' about voting.

I thought Hillary Clinton would have been a pretty darn good president, highly capable, experienced, tough and very intelligent.
That said, I was not 'enthusiastic' about voting for her. Doesn't mean I didn't feel good about her as a candidate...or didn't vote for her or 'support' her.

On the other hand, I also never thought of voting for someone as akin to a root canal !!!

[cwydro]

32. Yeah, I think it's the root canal comparison that really gets me. That being said -

My mom voted at 90 for Hillary; we drove together to the polls, and we were both enthusiastic.

We really thought she’d win. My mom’s last election. Such a disappointment, but I’ll never regret the excitement we felt that day. Yeah, we were psyched.

[pangaia]

33. I can 100% understand why you would be psyched.. And glad for you both ! :))

I felt pretty good voting for Nate McMurray in 2016 in NYS 27th...

And for Obama.

Just not for Clinton, why? Eh.. who knows..doesn't matter one little bit, does it.

[RhodeIslandOne]

18. It's bizarre that that every one of the remaining candidates you find that distasteful. n/m

[RLG]

22. I don't find anyone "distasteful"

I will vote for whoever is the nominee.

Do I have to like the nominee? No, but I will vote for him/her, even for your candidate Klobuchar.

[RhodeIslandOne]

25. Root canal? That's pretty distasteful.

How about this, who would be your ideal candidate of anyone not running?

[RLG]

37. I was a Stacey Abrams fan.

I felt if Buttigieg could run for the top spot, why couldn't she?

I guess she felt voting rights were more important.

[cwydro]

41. You've mentioned Buttigieg several times.

Not in a complimentary way.

Illuminating.

[RLG]

43. Why does this matter to you that I mentioned him?

Would you prefer I replace his name with Warren's instead?

[El Supremo]

40. I agree with RLG...

Just remember that a root canal is not as bad as an amputation. The pain from a root canal is gone in an instant where an amputation lasts forever.

[tblue37]

56. Yeah, that struck me as odd, too. nt

[RhodeIslandOne]

11. This is a bizarre comment

You're basically saying you now don't like anyone remaining.

Very odd.

[RLG]

14. I don't hate anyone.

I'm not enthused either.

I just go with the flow.

I'll just vote.

[StevieM]

20. I wish Al Franken was running.

He would be a good president.

I also like Tom Steyer.

[pangaia]

35. I agree about Franken.. don't really know Steyer...

[BannonsLiver]

55. I thought so too

Is it really like pulling teeth? give me a fucking break.

[Cha]

23. I'm with you, RLG!

Best of Luck to Beto

[cwydro]

29. Surely you don't feel that voting for a Dem nominee is like a root canal?

Tell me that isn’t so.

[RLG]

38. I'm sorry you thought my "root canal" reference was extreme

But I try to be "enthusiastic" about voting for most candidates but for some reason, with the exception of O'Rourke, I didn't see anyone out there I would canvas or send money to.

[LakeArenal]

53. I support your opinion. I don't agree much but

I don’t get why one little comment generated so much angst.

Certain candidates, especially ones that supported the Franken Railroading, that might win the primary will definitely be not exciting to me. And I might feel nauseas.
But heck root canals are not as horrible as they once were. So I don’t think your comment deserves the negativity

[Marengo]

61. This site is overrun with self appointed commissars, for your own sanity don't engage just ignore

[MustLoveBeagles]

62. It's not a word choice I would've used but it's your opinion and you're entitled to it

You've said you'll vote for the nominee and that's all that should matter.

[sacto95834]

26. So sorry to hear Beto is leaving the campaign...

Whatever he decides to do in the future, I wish him and his family happiness and best of luck. If he runs in my state or nationally again, I will always tune in to hear what he has to say. I admire Beto for speaking his mind and not what focus groups have told him is safe and plays well.

Unfortunately due to his recent stand on guns, I think he has made it impossible for him to run at large in Texas. Maybe with a few more years of seasoning he will return for a national run. It's been years since I seen such a young charismatic leader.

[RLG]

39. That "young charismatic leader" is Buttigieg, I guess. Whatever.

By the time O'Rourke may run for public office again, it may be too late with upcoming candidates down the line.

