There ought to be a law requiring political parties to put their member’s dying campaigns out of their misery. Because someone needs to do something about the painful-to-watch spectacle that is Beto O’Rourke’s 2020 candidacy.
The former Texas representative’s campaign, which has seen donations fall off by more than 60% in the second quarter, is now fundraising on the back of Rep. Omar Ilhan, claiming it needs donations of $3 to show its stands in solidarity with the Minnesota lawmaker.
The fundraising pitch came in a email sent Thursday afternoon. It reads:
As Beto said, these racist chants don’t happen by accident. They are the product of a president who sees our diversity as a weakness. The logical end result of dangerous, Islamophobic, racist, anti-immigrant rhetoric coming from the White House.
During a campaign rally in Greenville, North Carolina, Wednesday evening, President Trump bragged about winning the 2016 election, praised the U.S. military, and attacked by name the progressive freshmen Democrats.
“These left-wing ideologues see our nation as a force of evil,” he said. “The way they speak so badly of our country. They want to demolish our Constitution. Weaken our military. Eliminate the values that built this magnificent country. You have to look at some of their recent comments, which are never talked about. When you see the four congresswoman, oh isn’t that lovely.”
Trump then said of Omar specifically that she “has a history of launching vicious anti-Semitic screeds.” The crowd responded by chanting of “Send her back!”
As I noted Thursday, calling for the deportation of unpleasant and even vile people is obscene stuff, doubly so for Omar considering she has been an American citizen since 2000. I am just unsure whether O’Rourke’s attempt to profit from this particularly grotesque episode is as bad as or worse than what happened Wednesday in North Carolina.
The O’Rourke campaign email concludes:
Can you chip in $3 today to show Ilhan Omar that we stand with her? Every contribution sends a powerful message to Donald Trump that we will not allow him to divide us up.
Last night was a new low for this president. Today we’re doubling down in our resolve to elect more strong leaders like Ilhan to the House, and replace Donald Trump in the White House. That’s why your contributions, especially today, are so important.
I stand corrected. I suggested this week that O’Rourke hit rock bottom when, in a fit of desperation, his campaign released opposition research on itself. Wow, was I wrong. It can get indeed get worse for the former Texas congressman.
Much, much worse.
