TX-2018 : Cruz mocks O'Rourke's name

[UWS]

RAFAEL CRUZ'S NAME IS NOT TED!!!!

Right! It's Lyin' Ted.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

RAFAEL CRUZ'S NAME IS NOT TED!!!!

Right! It's Lyin' Ted.

[Doimper]

As a side note, the ad song itself is stuck in my head. I suppose that's effective.

Yeah, if your goal is selling bubble gums.

Hey now, effective advertising is effective advertising. Everyone knows Geico and JG Wentworth and name recognition is a big thing in politics.

I liked the ad song to.  

It is strange.  I have hated Cruz since he came on the scene,  but I am warming to him. I guess it is circle the wagons time.

There is a difference between using nicknames Beto and Ted in this case.  O’Rourke is trying to be something he is not: a Latino.  Cruz is trying to be something he is: an American.  

By using Beto, O’Rourke seems actually to be dissing his Irish heritage rather than affirming his American status. He attempts to become Latino/Irish. Cruz affirms his American status by using Ted, following  the lead of millions of immigrants and their children. He becomes a Cuban American.

Millions of immigrants have anglized their names.  Not many have attempted to appropriate another immigrant heritage on to thier own.  That new concept of appropriation can come back and bite.

I'm a white guy with a Hispanic name. Should I change it to fit with some Arkansan keyboard warrior's preconceptions about what is and isn't American?

[Arkansas Yankee]

RAFAEL CRUZ'S NAME IS NOT TED!!!!

His middle name is Edward.  I know many Edwards who go by Ted.  If he uses Ted he is not appropriating any other heritage.  

Cruz is not attempting to be anything but a Cuban American.

O’Rourke using the name Beto for Robert is attempting to infer he is of Latino/Irish heritage.  That is appropriation.  You know it, I know it, and the Latinos who did not vote for him in the primary knew it.

[Beet]

RAFAEL CRUZ'S NAME IS NOT TED!!!!

His middle name is Edward.  I know many Edwards who go by Ted.  If he uses Ted he is not appropriating any other heritage.  

Cruz is not attempting to be anything but a Cuban American.

O’Rourke using the name Beto for Robert is attempting to infer he is of Latino/Irish heritage.  That is appropriation.  You know it, I know it, and the Latinos who did not vote for him in the primary knew it.

Cruz is trying to insinuate that because O'Rouke is Irish American and not Latino, that he doesn't deserve the votes of Latinos. He's saying, "get back into your Irish box." It's not because Cruz is so invested in Irish pride, it's because he wants O'Rourke not to get those Latino votes, so he'll call appropriation. This is the same attitude, by the way, that suggests if a white person eats at a Chinese restaurant he is appropriating. It's racist against whites. O'Rourke grew up in El Paso, which is 90% Latino, so that he had a Latino nickname from childhood is not a surprise. He is not denying anything about him. He is accepting of his background and his life experience.

[Arkansas Yankee]

RAFAEL CRUZ'S NAME IS NOT TED!!!!

His middle name is Edward.  I know many Edwards who go by Ted.  If he uses Ted he is not appropriating any other heritage.  

Cruz is not attempting to be anything but a Cuban American.

O’Rourke using the name Beto for Robert is attempting to infer he is of Latino/Irish heritage.  That is appropriation.  You know it, I know it, and the Latinos who did not vote for him in the primary knew it.

Cruz is trying to insinuate that because O'Rouke is Irish American and not Latino, that he doesn't deserve the votes of Latinos. He's saying, "get back into your Irish box." It's not because Cruz is so invested in Irish pride, it's because he wants O'Rourke not to get those Latino votes, eso he'll call appropriation. This is the same attitude, by the way, that suggests if a white person eats at a Chinese restaurant he is appropriating. It's racist against whites. O'Rourke grew up in El Paso, ewhich is 90% Latino, so that he thad a Latino nickname from childhood is not a surprise. He is not denying anything about him. He is accepting t of his background and his life experience.

Cruz is not saying that Latinos should not vote for O’Rourke because he is not Latino.  He is merely pointing out that O’Rourke by using the name Beto is inferring an ethnic connection that does not exist.

Do not tell me O’Rourke has the life experience of an Hispanic.

 

[Beet]

RAFAEL CRUZ'S NAME IS NOT TED!!!!

