“‘You are doing nothing. This is totally predictable … This is on you.’”
That was Beto O’Rourke, a Democrat running against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, interrupting a press conference the day after 19 students and two adults were killed in the deadliest school shooting in a decade. O’Rourke was escorted from the event, which was being held at the Uvalde (Texas) High School auditorium.
The interruption from O’Rourke, a political rival and active candidate on the campaign trail, did not sit well with the politicians during the somber moment. “Sit down,” responded Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. “You’re out of line and an embarrassment.”
Sen. Ted Cruz — who defeated O’Rourke in his re-election campaign in 2018, and was standing behind the state leaders — reprimanded O’Rourke: “Sit down and don’t play this stuff.”
Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin had harsh words for O’Rourke, calling him “a sick son of a bitch that would come to a deal like this to make a political issue.”