(10-28-2018 12:05 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:42 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Young Robert has run a senate campaign almost without touching on any substantive policy issues. "Look at me, I've got a cute grin, and I've had selfies made in every county in Texas. So I'm obviously the perfect person to bring us all together."

You obviously don't have teenagers. That's how you connect to teenagers and young people these days. If it gets him within 0-5 percent (and helps convert a few down tickets to Democrats), it worked for both him and the Democrats.
I've tried to back off on the anti-Trump rhetoric just because I'm trying to be a good American, but I'd still rather have that type of politics than rampant hate-mongering.
When I mentioned the two hate crimes earlier in the thread, I forgot about the white guy in Kentucky who randomly killed two black people at a Kroger parking lot for no reason (perhaps only because he couldn't get into a black church).
All three of those incidents clearly show it's been a horrible week in America. I don't think we're trending in the right direction as a country. I think that's a million times more important than worrying about a nickname about someone who grew up in an Hispanic town who may or may not have that nickname since he was 4.

Well, you know that I did have a teenager who is now an adult and doing well. He came right at the beginning of the millennial era. And I'm teaching a bunch of millennials now. So trust me, I do understand how this sort of stuff connects wit them. I just don't like a campaign based on deception.

I would prefer a campaign based on honest discussion of issues, particularly for a senate or house seat where the only real duty is to cast votes. I would prefer that to a campaign based on either mud-slinging or deception. Robert O'Rourke knows two things--he wants to be a senator from Texas, and he can't get elected senator in Texas on his record. So he creates "Beto," as this make believe character designed to perform a massive snow job on Texas voters.

I think that issues are a thousand times more important than nicknames, except in this case the nickname is an issue because it is part of the deceit. That's what I don't think you are getting. I am opposed to Robert O'Rourke because I don't agree with him on probably 90% of issues. But I also don't approve of running a campaign designed intentionally to deceive, and that's what I think we have here. You haven't really addressed either of those.

(10-28-2018 12:05 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:42 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Young Robert has run a senate campaign almost without touching on any substantive policy issues. "Look at me, I've got a cute grin, and I've had selfies made in every county in Texas. So I'm obviously the perfect person to bring us all together."

You obviously don't have teenagers. That's how you connect to teenagers and young people these days. If it gets him within 0-5 percent (and helps convert a few down tickets to Democrats), it worked for both him and the Democrats.

I've tried to back off on the anti-Trump rhetoric just because I'm trying to be a good American, but I'd still rather have that type of politics than rampant hate-mongering.

When I mentioned the two hate crimes earlier in the thread, I forgot about the white guy in Kentucky who randomly killed two black people at a Kroger parking lot for no reason (perhaps only because he couldn't get into a black church).

All three of those incidents clearly show it's been a horrible week in America. I don't think we're trending in the right direction as a country. I think that's a million times more important than worrying about a nickname about someone who grew up in an Hispanic town who may or may not have that nickname since he was 4.

Well, at least we know YOU won't be voting for him just because you think he is Hispanic. Good for you.

\Agree it is a minor point. Major point coming up the road from Guatemala. Heard a commentator on CNN say it is horrible that Trump has sent troops to the border without any proof that any of those people have committed crimes. Whoosh. Not the point.

Yep, we have hate crimes in America, just as we have had since 1776. Not all of them are by whites against various minorities, although you would think so listening to the news. I am sure that you could find those other examples without much trouble. You got to look, though, they won't be on the news very long, if at all.

We are certainly a divided nation right now. I think both sides are involved in the dividing. it is not just a reaction of "good" people to Trump's statements. We can be civil now, not just after the Democrats retake Congress, as Hillary said. But apparently a lot of people think Trump can solve the problem by just keeping quiet. No doubt that would help. I think it would help also if certain people didn't try run people out of restaurants or to impeach everybody they don't like. JMHO.

Not a particular fan of Cruz. Even less so of the guy who votes with Pelosi 90% of the time. Definitely not a fan of Pelosi.

Thanks for coming here and expressing your opinions. I appreciate that.

(10-28-2018 12:05 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  I've tried to back off on the anti-Trump rhetoric just because I'm trying to be a good American, but I'd still rather have that type of politics than rampant hate-mongering.

Don't back off to simply back off. If there are substantive problems with the Orangeness (and there are.... a lot...) those are and should be expressed.