[Tipperary]

46. Pete is fantastic! You are so right.

I have not quite decided yet, but I think he is great. He certainly is young and charismatic. Also, and most importantly, intelligent as hell.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

28. I am too; I like him and he has a lot to offer -

though he probably didn't have a realistic chance of getting the nomination. I hope he stays active; maybe he can get involved in gun control. I wish he'd run for the Senate in TX, or at least try to get back into the House.

I do not understand, though, why on earth you'd equate voting for the Democratic candidate, whoever that might turn out to be, with a root canal.

[MustLoveBeagles]

31. I had a feeling this would happen

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=317645

I'm sad about it too.

I was hanging on to hope that things would turn around for him but that wasn't in the cards for him this time around. It really sucks but it is what it is. : Just vote for our nominee like you've already stated you would, although I wouldn't compare voting for the others to getting a root canal. Okay maybe Tulsi but that's the only one.

Don't let the naysayers get you down.

[Mike Nelson]

34. Me too..

... I hope we haven't seen the last of Beto... I suspect not...

[pangaia]

36. I have a few very close friends in El Paso....people who's opinions I respect...

They, and everyone they know, love the guy.. and not just cause he's the "local' guy either....

So I wish him well..........

[Gothmog]

47. I was a first day donor to Beto and got a really nice e-mail from the campaign

I will miss Beto

[Capt. America]

48. He ran a positive campaign. Absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Good luck to him.

[aikoaiko]

49. I'm glad he quit. His gun confiscation plan was and is a disaster.

Even with him out he proved the gun lobby right that Democrats want to take your guns away.

That will hurts us in Nov.

[dalton99a]

50. Now you can safely commune with the most important thing in your life

without fear of Beto breaking down the door and forcibly taking it away

[aikoaiko]

57. Beto was coming for my waffle maker, too?

God dang it!

[BannonsLiver]

60. +1000000

Channeling Gollum every step of the way.

[BannonsLiver]

59. Yep. Gun fetishists didn't like that at all.

[aikoaiko]

67. Well it was Beto who thought ARs were imbued with powers unlike other guns

Semi-auto AKs, too.

[RhodeIslandOne]

68. I hope the next President makes him czar of guns n/m

[aikoaiko]

69. That's the ticket .

After this campaign I doubt he'll have a role in any administration.

But who knows.

[MustLoveBeagles]

70. Perhaps he could be appointed to head the ATF

Before the gun people come after me, it was just a joke. Beto will fine no matter what he decides to do.

[tirebiter]

51. He coulda been a contenda

For the senate

[Amimnoch]

52. The biggest thing I lament is the potential of Texas 38 electoral votes.

Trumps warchest for the GE is humongous.
Texas could have been a battleground like no other election in the modern age.

Here’s to hoping the traditional battleground states will be enough come the GE.

[BannonsLiver]

54. O'Rourke was one of Sirota's early victims

They sure made sure he was out of the way quickly and a lot of people bought into it. Will leave it at that.

[dalton99a]

73. He was ratfucked big time by Sirota.

[snacker]

58. I will miss his passion.

I'd like to see that fervor in other candidates.

[McCamy Taylor]

63. He is not a politician. He is a civil rights leader. He used his campaigns for visibility.

I supported him to support his visibility. he is heading for great things.

[andym]

64. His moral principled positions on immigration and gun violence

were very much appreciated by many including myself. I even contributed a little to his campaign, though I am currently supporting Elizabeth Warren.

[brooklynite]

65. How sad for you...

...that you have to force yourself to vote Democratic.

I support Buttigieg, I would never imagine that he was the ONLY candidate I could have a positive view of.

[RLG]

71. I will vote for the Democratic nominee whoever it is.

Happy?

[Kaleva]

72. Thankfully Beto won't consider voting for the nominee to be like getting root canal

Beto understands the consequences if Trump wins a second term so he's going to support and vote for our nominee, no matter who it is, and he'll do it with enthusiasm. Supporters of Beto and those who have paid attention to what he's said and done know that about him.

[beachbumbob]

77. He had a good chance to win in Texas as a Senate run. He had no chance for the

presidential nomination.

Perhaps ego is too big?

[blm]

78. I really liked his genuineness.

And not happy with the potshot attacks from those who were NOT genuine, but calculating.