How intelligent is Beto O'Rourke? Laurence Tribe's opinion.

[pnwmom]

Link to tweet

Laurence Tribe
✔
@tribelaw

.@BetoORourke appears to be absorbing information like a sponge on the campaign trail. He hears and processes everything, forgets nothing. Reminds me in that way, even apart from the charisma, of my brilliant former student, someone you may have heard of: President @BarackObama

[NurseJackie]

1. I like that he's got more than one speech.

He's respectful of others and isn't grumpy. I also like that he's always so well groomed. He looks professional no matter what he's wearing, whether it's casual, business or formal... he looks at-home and comfortable in every situation.

Have you seen his lovely wife? So charming and what a natural beauty! No need for excessive makeup and botox or fillers... yet she understands the importance of presenting herself as what people would like to see in their next FLOTUS. She doesn't OVERDO her beauty, but at the same time, she doesn't feel the need to just "let-herself-go" just to prove a point.

I like her.

[pnwmom]

2. The whole family is adorable, and so cute together. What a contrast to the current First Family n/t

[flamingdem]

3. I hope we get a chance to see Beto or

Biden this round. Either would be fine with me, or both!

Biden is a scrapper and I'll never forget the debate with Paul Ryan. He was on it!

Not sure if Beto, like Obama would be just a bit too nice with the repugs.

[Amimnoch]

11. Beto's a tiger on the debate stage.

He had 2 against Cruz. The first one I’ve linked below was the more mild of the 2, but still a great showing imo.

In particular watch how he completely, and effortlessly deflects cheap barbs. Orange Hitler would be slaughtered by him in a 1 on 1.

If that one doesn’t do it look up the 2nd one where Beto kicks off by referring to Cruz by 45’s nickname for Cruz of “Lyin’ Ted”.

[flamingdem]

12. Great, thanks!

Will watch these

[Awsi Dooger]

36. Understated response to barbs is a remarkable talent

We should devalue anyone whose instincts are to trade insults with Trump. That type of nominee would flaunt lousy instincts at every turn

[Hortensis]

54. I listened to 14 of the 58 minutes. Thanks for posting.

Agree that Beto really did do a very good job of representing my views in general, and of refuting Cruz's points. I'm happy with his real ability.

But I'm a member of his choir. Good as he is, the debate also makes me glad our nominee won't be running against a President Cruz, who having become their leader would have the same fanatic base plus possibly even stronger partisan-conservative support than Trump is likely to. Sadly, we know most people don't really tune in to learn about the issues. They're too busy listening for emotional affirmation of their views, responding to appearance, and of course listening for hits and reposts, to pay attention to those kind of details.

Cruz probably did as good a job of representing the right wing and pushing their emotional buttons as Beto did, at least in the beginning. Trump can parrot Cruz's lines as well, and we can only hope the good sense and decency of Beto's arguments resonates stronger and with more people this time than Trump's speak-to-the-gut delivery of negative populist and racist themes.

It's something else entirely, but the difference in accents between these two Texans, one SE Southern, the other SE Western, distracted me into wondering how they affect perception these days. Beto, our most southern-state candidate so far, doesn't have a southern accident. Georgian Stacey Abrams does, though much lighter than Cruz's or Graham's, and is considering running, but none of our current candidates do. Many Republican leaders do.

Cruz's kind of strong southern accent was once regarded outside the deep south with some contempt because of an association with ignorance, knuckledragging, poverty, and of course a rabid white supremacy and racism that even most "benign" racists elsewhere rejected.

I've read that southern accents are still associated with dishonesty, corruption, lesser intelligence. Under the circumstances politically good, and I say that from Georgia. But among whom and how much? Could trumpsters all around the nation have now been trained to automatically get warm fuzzies on hearing it ("That's one of OUR people." )? Do vestiges of what the voices of Strom Thurmond and Sheriff Buford T. Justice once evoked remain among more dispassionate conservative supporters?

Southern politicians are wearing their accents proudly now that they and their attitudes dominate the Republican Party. Hubris? Or is it really working for them? And how about us? I don't know but am thinking it's a shame Trump's is generic "American."

[MicaelS]

4. I was looking at some pictures of her...

And you are right in every respect.

[joshcryer]

9. He's going to wipe the floor with the rest of the competition.

[NurseJackie]

13. I believe you may be correct.

I'm feeling VERY optimistic about the future now. I'm so EXHAUSTED of dealing with grumpy and angry candidates and his (or her) angry and surly supporters (no matter which party they claim to belong to).

I believe that someone like Beto can energize and UNITE the party. He's not someone who's going to denigrate and divide the party by accusing Democrats of being the "party of the elite' or claiming that Democrats are "corrupt" or "feeble" or "ideologically bankrupt".

I really like his positive message, his positive attitude and he's got a LOVELY wife and kids. THIS is someone that I'd be PROUD to call my "First Family".