But a critical comment coming from one who isnt a wall of sound of critical comments tends to carry a tad more weight.

Quote:When I mentioned the two hate crimes earlier in the thread, I forgot about the white guy in Kentucky who randomly killed two black people at a Kroger parking lot for no reason (perhaps only because he couldn't get into a black church).

All three of those incidents clearly show it's been a horrible week in America.

No doubt. The trend goes much deeper and longer than that.

I know I've stated this ad nauseum at this point, but 4 Republican candidates of their staffers have been physically assaulted by politically motivated perps in the last 6 weeks. That is not a good trend -- whichever direction that flows. If the people whom were assaulted were Democrats I would be equally as disgusted.

30 (thirty!) Republican members of Congress (and including families) have either been assaulted or have been threatened in a sufficient manner to warrant involving law enforcement between May and August of this year. Again, party affiliation isnt the crux here -- and again I would be as disgusted if the victims were Democrats.

In addition to the two major incidents this week there has been the 'ricin-scare' attacks on Republicans. Equally as abhorrent as the pipe bomb and 'non-working' pipe bomb incidents of this last week.

I think the problem goes much deeper and for much longer that you allude to above.

Quote:I think that's a million times more important than worrying about a nickname about someone who grew up in an Hispanic town who may or may not have that nickname since he was 4.

True. Look, I have no problem with O'Rourke overcoming a massive disadvantage for lily-white candidate in El Paso. Do I think that Bobbie did this to be elected statewide? Not in the slightest. I will absolutely tell you that he garnered this to be elected in El Paso. No doubt about it. And, if you have the mythos of being Hispanic, well, just dont let Harvard tout you as such, I guess. (from what we can learn from Ms. Cherokee).

But the singular fact is that his contemporaries at El Paso High School and Mesita Elementary School on N. Stanton street knew him as Bobbie. And somehow the evokes an humorously high level of reaction from people 'steeped in the mythos' somehow.

I personally dont give a rat's ass if anyone calls him Beto, or Bobbie, or de la O, or gabacho. But the reactions that it gets from acolytes who recite from the Scripture of Bobbie like a Baylor Baptist describes dancing as to what he was known by is worth the effort at times.

And with Owl #s above, I dont think it would be hard for the Democrats to run a person against Cruz who would be successful --- Cruz is a creep of the first degree. If the Democrats could find an actual moderate to run (and voting in lockstep with Pelosi is *not* an indication of that) I would be more than happy to toss Cruz out.

But they didn't -- but absolutely insist on 'white'washing Bobbie as such a moderate. (sorry couldnt resist that pun). In reflection, running with the impression of someone that you are not (the 'Beto' issue) kind of runs hand in hand with that camouflage of labeling O'Rourke as a 'moderate' in any way, shape, or form with the voting record history he enjoys.

(10-28-2018 11:42 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Young Robert has run a senate campaign almost without touching on any substantive policy issues. "Look at me, I've got a cute grin, and I've had selfies made in every county in Texas. So I'm obviously the perfect person to bring us all together."

A substance-free Senate campaign as a way to position oneself for national office? Where could he have gotten that idea?

(10-28-2018 02:17 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:42 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Young Robert has run a senate campaign almost without touching on any substantive policy issues. "Look at me, I've got a cute grin, and I've had selfies made in every county in Texas. So I'm obviously the perfect person to bring us all together."

A substance-free Senate campaign as a way to position oneself for national office? Where could he have gotten that idea?

I think I have come up with a perfect term for this.

A Splenda candidate.

Tastes sweet with zero calories.

(10-28-2018 11:52 AM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:42 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:39 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:28 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 09:30 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  OO, there are Hispanics everywhere (unless you're saying it's a Texas thing). I've been here since 1986, and I've never heard of that abbreviation and I would also think you'd see it in athletics (baseball or soccer somewhere). Are there any famous athletes who use Beto as their nickname?

Lots of it in soccer. It seems to be more common in Brazil and Portugal than in Spain or Spanish-speaking countries,
Wikipedia lists 41 at least moderately famous ones, 12 soccer players (11 from Brazil), 7 others from Brazil, 5 others from Argentina, 4 others from Portugal, 2 others from Mexico, 6 others from the USA (including O'Rourke), and 5 others from elsewhere.
It's clearly an effort by a non-Hispanic to curry favor with the Hispanic community. It's a weirdly contrived affectation. Doesn't the left call that cultural appropriation? Then again, pretty much everything he does for politics is a lie, so why shouldn't that be too?