His middle name is Edward.  I know many Edwards who go by Ted.  If he uses Ted he is not appropriating any other heritage.  

Cruz is not attempting to be anything but a Cuban American.

O’Rourke using the name Beto for Robert is attempting to infer he is of Latino/Irish heritage.  That is appropriation.  You know it, I know it, and the Latinos who did not vote for him in the primary knew it.

Cruz is trying to insinuate that because O'Rouke is Irish American and not Latino, that he doesn't deserve the votes of Latinos. He's saying, "get back into your Irish box." It's not because Cruz is so invested in Irish pride, it's because he wants O'Rourke not to get those Latino votes, eso he'll call appropriation. This is the same attitude, by the way, that suggests if a white person eats at a Chinese restaurant he is appropriating. It's racist against whites. O'Rourke grew up in El Paso, ewhich is 90% Latino, so that he thad a Latino nickname from childhood is not a surprise. He is not denying anything about him. He is accepting t of his background and his life experience.

Cruz is not saying that Latinos should not vote for O’Rourke because he not Latino.  He is merely pointing out that O’Rourke by using the name Beto is inferring an ethnic connection that does not exist. Do not tell me he he has the life experience of an Hispanic.

No, but he has the life experience of living in and growing up in a Hispanic community, and that is not the same as growing up in a white community.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

RAFAEL CRUZ'S NAME IS NOT TED!!!!

His middle name is Edward.  I know many Edwards who go by Ted.  If he uses Ted he is not appropriating any other heritage.  

Cruz is not attempting to be anything but a Cuban American.

O’Rourke using the name Beto for Robert is attempting to infer he is of Latino/Irish heritage.  That is appropriation.  You know it, I know it, and the Latinos who did not vote for him in the primary knew it.

Cruz is trying to insinuate that because O'Rouke is Irish American and not Latino, that he doesn't deserve the votes of Latinos. He's saying, "get back into your Irish box." It's not because Cruz is so invested in Irish pride, it's because he wants O'Rourke not to get those Latino votes, eso he'll call appropriation. This is the same attitude, by the way, that suggests if a white person eats at a Chinese restaurant he is appropriating. It's racist against whites. O'Rourke grew up in El Paso, ewhich is 90% Latino, so that he thad a Latino nickname from childhood is not a surprise. He is not denying anything about him. He is accepting t of his background and his life experience.

Cruz is not saying that Latinos should not vote for O’Rourke because he is not Latino.  He is merely pointing out that O’Rourke by using the name Beto is inferring an ethnic connection that does not exist.

Do not tell me O’Rourke has the life experience of an Hispanic.

 

Cruz is blaming Beto for growing up in the heavily Latino city of El Paso and adopting a nickname given to him by his Latino friends.
There's nothing to be ashamed of that at all; Cruz is grasping at the straws. His line of attack here is utterly stupid. Trump was right: He is Lyin' Ted.

[Doimper]

Arkansas Yankee seems completely unable to grasp why a white man would have an inferior Hispanic name. Hmmm.

[MAINEiac4434]

RAFAEL CRUZ'S NAME IS NOT TED!!!!

His middle name is Edward.  I know many Edwards who go by Ted.  If he uses Ted he is not appropriating any other heritage.  

Cruz is not attempting to be anything but a Cuban American.

O’Rourke using the name Beto for Robert is attempting to infer he is of Latino/Irish heritage.  That is appropriation.  You know it, I know it, and the Latinos who did not vote for him in the primary knew it.

He went by Rafael most of his life before he conveniently dropped it when he entered politics, because he knew he could pass as white if he didn't go by "Rafael Cruz".

If he went by Rafael Cruz he wouldn't be anything, because the Republican Party (particularly in Texas) is racist as hell.

[NOVA Green]

RAFAEL CRUZ'S NAME IS NOT TED!!!!

His middle name is Edward.  I know many Edwards who go by Ted.  If he uses Ted he is not appropriating any other heritage.  

Cruz is not attempting to be anything but a Cuban American.

O’Rourke using the name Beto for Robert is attempting to infer he is of Latino/Irish heritage.  That is appropriation.  You know it, I know it, and the Latinos who did not vote for him in the primary knew it.