[joshcryer]

14. Yeah, screw the angry, ugly, populist rhetoric.

Screw the negativity, shaming, hateful bullcrap, using innuendos and encouraging and channeling the worst most divisive types.

Beto can unite the country. Something the country really needs really damn badly right now.

No offense to Obama but he did not do a good job at being a uniter.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

21. I am not so sure Beto can unite the country

About a third of them don’t want to be united with us. They wish we would just go away and die or move to another country. And I don’t fault Obama for not being able to unite us. They never gave him a chance no matter how hard he tried. It used to frustrate the heck out of me that he just kept trying when they weren’t willing to give an inch.

If he wins, what do we call him? President Beto? President O ‘Roarke sounds so unfamiliar. I guess that’s whatt transitions are for.

[joshcryer]

30. Out of the entire field so far, Beto is the only one.

Biden could be a close second but he also lacks a filter. Beto can do what Obama attempted to do. Obama's struggle to unite was mainly because he was black, it was not for lack of trying. Also he never put on his walking shoes for the party, so that left him without any power for most of his tenure.

Beto won't fall for hateful rhetoric.

Which also puts him at a distinct disadvantage in the debates. He will be severely targeted for not being liberal enough.

[bonniebgood]

48. Good Job Josh, You nailed it. *********

[JI7]

60. Obama didn't win any of the Primary Debates

Biden Hillary and Dodd did the best in the 2008 primary debates.

but obama also didn't do badly so unless Beto does horribly like Rubio did it won't make much difference .

[Kahuna7]

15. You can tell he's intelligent and eloquent... What begins as a response turns

into an eloquent speech...like Obama. I want a president that kids can look up to so that we can erase the stain of trump. We need normal and respectable again.

[onetexan]

18. normalcy - Amen to that!

[Sucha NastyWoman]

16. You've got it just right

And I really appreciate your saying something nice even though he’s not “your guy”. We could all take a lesson from that, because in reality we have a pretty great choice of candidates!

I’ve got about 4 or 5 “second choice” candidates, and want to be supportive of them as well. Only 2 or 3 that I’d be disappointed if they were the nominee, but I’d still vote for them never the less.

[pnwmom]

29. I like a bunch of them, too.

And like you, there are only a few I wouldn't be very enthused about, but I'd hold my nose and vote for them anyway.

[onetexan]

17. Well said. Beto is a great candidate. POTUS or VP i'm good w/ him.

Met him in person at one of his rallies last year. He is kind, relatable, down to earth, charismatic, well spoken, inspiring and bubbling over with energy. He is the kind of man we need in the WH.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

37. Reminds me of an image I have, a bad image of

Pelosi cheering Malaria on at the state of the union. It made me sick. Melania is 100% complicit.

[DownriverDem]

51. Do we know him?

I'm not attacking Beto. I'm stating issues he supported in the past. 1) Beto voting with trump on immigration. 2) Beto not supporting ObamaCare 3) Beto's support of raising the eligibility age for Social Security

[solidLxxi]

55. Thus far, I've only seen "his looks"

as the only positive thing Beto has got going for him.

Do you really think superficial qualities (like his wife's makeup?) like this are what's most important for this country now??

[NurseJackie]

56. I see her as a positive asset, in the same way that I saw Michelle Obama as an asset who helps to...

Do you really think superficial qualities (like his wife's makeup?) like this are what's most important for this country now??

Winning is what's most important now and I think that we need every advantage we can get. Many people who aren't political junkies and other "low-information" voters look at the whole package. I see her as a positive asset, in the same way that I saw Michelle Obama as an asset who helps to seal the deal.

Thus far, I've only seen "his looks"

Look harder.

[dalton99a]

5. An "artist at heart" who argued with conservatives at Columbia

https://www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2018/11/01/punk-rocker-rower-under-the-radar-student-beto-orourkes-time-at-columbia/
Punk rocker, rower, under-the-radar student: Beto O’Rourke’s time at Columbia
By Emma Buzbee and Noah Percy | November 1, 2018, 2:23 AM

“In my mind, he’s an artist at heart but was moved to enter politics in city council in El Paso and for Congress by issues and by conscience,” Guinn said. “I don’t think he was out to become a celebrity; that wasn’t his guiding principle at Columbia.”

Though not driven by politics or academics, O’Rourke’s friends described him as a motivated member of the Columbia community. Though the heavyweight team was a small program at the time, it still required significant commitment.

According to Grant, the two of them, unlike most of their teammates from elite New England schools, were walk-on athletes who had never rowed before. He said O’Rourke would get into spirited debates with his teammates who held more conservative viewpoints—the only mention of O’Rourke’s political activity in college from any of the classmates interviewed by Spectator.

Though currently there are multiple faculty members in the English department who taught when O’Rourke was a student and though many are enthusiastic supporters of his campaign now, none remembered teaching him.