Again, Beto has been going by that nickname since he was a kid. It seems to be such a silly thing to be hung up on.

I don't know the O'Rourkes well, but I know enough about them to know that they don't do anything without considering the political impact. My guess would be that when he was a kid, they said, "Hmm, when he grows up he's going into politics in El Paso, and he could probably use a Spanish nickname. So let's call him Beto."

It's a silly thing to be hung up on, except that it's a metaphor for how they do almost everything. Young Robert has run a senate campaign almost without touching on any substantive policy issues. "Look at me, I've got a cute grin, and I've had selfies made in every county in Texas. So I'm obviously the perfect person to bring us all together." His idea of unification is, as I used to say about Obama, "Hey, let's all meet at the left end of the political spectrum." That is not a way to unify people. It's a way to divide them.

I went to the same grade school and high school as O'Rourke. Knew (and know) at lot of his 'compadres' (he is younger than me by 6 or 7 years). He was typically known as Bobbie.

Knew his family decently. His dad was known as Pat, not Patrick. When Pat changed from Democrat to Republican to run against an incumbent he was referred to by some of his ex-party as "gabacho chingon de la O".

Charlotte and Erin didnt have nicknames.

Only after he got back to El Paso after college did the full fledge Beto come to the fore. I will grant you that he has used Beto for 23-25 years or so, maybe more if used in college.

Again, Lad, perhaps you care to share some of your first hand experiences on this. You state the case so exceptionally you must have some. You state that so defiantly you must have some first hand knowledge of this. Or is this a case of defiantly restating something you have read?

I’ve posted the photo that Beto has shown of him wearing a handstitched sweater with the name “Beto” written in big, bold letters.

(10-28-2018 02:43 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:52 AM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:42 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:39 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:28 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Lots of it in soccer. It seems to be more common in Brazil and Portugal than in Spain or Spanish-speaking countries,
Wikipedia lists 41 at least moderately famous ones, 12 soccer players (11 from Brazil), 7 others from Brazil, 5 others from Argentina, 4 others from Portugal, 2 others from Mexico, 6 others from the USA (including O'Rourke), and 5 others from elsewhere.
It's clearly an effort by a non-Hispanic to curry favor with the Hispanic community. It's a weirdly contrived affectation. Doesn't the left call that cultural appropriation? Then again, pretty much everything he does for politics is a lie, so why shouldn't that be too?

Again, Beto has been going by that nickname since he was a kid. It seems to be such a silly thing to be hung up on.

I don't know the O'Rourkes well, but I know enough about them to know that they don't do anything without considering the political impact. My guess would be that when he was a kid, they said, "Hmm, when he grows up he's going into politics in El Paso, and he could probably use a Spanish nickname. So let's call him Beto."

It's a silly thing to be hung up on, except that it's a metaphor for how they do almost everything. Young Robert has run a senate campaign almost without touching on any substantive policy issues. "Look at me, I've got a cute grin, and I've had selfies made in every county in Texas. So I'm obviously the perfect person to bring us all together." His idea of unification is, as I used to say about Obama, "Hey, let's all meet at the left end of the political spectrum." That is not a way to unify people. It's a way to divide them.

I went to the same grade school and high school as O'Rourke. Knew (and know) at lot of his 'compadres' (he is younger than me by 6 or 7 years). He was typically known as Bobbie.

Knew his family decently. His dad was known as Pat, not Patrick. When Pat changed from Democrat to Republican to run against an incumbent he was referred to by some of his ex-party as "gabacho chingon de la O".

Charlotte and Erin didnt have nicknames.

Only after he got back to El Paso after college did the full fledge Beto come to the fore. I will grant you that he has used Beto for 23-25 years or so, maybe more if used in college.

Again, Lad, perhaps you care to share some of your first hand experiences on this. You state the case so exceptionally you must have some. You state that so defiantly you must have some first hand knowledge of this. Or is this a case of defiantly restating something you have read?

I’ve posted the photo that Beto has shown of him wearing a handstitched sweater with the name “Beto” written in big, bold letters.

Thats good. One photo. Awesome detective work that puts the nail in *that* coffin definitively.

There are some neat photos of November 22, 1963 you should put those eagle eyes to and way to definitively and absolutely nail down that issue on one photo. Just amazing work there, Lad.

