Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke says he finds himself in a strange situation — “born” for politics while simultaneously being “part of the problem” because of the color of his skin.
The Texas Democrat told Vanity Fair for its April cover story that a 2020 presidential campaign may be in the making, although being “white” poses a problem for him within the party.
“You can probably tell that I want to run,” he told writer Joe Hagan. “I do. I think I’d be good at it. This is the fight of our lives … Man, I’m just born to be in it, and want to do everything I humanly can for this country at this moment.”
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Mr. O’Rourke, who failed to defeat Republican Sen. Ted Cruz during the midterm elections, tempered expectations by citing his race as a possible hurdle to political success.
“The government at all levels is overly represented by white men,” he said. “That’s part of the problem, and I’m a white man. So if I were to run, I think it’s just so important that those who would comprise my team looked like this country. If I were to run, if I were to win, that my administration looks like this country. It’s the only way I know to meet that challenge.”
“I totally understand people who will make a decision based on the fact that almost every single one of our presidents has been a white man, and they want something different for this country,” he continued. “I think that’s a very legitimate basis upon which to make a decision. Especially in the fact that there are some really great candidates out there right now.”
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Mr. Hagan, the Vanity Fair writer, added another possible obstacle for the Democrat: he’s “too decent” and “too wholesome” for national politics.
“I tell O’Rourke that perhaps he’s simply too normal to be president,” he wrote.
“Whether you meant it or not, I take that as a compliment,” the ex-lawmaker replied.
“Man, I’m just born to be in it.” Beto O’Rourke seemed to come from nowhere to the brink of a presidential candidacy—but he’s been on this journey for his whole life. O’Rourke spoke with Joe Hagan. Photographs by Annie Leibovitz. https://t.co/WhmQGZnbUg pic.twitter.com/a7DCoaZdtd
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) March 13, 2019
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