Cruz is trying to insinuate that because O'Rouke is Irish American and not Latino, that he doesn't deserve the votes of Latinos. He's saying, "get back into your Irish box." It's not because Cruz is so invested in Irish pride, it's because he wants O'Rourke not to get those Latino votes, eso he'll call appropriation. This is the same attitude, by the way, that suggests if a white person eats at a Chinese restaurant he is appropriating. It's racist against whites. O'Rourke grew up in El Paso, ewhich is 90% Latino, so that he thad a Latino nickname from childhood is not a surprise. He is not denying anything about him. He is accepting t of his background and his life experience.

Cruz is not saying that Latinos should not vote for O’Rourke because he is not Latino.  He is merely pointing out that O’Rourke by using the name Beto is inferring an ethnic connection that does not exist.

Do not tell me O’Rourke has the life experience of an Hispanic.

 

Cruz is blaming Beto for growing up in the heavily Latino city of El Paso and adopting a nickname given to him by his Latino friends.
There's nothing to be ashamed of that at all; Cruz is grasping at the straws. His line of attack here is utterly stupid. Trump was right: He is Lyin' Ted.

THIS....

When me and my wife moved to Houston back in 2012, we had no friends nor family there, so our friendships developed with coworkers, the vast majority of whom were Latino that spoke English as a second language.

In my personal experience nicknames are extremely common in Latino and Tejano communities in Tejas, so this is a completely bogus line of attack.

Initially until I listened to the ad today I had assumed this was targeted at the Latino/Tejano population of Texas (potentially using Spanish Language Radio), since really that's one of two major potential swing voter banks in 2018 (Middle Class Latinos and the other being Urban/Suburban Anglos in the larger Metro areas).

Upon listening to the actual radio commercial, I was shocked at how corny it sounded (Like a used car lot sales jingle from a small town dealer somewhere in EastTex and such a blatant rip-off of arguably one of the best songs from the Charlie Daniels band with much worse lyrics, vocals, and musical presentation. Additionally, Ted Cruz's voice affirming that he was Ted Cruz and approved this  ad sounded downright creepy.

One of the things that I wonder about this "Statewide Radio Ad" is what audience it was even targeting?

Old Anglos are pretty much all ready in the bag for a 'Pub any 'Pub in Texas.... EastTex has become so reliably 'Pub that even the Yellow Dawg Alligators now vote 'Pub....

As all of us following this Forum know, the real vote banks in Texas come from the large Metro areas

Quite frankly even in the Anglo "Redneck" outskirts of the Oil Refinery areas around Houston, those that work and have worked in the offshore Rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, driven the rigs to move materials into and out of the Eagle Ford Shale in South Tex during the recent Oil Boom down there, not only come from an extremely varied and ethnically diverse work environment, but even more so tend to listen to music that sounds a hell of a lotta' better than this crap.

A real Texan County Music Song would be something like Johnny Rodriguez "Corpus Christi Bay" song from the early '70s, and not some random "Redneck Artist" from outside of Texas from back in the days.... Texans are really... really... really proud of their own independent alt country sound.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdivjLBxye8

More seriously now, I suspect the intention of the Cruz campaign was to create essentially free media coverage by running this radio ad, knowing that it would distract the people of Texas from the real actual discussions and issues on the table.

In that sense, it might have temporarily created a short term media buzz in both the National Media, as well as local Texas news stations, but I suspect that it might well be something that will backfire over the next few months in Texas, considering that Ted Cruz already has a bit of a reputation within the great Lone Star State as being a bit on the shady side when it comes to business dealings and corruption type items involving political donations and personal business investments that so many previous Governors and Politicians of both political parties have been implicated in over the past many decades....

I fail to see how this will help Cruz in Collin/Denton/Tarrant (DFW), Harris/Fort Bend/Galveston/Montgomery (Houston), let alone in Bexar (San Antonio), Travis/Hays/Williamson

Still, Beto is right to let it ride for now and take the high road on name calling and not take the Cruz bait and throw in chips at this point.....

Fold the hand and in the next three months focus on a mixture of building name recognition, personal bio ads, campaign organization in almost all Texas Counties, voter registration efforts from the Dem Senate campaign $$$ and private donations.

Post Labor Day, make sure you hit hard on Spanish Language Radio Stations throughout Texas, as well as TV commercials on Spanish language Cable Channels in the larger Metro areas....

