I wanted to share a few photos and my thoughts on @BetoORourke's visit to Houston last Friday at Westbury High School.
I'm biased, but it was still an incredible experience.
Beto talked passionately about things that I've never heard any other politician talk about.
I'm biased, but it was still an incredible experience.
Beto talked passionately about things that I've never heard any other politician talk about.
First. Damn, that was a packed house.
I had to park about half a mile away. There was not a single empty seat, and people were piled up in the hallways.
Plus, this was in a fairly conservative part of Houston. Look at the crowd. Majority of audience is older and White. 🤔
I had to park about half a mile away. There was not a single empty seat, and people were piled up in the hallways.
Plus, this was in a fairly conservative part of Houston. Look at the crowd. Majority of audience is older and White. 🤔
Second. Beto apparently remembers every conversation he's had with people he's met.
His ideas and policies clearly have been thought out, but he always ties it to how it will affect average people's lives.
He cares about helping people high and low.
His ideas and policies clearly have been thought out, but he always ties it to how it will affect average people's lives.
He cares about helping people high and low.
Sorry. Shameless Selfie moment with my good buddy @RepThierry146.
Third. Beto talks about things, not because those issues have polled well, but because they are actually issues that he's passionate about.
He's talking about ending the Drug War, mass incarceration, public heathcare, etc.
He didn't have to. But he did.
He's talking about ending the Drug War, mass incarceration, public heathcare, etc.
He didn't have to. But he did.
You could tell that Beto had given these issues a lot of personal reflection.
Some of these issues may actually hurt him in Texas. But it doesn't matter, because he believes it passionately.
That counts for a lot in my book.
Some of these issues may actually hurt him in Texas. But it doesn't matter, because he believes it passionately.
That counts for a lot in my book.
I didn't expect him to talk about criminal justice and racial justice in a room dominated by older White people.
But he did.
I have worked in this realm for my entire political career. I was almost in tears listening to him talk about injustice in our court system. 👏👏👏
But he did.
I have worked in this realm for my entire political career. I was almost in tears listening to him talk about injustice in our court system. 👏👏👏
Some of the biggest applause breaks was for his discussion about the broken heathcare system in America.
In a room full of older people, heathcare, unsurprisingly, was really important. Texans want security in their healthcare.
In a room full of older people, heathcare, unsurprisingly, was really important. Texans want security in their healthcare.
I'll end with this.
I've listened to hundreds of campaign speeches. I've given hundreds. This was one of the longest I've ever heard. Even still, the crowd was wanting more.
People could hear the sincerity and passion in his speech... They could tell that Beto's the real deal.
I've listened to hundreds of campaign speeches. I've given hundreds. This was one of the longest I've ever heard. Even still, the crowd was wanting more.
People could hear the sincerity and passion in his speech... They could tell that Beto's the real deal.
