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This year's midterm elections were full of figures whose impact seemed to go well beyond their constituency.
And when it came to Texas Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke, it seemed as if he'd captured the hearts and minds of every voter in America seeking an alternative to Trumpism. His name was on t-shirts from coast to coast, he raised an unprecedented $60 million dollars from every corner of the nation, and social media has been lit up for months following his well fought war of attrition against Senator Ted Cruz. And though, in the end, that war was lost, it is undeniable that he has inspired scores of voters, both with his ideas and his genuine sincerity.
And last night, that sincerity became even more relatable. O'Rourke delivered a soaring concession speech last night after narrowly losing to Senator Cruz, speaking passionately about what had been accomplished despite his loss, his vision for a path forward and, especially, his gratitude to his supporters. And that's when perhaps his most human moment of all slipped out: the much vaunted "f-bomb."
"Tonight's loss does nothing to diminish the way I feel about Texas or this country," O'Rourke said, before finishing: "I'm so f—ing proud of you guys" to wild applause.
Watch Beto O’Rourke's full concession speechwww.youtube.com
But the TV networks were of course caught by surprise. MSNBC immediately cut away, with anchor Brian Williams apologizing to viewers. "Sorry for the F-bomb," Williams said, "We have no control of what's in the concession speeches."
But on social media, folks were anything but offended. It just made them love him all the more!
Beto has become known for colorful language (Ted Cruz even tried to make it a campaign talking point)--there's even a supercut!
And most had to agree that in this day and age, an f-bomb from a politician is child's play... and might even be an asset?
Indeed, the words "Beto" and "president" seemed to become inextricably linked last night in the minds of many: the hashtag #Beto2020 has been trending ever since he gave his f-bomb speech.
Who says a loss is an end and not a beginning?