“I Don’t Know”- Beto O’Rourke

Today, the Washington Post is out with a new piece profiling potential 2020 candidate Beto O’Rourke’s foreign policy and national security plans. Beto was questioned as to what his solution would be for the current national security problems the U.S. IS facing along the southern border and in Syria. His answer: “I don’t know.”

Washington Post: “So what should be done to address visa overstays?”

“’I don’t know,’ O’Rourke said, pausing in a lengthy interview.”

“For all his current focus on the border, O’Rourke played a negligible role in shaping immigration policy during his six years in Congress, which ended this month. Even now, he rarely uses his expanding national platform to call for specific legislation or transformative changes in the immigration system.”

…

“When asked whether he agrees with Trump’s plan to quickly withdraw troops from Syria, O’Rourke said he would like to see “a debate, a discussion, a national conversation about why we’re there, why we fight, why we sacrifice the lives of American service members, why we’re willing to take the lives of others” in all the countries where the U.S. is involved.”

“’There may be a very good reason to do it. I don’t necessarily understand — and I’ve been a member of Congress for six years,’ O’Rourke said. ‘We haven’t had a meaningful discussion about these wars since 2003.’”

This sparked criticism from many in the press:

Beto's "I don't know the answers, I'm just asking questions" got him a rabid fanbase in 2018. But I wonder just how long into a presidential campaign will folks start to demand more https://t.co/wUswusIjsI pic.twitter.com/6QsCEYQZjq

— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) January 15, 2019

Good story from @wpjenna on Beto.

This last bit – where he suggests we might need to ditch the Constitution? – is wild.https://t.co/E31VeDvz8s pic.twitter.com/sBxF734Fxg

— Kevin Robillard (@Robillard) January 15, 2019

This is a curious interview in several respects. This conclusion: “O’Rourke doesn’t yet know the answer, but he’s ready to discuss it.” https://t.co/GxMv7Y3zdQ

— Rick Klein (@rickklein) January 15, 2019

Beto's not sure what he'd do to stop visa overstays. Killer lede to this @wpjenna profile. https://t.co/sUe1nZGXYr pic.twitter.com/5Vn2qq2RCd

— Daniel Marans (@danielmarans) January 15, 2019

https://twitter.com/willrahn/status/1085253771213586433

This is subtly brutal.

“O’Rourke doesn’t yet know the answer, but he’s ready to discuss it.” https://t.co/TmZ3BRr13E

— Rebecca Buck (@RebeccaBuck) January 15, 2019

Beto might have to figure out what he thinks about Syria before the first debate pic.twitter.com/1UioBUAVfd

— Rebecca Buck (@RebeccaBuck) January 15, 2019

In WaPo interview, Beto O'Rourke displays striking lack of knowledge about immigration. Just knows one thing: He's against a wall. https://t.co/11mGss2gJA pic.twitter.com/5hlSFKP0GC

— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 15, 2019

YMMV, but O'Rourke comes off TERRIBLY in this article. Dithering, sheepish, and flummoxed by direct policy questions. https://t.co/f3vBi6FaK1

— David Rutz (@DavidRutz) January 15, 2019

Few answers from Beto, even on issues in his wheelhouse like immigration.@washingtonpost: "When it comes to many of the biggest policy issues facing the country today, O’Rourke’s default stance is to call for a debate" https://t.co/NbiGD7hVIk

— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) January 15, 2019