As with another issue we have discussed, I suggest you look up some old Mesita school yearbooks and ask some people there. EPHS yearbooks as well. Naaaaa..... that one photo proves it to the 99.9999999 percent absolute universe epoch for you (I guess). Funny that. Color me shocked.

I am truly astounded at your apparent infinitely pliable and conveniently pliable standard of proof across subjects, Lad.

And, I think you have already proffered that irrefutable evidence of life, the universe, and everything 'Beto' before to us. Perhaps if you say it once more (a third time, that is) it *will* make it so?

There is something about someone who has no first hand experience or knowledge of something saying definitively that something isnt so to someone who actually knows the family has other first hand knowledge of that issue as amazingly stupid or hard-headed....... but please continue. Your recitation of the 'Book of Beto' is so quaint.

I guess the answer to my question is '[You] are defiantly stating something that you read, without any other support or first hand knowledge'. Is that a correct statement, Lad?

(10-28-2018 02:43 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:52 AM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:42 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:39 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 11:28 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Lots of it in soccer. It seems to be more common in Brazil and Portugal than in Spain or Spanish-speaking countries,
Wikipedia lists 41 at least moderately famous ones, 12 soccer players (11 from Brazil), 7 others from Brazil, 5 others from Argentina, 4 others from Portugal, 2 others from Mexico, 6 others from the USA (including O'Rourke), and 5 others from elsewhere.
It's clearly an effort by a non-Hispanic to curry favor with the Hispanic community. It's a weirdly contrived affectation. Doesn't the left call that cultural appropriation? Then again, pretty much everything he does for politics is a lie, so why shouldn't that be too?

Again, Beto has been going by that nickname since he was a kid. It seems to be such a silly thing to be hung up on.

I don't know the O'Rourkes well, but I know enough about them to know that they don't do anything without considering the political impact. My guess would be that when he was a kid, they said, "Hmm, when he grows up he's going into politics in El Paso, and he could probably use a Spanish nickname. So let's call him Beto."

It's a silly thing to be hung up on, except that it's a metaphor for how they do almost everything. Young Robert has run a senate campaign almost without touching on any substantive policy issues. "Look at me, I've got a cute grin, and I've had selfies made in every county in Texas. So I'm obviously the perfect person to bring us all together." His idea of unification is, as I used to say about Obama, "Hey, let's all meet at the left end of the political spectrum." That is not a way to unify people. It's a way to divide them.

I went to the same grade school and high school as O'Rourke. Knew (and know) at lot of his 'compadres' (he is younger than me by 6 or 7 years). He was typically known as Bobbie.
Knew his family decently. His dad was known as Pat, not Patrick. When Pat changed from Democrat to Republican to run against an incumbent he was referred to by some of his ex-party as "gabacho chingon de la O".
Charlotte and Erin didnt have nicknames.
Only after he got back to El Paso after college did the full fledge Beto come to the fore. I will grant you that he has used Beto for 23-25 years or so, maybe more if used in college.
Again, Lad, perhaps you care to share some of your first hand experiences on this. You state the case so exceptionally you must have some. You state that so defiantly you must have some first hand knowledge of this. Or is this a case of defiantly restating something you have read?

I’ve posted the photo that Beto has shown of him wearing a handstitched sweater with the name “Beto” written in big, bold letters.

And I've posted that I'm pretty sure that came about because somebody in the family said, "Hey, if he is going to run in El Paso, he probably needs to sound Hispanic, so let's give him a Hispanic nickname." As I said, they are about the most political family I have ever known, and they don't take a dump without planning the political ramifications.

I dont think Lad is influenced by first hand knowledge #s. He has his picture and he is sticking to it. I think there might be an altar placed around it soon.

(10-28-2018 03:17 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  I dont think Lad is influenced by first hand knowledge #s. He has his picture and he is sticking to it. I think there might be an altar placed around it soon.

Well, you know the O'Rourkes, too. What do you think of my theory of how the name "Beto" came to be? And from what you're saying, I'm guessing that the name got put away for a while, until he actually starting his political career. Then how helpful could it be to have that childhood photo?

And I just want to clarify. My problem is not the particulars of how he came to be "Beto," or whether it's "BAY-toe" or "BEH-toe." I'm just concerned about the dishonesty of it all. I hate to see someone get elected by misrepresenting himself or herself, and I think that's exactly what young Robert O'Rourke is doing. "Beto" is just part of that.