I still wonder what the exact strategy of the Cruz campaign involves on this ad, unless he is seriously concerned about favs on his internal polling numbers among Anglos and Middle-Class Tejanos....

If anything sounds like free favorable media publicity from a relatively unknown Dem within Texas (El Paso is really its own island)....

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Indeed, NOVA Green's theory re: why Cruz ran these ads seems to be the most plausible I've seen to date. Though I suspect it was also driven by another thing - the age old strategy of defining your opponents before they can define themselves. It worked for Obama in 2012 marvelously - and Beto is still somewhat unknown among Lone Star State voters. Perhaps Trashy Ted figures this can't possibly backfire, and has significant upside potential.

[NOVA Green]

Indeed, NOVA Green's theory re: why Cruz ran these ads seems to be the most plausible I've seen to date. Though I suspect it was also driven by another thing - the age old strategy of defining your opponents before they can define themselves. It worked for Obama in 2012 marvelously - and Beto is still somewhat unknown among Lone Star State voters. Perhaps Trashy Ted figures this can't possibly backfire, and has significant upside potential.

Tim---- you know I almost posted something similar to what you said (Bolded) thinking maybe Cruz was intending to do a Bush Sr vs Dukakis style deal, but decided not to post that since objectively if I were a Political Consultant it wouldn't seem to make sense to do this in a Statewide Radio Ad, as opposed to just spending a chunk of change in TV ads to hit a few of the larger Metro Areas (Houston and DFW) since Metro SA/Austin/El Paso are pretty much safe Dem turf (Not that there aren't plenty of votes to be mined in a close election) where really the swing voters that might in theory be that would either create a close contest or outside chance of a Dem flip.

Cruz has plenty of money to play with to spend a few bucks in DFW/Houston Media markets, unless he is running into some cash flow issues with the Big Dollar Texas Republican donor class not coughing up the money as quickly as they usually do, if the intention were part of a "define the donor strategy".

Additionally, one thing I was thinking about overnight and earlier today, is the curious choice of running a radio ad of this nature....

Now, maybe some of my resourceful Texas comrades might be able to pull up exactly which radio stations this "Statewide Ad" was purchased on, but the choice of Alabama's rip-off song "If you're Gonna Play in Texas", which in my previous post I accidentally conflated with a Charlie Daniel song, appears to appeal to a certain age group and demographic...

Which Media Markets and what Radio stations did this ad air on?

Alabama is one of my favorite "New South" country music bands, and I pulled up one of my old dusty CDs and found this song (Please buy Alabama hasn't gonna wingnut crazy Rep unlike Charlie Daniels and Hank Jr)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAFxxMvK1jI

My thought is that Cruz is attempting to target Anglos 40-60 to convince them he is an "authentic Texan", since basically older Texas Anglos have long since shed their Yellow Dawg roots and moved 'Pub back when Rick Perry in EastTex shifted parties in the late '80s and early '90s.

I question to what extent Ted Cruz is trying to show his Texas "authenticity" to a much larger slice of the Texas Anglo electorate that tend to lean a bit 'Pub, but are still persuadable voters in the 'Burbs of the largest Metro areas of the Great State of Texas...

If anything this radio ad appears to demonstrate that his campaign considers themselves from operating from a position of weakness and not strength....

Still really confused why Team Cruz ran with this one, since if anything it has enhanced the name recognition of visibility of the Democratic challenger, and additionally potentially alienated many of the swing Middle Class Latino voters by picking on his Dems opponent nickname that was coined when he was a young kid growing up in El Paso....

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Indeed, NOVA Green's theory re: why Cruz ran these ads seems to be the most plausible I've seen to date. Though I suspect it was also driven by another thing - the age old strategy of defining your opponents before they can define themselves. It worked for Obama in 2012 marvelously - and Beto is still somewhat unknown among Lone Star State voters. Perhaps Trashy Ted figures this can't possibly backfire, and has significant upside potential.

Tim---- you know I almost posted something similar to what you said (Bolded) thinking maybe Cruz was intending to do a Bush Sr vs Dukakis style deal, but decided not to post that since objectively if I were a Political Consultant it wouldn't seem to make sense to do this in a Statewide Radio Ad, as opposed to just spending a chunk of change in TV ads to hit a few of the larger Metro Areas (Houston and DFW) since Metro SA/Austin/El Paso are pretty much safe Dem turf (Not that there aren't plenty of votes to be mined in a close election) where really the swing voters that might in theory be that would either create a close contest or outside chance of a Dem flip.

