Ted Cruz Attacks Beto O’Rourke for Using a Nickname ‘to Fit In’
Ted Cruz’s real name is Rafael Edward Cruz. He changed his name to fit in. Beto has been called Beto since he was a toddler.
Tuesday night Democrats chose as their nominee to run against GOP Senator Ted Cruz three-term U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke. And immediately the Cruz campaign released an ad attacking their Democratic challenger, a jingle titled, “If you’re going to run in Texas you can’t run as a liberal man.”
The jingle works hard to rhyme “guns” with Texans (“Tex-uns”) as it accuses O’Rourke of wanting to take their guns, which is a false charge.
FIRST LISTEN: our new 60-second statewide radio ad introducing our liberal opponent, Congressman Robert O’Rourke, to Texas voters.
Help #KeepTexasRed: https://t.co/PVsiCtbbyL #CruzCrew #TXSen pic.twitter.com/OxK61gZ0ek
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 7, 2018
But it also accuses O’Rourke of changing his name and using a nickname to fit in.
“Liberal Robert wanted to fit in, so he changed his name to Beto and hid it with a grin,” the lyrics say.
Ted Cruz’s real name is Rafael Edward Cruz. He changed his name to fit in.Â
Beto O’Rourke’s given name is Robert, but as he told CNN in a phone interview, “My parents have called me Beto from day one, and it’s just — it’s kind of a nickname for Robert in El Paso. It just stuck.”
Last month he posted a photo of himself as a toddler, with a sweater that says “Beto.”
CNN’s Chris Cuomo called Cruz on his hypocrisy. He said they were just having fun. And then he launched into his stem,p speech about his father who came to America with only a few dollars sewn into his underwear.
CNN’S @ChrisCuomo: Why are you making fun of Beto for his name? Your name is Raphael. You go by Ted. Your middle name is Edward.
CRUZ: I’m just having a sense of humor! pic.twitter.com/26TQkWgeYu
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 7, 2018
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