And as far as any suggestion that he is running a principled, positive campaign, if I were running in Texas on a 90+% support of Pelosi voting record, I'd be running on a toothy grin and selfies of me from all 254 counties of Texas, and throw in a fake Hispanic nickname, too. I'm just appalled by the dishonesty of it all.

(10-28-2018 03:46 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 03:17 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  I dont think Lad is influenced by first hand knowledge #s. He has his picture and he is sticking to it. I think there might be an altar placed around it soon.

Well, you know the O'Rourkes, too. What do you think of my theory of how the name "Beto" came to be? And from what you're saying, I'm guessing that the name got put away for a while, until he actually starting his political career. Then how helpful could it be to have that childhood photo?

It could be that he was called 'Beto' in a small way by the family. Much like I was called 'Zete' (for reasons I cant fathom) from time to time in my family. But, everyone called him 'Bobbie'.

My best guess is that he did what many people do when he moved to college --- he wanted to build a persona. My guess is that he told roommates at Columbia about the weird as hell environment that El Paso is, told them about Fred's Bar and The Sub bars in J-town, the parties at Surfers, going bunny hunting in sandhills and watching the planes land in the desert, and how sometimes he was called Beto by the family.

And he got tagged with the name there. And when he came back, it stuck. I distinctly remembering coming back to El Paso in the '99 time frame and running into him and several others (the others I knew much, much better) and them referring to him as Beto at that point instead of the previous moniker.

And it helped immeasurably in getting elected to city council in El Paso (for some odd reason).

And no, I dont think the family planned on him being a politician. I knew a guy who dated Erin, and he stated to me that in the mid 90's - early 2000's Beto was kind of 'drifter'. Kind of the prototypical El Paso pol based son who went back East and just did a 'slacker' thing thing for awhile.

My family knew the Hoovers far better (his in-laws). I am pretty sure it was the in-laws that firmly implanted the pol bug into Baby O'Rourke. Old man Hoover was the type that was going to make sure both he, his siblings, and any siblings-in-laws were going to be 'connected' in that manner.

Yeah, Papa Pat was political through and through. But, I dont see the foresight or the smarts in Pat to have that much of a 30 year plan with the name. Pat was a pol, but, imo and in hindsight, kind of an amiable goofball type of pol. I think the Hoover connection was the real political rod in Baby O'Rourke's life. And, since his dad had already been County Commissioner for 12(?) years and County Judge for like about another 8-10, Baby O'Rourke already had the last name recognition that old man Hoover would salivate over.

I think the name Beto was a family artifact that got put onto a youngster away at college. Pat never came across as the Joseph P. Kennedy type to me.

But, I have been mistaken far more than once.

(10-28-2018 04:14 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 03:46 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 03:17 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  I dont think Lad is influenced by first hand knowledge #s. He has his picture and he is sticking to it. I think there might be an altar placed around it soon.

Well, you know the O'Rourkes, too. What do you think of my theory of how the name "Beto" came to be? And from what you're saying, I'm guessing that the name got put away for a while, until he actually starting his political career. Then how helpful could it be to have that childhood photo?

It could be that he was called 'Beto' in a small way by the family. Much like I was called 'Zete' (for reasons I cant fathom) from time to time in my family. But, everyone called him 'Bobbie'.

My best guess is that he did what many people do when he moved to college --- he wanted to build a persona. My guess is that he told roommates at Columbia about the weird as hell environment that El Paso is, told them about Fred's Bar and The Sub bars in J-town, the parties at Surfers, going bunny hunting in sandhills and watching the planes land in the desert, and how sometimes he was called Beto by the family.

And he got tagged with the name there. And when he came back, it stuck. I distinctly remembering coming back to El Paso in the '99 time frame and running into him and several others (the others I knew much, much better) and them referring to him as Beto at that point instead of the previous moniker.

And it helped immeasurably in getting elected to city council in El Paso (for some odd reason).

And no, I dont think the family planned on him being a politician. I knew a guy who dated Erin, and he stated to me that in the mid 90's - early 2000's Beto was kind of 'drifter'. Kind of the prototypical El Paso pol based son who went back East and just did a 'slacker' thing thing for awhile.

My family knew the Hoovers far better (his in-laws). I am pretty sure it was the in-laws that firmly implanted the pol bug into Baby O'Rourke. Old man Hoover was the type that was going to make sure both he, his siblings, and any siblings-in-laws were going to be 'connected' in that manner.