Cruz has plenty of money to play with to spend a few bucks in DFW/Houston Media markets, unless he is running into some cash flow issues with the Big Dollar Texas Republican donor class not coughing up the money as quickly as they usually do, if the intention were part of a "define the donor strategy".

Additionally, one thing I was thinking about overnight and earlier today, is the curious choice of running a radio ad of this nature....

Now, maybe some of my resourceful Texas comrades might be able to pull up exactly which radio stations this "Statewide Ad" was purchased on, but the choice of Alabama's rip-off song "If you're Gonna Play in Texas", which in my previous post I accidentally conflated with a Charlie Daniel song, appears to appeal to a certain age group and demographic...

Which Media Markets and what Radio stations did this ad air on?

Alabama is one of my favorite "New South" country music bands, and I pulled up one of my old dusty CDs and found this song (Please buy Alabama hasn't gonna wingnut crazy Rep unlike Charlie Daniels and Hank Jr)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAFxxMvK1jI

My thought is that Cruz is attempting to target Anglos 40-60 to convince them he is an "authentic Texan", since basically older Texas Anglos have long since shed their Yellow Dawg roots and moved 'Pub back when Rick Perry in EastTex shifted parties in the late '80s and early '90s.

I question to what extent Ted Cruz is trying to show his Texas "authenticity" to a much larger slice of the Texas Anglo electorate that tend to lean a bit 'Pub, but are still persuadable voters in the 'Burbs of the largest Metro areas of the Great State of Texas...

If anything this radio ad appears to demonstrate that his campaign considers themselves from operating from a position of weakness and not strength....

Still really confused why Team Cruz ran with this one, since if anything it has enhanced the name recognition of visibility of the Democratic challenger, and additionally potentially alienated many of the swing Middle Class Latino voters by picking on his Dems opponent nickname that was coined when he was a young kid growing up in El Paso....

Perhaps the potential downfalls of this strategy might be something people inside the bubble (Cruz and his advisors) might not be aware of.

On one hand, it's kind of hard in politics to do something that costs you no votes from anyone whatsoever; so Cruz might be trying to win a segment of older Anglo voters, thinking the losses he suffers in other demographics are certain to be smaller than his rewards. On the other hand, it could be that Cruz might be just testing this out as a test balloon, seeing how much more understanding of the electorate they can get out of this; making this ad, by extension, just a lab experiment.
Ultimately none of us can be entirely sure what Cruz's primary motivation for this was, but regardless, it doesn't look like anything good.

And of course Trashy Ted kind of misses the point that, really, being a Texan isn't where you are from, or even your mannerisms (stereotypically Texan-style mannerisms are much preferable, but not mandatory). Texas has seen a lot of migrants from elsewhere in the United States; people came here because of low land prices, the weather, the low cost of living (including low taxes). It's been this way at least since air conditioning was invented, or even sooner. I sure hope these people aren't going to care all about Cruz pontificating about who is a Texan and who isn't.

I sure hope his definition of Texan doesn't mean 'someone who regularly and consistently votes for the Republican Party on most or all levels of government'. Because I am d*m*ed proud Texan, was born here, am Democratic-sympathizing, and have had all my permanent residencies here, I rightfully schoff as such a definition.

[Indy Texas]

As a side note, the ad song itself is stuck in my head. I suppose that's effective.

Yeah, if your goal is selling bubble gums.

Hey now, effective advertising is effective advertising. Everyone knows Geico and JG Wentworth and name recognition is a big thing in politics.

I liked the ad song to. 

It is strange.  I have hated Cruz since he came on the scene,  but I am warming to him. I guess it is circle the wagons time.

There is a difference between using nicknames Beto and Ted in this case.  O’Rourke is trying to be something he is not: a Latino.  Cruz is trying to be something he is: an American. 

By using Beto, O’Rourke seems actually to be dissing his Irish heritage rather than affirming his American status. He attempts to become Latino/Irish. Cruz affirms his American status by using Ted, following  the lead of millions of immigrants and their children. He becomes a Cuban American.

Millions of immigrants have anglized their names.  Not many have attempted to appropriate another immigrant heritage on to thier own.  That new concept of appropriation can come back and bite.

