Beto O'Rourke makes his pitch in the Bluffs, talks climate change, health care and more

[TexasTowelie]

COUNCIL BLUFFS — Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke made his first stop in Council Bluffs on Saturday to kick off his third visit to Iowa.

O’Rourke, a former congressman from El Paso, Texas, spoke to an enthusiastic crowd of about 200 people in the Wilson Middle School gymnasium for about 45 minutes, then took time to answer questions and shake hands.

The Texan, who rose to national fame during a failed Senate bid last year, touched on everything from marijuana to climate change, which he linked to recent flooding in Iowa.

He said he would fight for equal rights for everyone. For each dollar paid to white men, women are paid 80 cents, African Americans are paid 60 cents and Latinos are paid 53 cents, he said. It’s time to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, he said.

Read more: https://www.omaha.com/news/politics/elections/beto-o-rourke-makes-his-pitch-in-the-bluffs-talks/article_4469f903-7c71-5903-8485-28c98ea7e76e.html

[dalton99a]

1. "We should have weapons of war in our communities - to prevent Russia and China from invading"

Robert Fairchild, a local Libertarian, pressed O’Rourke on his stance on firearms after the event, asking what he considered to be a weapon of war and whether that included AR-15 assault rifles.

“I was trying to explain why we should have weapons of war in our communities — to prevent Russia and China from invading the U.S.,” Fairchild said.

Fairchild, who had not checked in as a media representative, was livestreaming as he questioned O’Rourke. After repeated questions, he was led out of the gym.

Somebody is getting nervous

[Indygram]

5. A lot of people don't realize that AR-15s are essentially M-16 military rifles without....

The switch to make it fully automatic. The military typically has M-16s set at semi-automatic just like AR-15s are set. The bump stock that the Las Vegas terrorist mass murder used makes an AR-15 pretty much the same gun as an M-16 military assault rifle.

[mcar]

2. Kick

[NYMinute]

3. The right wingers are scared of Beto

He has the charisma and oratorical skills to peel away a lot of Trumpkins.

[ananda]

4. I just sent his campaign a donation!

I love Beto! I want him in the thick of things.