Yeah, Papa Pat was political through and through. But, I dont see the foresight or the smarts in Pat to have that much of a 30 year plan with the name. Pat was a pol, but, imo and in hindsight, kind of an amiable goofball type of pol. I think the Hoover connection was the real political rod in Baby O'Rourke's life. And, since his dad had already been County Commissioner for 12(?) years and County Judge for like about another 8-10, Baby O'Rourke already had the last name recognition that old man Hoover would salivate over.

I think the name Beto was a family artifact that got put onto a youngster away at college. Pat never came across as the Joseph P. Kennedy type to me.

But, I have been mistaken far more than once.

So, I’m a bit confused. You now seem to be in agreement that Beto is telling the truth (that the photo confirms), that he was called Beto as a child and it is not a new nickname.

So why were you railing against me for bringing up that photo and saying that Beto had been given that nickname at a young age?

(10-28-2018 04:14 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 03:46 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 03:17 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  I dont think Lad is influenced by first hand knowledge #s. He has his picture and he is sticking to it. I think there might be an altar placed around it soon.

Well, you know the O'Rourkes, too. What do you think of my theory of how the name "Beto" came to be? And from what you're saying, I'm guessing that the name got put away for a while, until he actually starting his political career. Then how helpful could it be to have that childhood photo?

It could be that he was called 'Beto' in a small way by the family. Much like I was called 'Zete' (for reasons I cant fathom) from time to time in my family. But, everyone called him 'Bobbie'.
My best guess is that he did what many people do when he moved to college --- he wanted to build a persona. My guess is that he told roommates at Columbia about the weird as hell environment that El Paso is, told them about Fred's Bar and The Sub bars in J-town, the parties at Surfers, going bunny hunting in sandhills and watching the planes land in the desert, and how sometimes he was called Beto by the family.
And he got tagged with the name there. And when he came back, it stuck. I distinctly remembering coming back to El Paso in the '99 time frame and running into him and several others (the others I knew much, much better) and them referring to him as Beto at that point instead of the previous moniker.
And it helped immeasurably in getting elected to city council in El Paso (for some odd reason).
And no, I dont think the family planned on him being a politician. I knew a guy who dated Erin, and he stated to me that in the mid 90's - early 2000's Beto was kind of 'drifter'. Kind of the prototypical El Paso pol based son who went back East and just did a 'slacker' thing thing for awhile.
My family knew the Hoovers far better (his in-laws). I am pretty sure it was the in-laws that firmly implanted the pol bug into Baby O'Rourke. Old man Hoover was the type that was going to make sure both he, his siblings, and any siblings-in-laws were going to be 'connected' in that manner.
Yeah, Papa Pat was political through and through. But, I dont see the foresight or the smarts in Pat to have that much of a 30 year plan with the name. Pat was a pol, but, imo and in hindsight, kind of an amiable goofball type of pol. I think the Hoover connection was the real political rod in Baby O'Rourke's life. And, since his dad had already been County Commissioner for 12(?) years and County Judge for like about another 8-10, Baby O'Rourke already had the last name recognition that old man Hoover would salivate over.
I think the name Beto was a family artifact that got put onto a youngster away at college. Pat never came across as the Joseph P. Kennedy type to me.
But, I have been mistaken far more than once.

Your impressions are not totally inconsistent with mine. I actually know some of the uncles and cousins better, and they strike me as political to the nth degree. I only know Papa Pat by reputation.

I just find it odd that we just happen to have this photo of him in "Beto" t-shirt when he was like 4 or 5 or 6 or so, and then the name doesn't come up again for about 20 years.

But then, there's a lot I find odd about this whole situation, not the least of which is the way the Ted Cruz campaign has handled things. Maybe they just think that Texas is still so republican that you can run a Claytie Williams campaign and still win, as long as you don't say "relax and enjoy it" and refuse to shake Robert's hand. Claytie probably wins without those, although Texas has probably slid left some since then. Ponder what happens if Claytie had won. We probably elect Claytie to a second term as governor instead GWB in 1994, and who knows from there.