I don't even know what that means. There is no such thing as an "American" name.

[Blair]

Arkansas Yankee is clearly just being bigoted. No surprise from someone who made their mark on the forum as a vocal defender of Roy Moore.

Onto actual political news. A good story linked below about O'Rourke, and the challenges he faces in the race ahead.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/politics/beto-orourke-sxsw/

[Doimper]

As a side note, the ad song itself is stuck in my head. I suppose that's effective.

Yeah, if your goal is selling bubble gums.

Hey now, effective advertising is effective advertising. Everyone knows Geico and JG Wentworth and name recognition is a big thing in politics.

I liked the ad song to. 

It is strange.  I have hated Cruz since he came on the scene,  but I am warming to him. I guess it is circle the wagons time.

There is a difference between using nicknames Beto and Ted in this case.  O’Rourke is trying to be something he is not: a Latino.  Cruz is trying to be something he is: an American. 

By using Beto, O’Rourke seems actually to be dissing his Irish heritage rather than affirming his American status. He attempts to become Latino/Irish. Cruz affirms his American status by using Ted, following  the lead of millions of immigrants and their children. He becomes a Cuban American.

Millions of immigrants have anglized their names.  Not many have attempted to appropriate another immigrant heritage on to thier own.  That new concept of appropriation can come back and bite.

I don't even know what that means. There is no such thing as an "American" name.

Replace all instances of "American" in his post with "white".

[Badger]

As a side note, the ad song itself is stuck in my head. I suppose that's effective.

Yeah, if your goal is selling bubble gums.

Hey now, effective advertising is effective advertising. Everyone knows Geico and JG Wentworth and name recognition is a big thing in politics.

I liked the ad song to. 

It is strange.  I have hated Cruz since he came on the scene,  but I am warming to him. I guess it is circle the wagons time.

There is a difference between using nicknames Beto and Ted in this case.  O’Rourke is trying to be something he is not: a Latino.  Cruz is trying to be something he is: an American. 

By using Beto, O’Rourke seems actually to be dissing his Irish heritage rather than affirming his American status. He attempts to become Latino/Irish. Cruz affirms his American status by using Ted, following  the lead of millions of immigrants and their children. He becomes a Cuban American.

Millions of immigrants have anglized their names.  Not many have attempted to appropriate another immigrant heritage on to thier own.  That new concept of appropriation can come back and bite.

Pssst. Rafael IS American name. Just like Mario or Hans or Marco.

All I could say is this. O'Rourke has had that name, as shown by that picture of him at age like 4, since he was a toddler. There's no attempt at remaking himself for voters by going by the same name he's gone by for literally all his life.

On the other hand, Ted Cruz is exactly the last politician on Earth who has any justification whatsoever for mocking any politician about rebranding their name to appeal to voters. End of discussion.

You are right in that Cruz is an awful unlikable guy in every sense. Nevertheless, you readily admit it is circle the wagons time so....

Just swallow what you need to, I guess.

[junior chįmp]

Ted Cruz may be implicated in the CA scandal:

Ted Cruz under fire in Cambridge Analytica scandal; firm targeted voters with data from 50M Facebook users

[UWS]

He could also be under fire for his role in the lawsuit defending a Chinese company that stole an American invention and blueprints.

http://www.politifact.com/new-hampshire/statements/2016/feb/07/marco-rubio/rubio-attacks-cruz-role-lawsuit-defending-chinese-/

[Shadows]

Beto O'Rourke was on Bill Maher's Show where he kind of embraced Single payer, said he will vote for Bernie's bill in the Senate & says HR676 is poorly written & hence he didn't support it although he supports Universal Healthcare.

[junior chįmp]

Lol

Cruz says Cambridge Analytica assured him its practices were legal

[ProgressiveCanadian]

Lol..."She told me she was 18! I didn't make him overdose, I just sold it!"

Cruz says Cambridge Analytica assured him its practices were legal

Is he trying to lose?

[YE]

Beto O'Rourke was on Bill Maher's Show where he kind of embraced Single payer, said he will vote for Bernie's bill in the Senate & says HR676 is poorly written & hence he didn't support it although he supports Universal Healthcare.

Didn’t he cosponsor the bill a year ago? I recall reading he did for some reason.

[un]

Rafael.. stop. So dumb...