Democrats and media outlets alike have long applauded Beto O’Rourke for his brazen “authenticity.”
Beto prides himself on shooting from the hip and seeming less like a polished political operative and more like a man of the people.
Well, that charade took a bit of a hit on Saturday when the Texas politician filmed a video of himself inviting his supporters to join him for a morning run on Sunday.
Corpus Christi!
Join me for a morning run along the water at 7:30. We’re meeting at the Selena Statue. Hope to see you there. pic.twitter.com/9qKPTbLLOu
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) September 18, 2022
Twitter users were quick to notice an odd detail with O’Rourke’s video — he wasn’t exactly dressed to be running, despite doing so in the video.
This led many to question whether or not the video was authentic at all.
Running in a dress shirt is as authentic and relatable as a white guy using a phony hispanic nickname.
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) September 18, 2022
Hold on, Beto, let me get my silk blouse and penny loafers, and I’ll join you.
— Princess Not So Bright (@ohfiddledeedee) September 18, 2022
A morning run in a dress shirt?
Hang on. Gotta get my tux. I’ve got a triathlon coming up.
You were more authentic with the skateboard, “Beto.”
— Ultra Trafficker Calvin ???? ? (@shoveitjack) September 18, 2022
You need to hire some new social media peeps….no one runs in a newly pressed dress shirt, especially in Texas.
— Betsy Brantner Smith (@sgtbetsysmith) September 18, 2022
Whether or not this “run” was a stunt or not, one fact about Beto remains true.
Beto isn’t actually authentic. Rather, every move he makes is a calculated decision to make him seem more authentic.
A 2019 article from The Bulwark, a center-right political news outlet, explained this quite elegantly.
Does Beto O’Rourke stand a chance in his race for Texas governor?
Pointing out how O’Rourke failed to take any concrete policy positions, relied on stream-of-consciousness speech making and was accused of co-opting Barack Obama’s message, writer Christian Schneider summed up O’Rourke’s game: “[N]ot having an act is O’Rourke’s act.”
Indeed, O’Rourke’s supposed “authenticity” is actually painfully inauthentic.
Beto proved as much with his stunt on Saturday.
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