Guinn, however, said he was not surprised by this. He described O’Rourke as interested in music and literature, but not as the type of student to make himself known to professors.


Beto O’Rourke CC’95, right, was the captain of the heavyweight crew team.

[onetexan]

19. Love the pic! Even in college in his 20s Beto was already a leader

oh Lord please, grant a Biden/Beto ticket!!

[pnwmom]

27. Two white guys is one too many.

But I could see either combination of O'Rourke and Harris.

[Eko]

35. Whatever.

[LakeArenal]

32. Love that idea. Biden/Beto 2020

[TexasBushwhacker]

49. Don't forget his punk band phase

[panader0]

6. The guy can think on his feet.

He's a natural. I like him a lot. I like Kamala as well. Hell. I like all
of our wonderful candidates.

[pandr32]

7. They would make one heck of a team

[pnwmom]

8. I can see that combination. n/t

[NastyRiffraff]

59. My two favorite candidates

Beto and Kamala. What a ticket that would be, in any order! I just can't make up my mind between the two of them.

[Gothmog]

10. I trust Prof. Tribe on observations like this

[KrazyinKS]

20. I think the repugs are afraid of him

I actually find that interesting, hmmmm

[McCamy Taylor]

23. But not of his intelligence. They love to portray Dems as " out of touch intellectuals."

And boast that their own candidates are "average Joes" meaning not too smart.

[TexasBushwhacker]

50. Berniebros are too

They're all over Beto's Instagram account. Fuck 'em.

[McCamy Taylor]

22. Massively. He will have to work hard not to seem like an egghead

since the"No nothing" Americans distrust smart leaders and prefer Ronnie and Dumbya

[pdsimdars]

24. I had no problem with Obama's intelligence .. . . he appointed Goldman Sachs to his treasury

and didn't even try for Card Check for the unions which is something he promised them to do on day one.

[shanny]

39. yup

(fwiw he bypassed Goldman Sachs for Citibank)

[Cha]

41. More cherry pick whining about

President Obama and not say anything about all he accomplished.

[Cha]

40. Oh yes, please get on and

cherry pick whine about President Obama and leave out all he accomplished.

[OKNancy]

47. If you mean Jack Lew, you are very mistaken

Lew was probably the most liberal of all his cabinet members. His mentor was Paul Wellstone and his reputations was of a "liberal firebrand". If you mean Geithner, then meh. He wasn't all that bad either. No matter... Republicans hated both of them.

[pdsimdars]

57. Tim Geithner and Larry Summers had pushed for the bank deregulation that led to the crash

[highplainsdem]

25. K&R

[peggysue2]

26. Interesting that Tribe references Barack Obama

Because the framing that's starting to gel around O'Rourke is also very similar: 1. He's different, the new face on the block, 2. He's young, physically fit, attractive and very energetic, 3. He's likable, even his critics mostly give him that, and 4. More than once he's spoken to the idea of hope, promise, finding common cause, seeking out our better angels.

People are so tired of the ugliness, the constant harangue.

Actually, this slant reminds me a lot of Obama, the candidate. Although early on, I don't recall Barack Obama attracting gobs of money like O'Rourke. Further along the process, yes. But not right out of the gate.

Someone will have to school me if I'm remembering the money thing wrong.

In any case, I think Tribe is onto to something.

[betsuni]

42. For some reason I see Ichabod Crane.

I'm sure that will go away the more I get used to seeing him.

[redstateblues]

28. I like him a lot. I'm undecided leaning Biden. I sent Beto a small donation.

I'm interested in beating Trump- Right now I'm pretty sure Joe can beat him- I like some of the other candidates but I'm not confident the others can get that done.

[mr_liberal]

33. Its already starting to look like Beto or Biden to me with Harris as vp. nt

[C Moon]

34. Why are we even wondering who can beat Trump?

Something is rotten to the core in our country, if we have to be concerned that lying-cheating-traitors like Trump /Pence can win ANY election—and not be in prison instead!

[Cha]

38. Wow.. that's a brilliant

endorsement of Beto's brains!

No wonder they scared!

Link to tweet

Mahlao, pnwmom!

[bigtree]

43. what the fuck is this?

...candidates learn on the trail.

It doesn't make them brilliant. Some of this shit shouldn't be a revelation to Beto or anyone else. Rookie shit.

Laurence Tribe says he's like Obama?

[pnwmom]

44. Laurence Tribe taught Obama in Con law at Harvard. So he would know more about Obama

than some of the rest of us.

[Cha]

45. Thank You!

[bigtree]

46. just amazing hype

...he's just learning stuff, so that makes him brilliant.

Tribe said this.

[stonecutter357]

52. K&R

[Honeycombe8]

53. Interesting. You don't HAVE to be brilliant. But it doesn't hurt. nt

[Pepsidog]

58. Tribe also taught John Roberts and has said both were brilliant but gave Obama the edge in smarts

[Skidmore]

61. k&r nt