I sincerely hope that the Cruz campaign has really, really good polling and they know they are not in trouble. Here in the middle of the most republican county in the country, I see more "Beto" campaign signs than "Ted Cruz" ones, although the numbers have pretty much evened up in the last couple of weeks. But if Montgomery County is anywhere less than 60-40 or 65-35 Cruz (for reference it was 74-22 Trump in 2016, giving Trump his largest numerical margin in any county in the US), he may be in serious trouble. Maybe he is okay. When I voted the other day, the line was pretty long for my polling place (maybe 20 minutes, and I have voted in prior elections where the same song was still playing on the radio when I got back to the car), and I'm pretty sure everybody in that line was voting for Cruz, because the waiting in line discussions were quite frankly a little startling to me in terms of how open everyone was about their political beliefs.

I did some quick digging, there’s an article that said Pat had once told people that the name Beto would potentially help Beto win election in El Paso if he ever ran. It also provides an explanation for why Beto went by Robert in college.

https://www.statesman.com/news/20180817/...ke-by-beto

So I'll assume all of you would be fine with him if he legally changed his name to Beto? Maybe that's what he can do to get at least two more votes. After all, that's what Dan Goeb did when he first considered running for public office in 2004 as Dan Patrick.

https://www.danpatrick.org/truth/

(10-28-2018 04:23 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  So, I’m a bit confused. You now seem to be in agreement that Beto is telling the truth (that the photo confirms), that he was called Beto as a child and it is not a new nickname.

So why were you railing against me for bringing up that photo and saying that Beto had been given that nickname at a young age?

Do you understand the phrase 'could be'? I dont think that term states unequivocally that I am in agreement as what you posit I am stating. Or does the term 'could be' mean something else to you?

All I *know* is that he was called Bobbie by his classmates. Something that you seem steadfastly determined to disbelieve. What he was called at home I dont have a fing clue. Nor have I ever pretended to know that.

Edited to add: nice dig up of Pat's comments. I have to edge him closer to the Jose P. Kennedo school than I ever thought possible.

(10-28-2018 05:27 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(10-28-2018 04:23 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  So, I’m a bit confused. You now seem to be in agreement that Beto is telling the truth (that the photo confirms), that he was called Beto as a child and it is not a new nickname.

So why were you railing against me for bringing up that photo and saying that Beto had been given that nickname at a young age?

Do you understand the phrase 'could be'? I dont think that term states unequivocally that I am in agreement as what you posit I am stating. Or does the term 'could be' mean something else to you?

All I *know* is that he was called Bobbie by his classmates. Something that you seem steadfastly determined to disbelieve. What he was called at home I dont have a fing clue. Nor have I ever pretended to know that.

Edited to add: nice dig up of Pat's comments. I have to edge him closer to the Jose P. Kennedo school than I ever thought possible.

I'm not steadfastly disbelieving that - please point to the post where I said that.

All I've stated is that there is evidence Beto was given that nickname as a young kid and that it was not something new.

My Dad used to call me "Boudreaux". I guess that could come in handy if I want t run for office in Louisiana. My Cajun heritage.

He also called me Budweiser, a variation of the "Buddy" I was known by since birth. A real plus if I run in Milwaukee.

If course, in HS, the teachers always called roll using my real, birth certificate name, and I, being shy, did not correct them. So at my recent 55th reunion, most of my class mates knew me by a name I do not use except on legal documents.

My wife called me B. U. until the day of our divorce. Not going to tell you why. Now, as my ex-wife, not so much.

I guess using the Beto rule, I can run under Boudreaux, Budweiser, Buddy, my real name, or B. U., or another 5-6 nicknames I had at various times.

Of course, some may not be good choices, and others may not be good choices in certain venues.

I sign checks using my initials, so I guess that is another option.

But I have no pictures and no sweaters, so I cannot prove my provenance. Just have to depend on people who knew me. Anecdotes.

BTW, Tanq, my cousin Bobby spells his name with a "y".

If any of you want to vote for me, I hope it is not because of my name or heritage, but because of my stance on issues. I am for ending unnecessary regulations and reducing government waste. I think little children should be cherished. I hate evil, and will fight it wherever it lurks. That is my platform. Vote for Budweiser.

(10-28-2018 05:07 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  So I'll assume all of you would be fine with him if he legally changed his name to Beto? Maybe that's what he can do to get at least two more votes. After all, that's what Dan Goeb did when he first considered running for public office in 2004 as Dan Patrick.

https://www.danpatrick.org/truth/

I'd say that if his voting record wasnt 94 percent in lockstep with Pelosi he would edge a lot closer. That is the main driver in my book.