O'Rourke: Biden would be a return to the past

O'Rourke: Biden would be a return to the past

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Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), who is running for president, on Thursday said that former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE represents a “return to the past” for the party.

“We cannot return to the past. We cannot simply be about defeating Donald Trump,” O’Rourke said while calling for more progressive policy proposals during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

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“Is Joe Biden a return to the past?” co-host Willie Geist asked the former congressman.

“He is,” O’Rourke responded of his fellow White House hopeful. “And that cannot be who we are going forward. We’ve got to be bigger. We’ve got to be bolder. We have to set a much higher mark and be relentless in pursuing that.”

 

After the interview, “Morning Joe” co-host Joe ScarboroughCharles (Joe) Joseph ScarboroughHillicon Valley: Senators raise concerns over government surveillance of protests | Amazon pauses police use of its facial recognition tech | FBI warns hackers are targeting mobile banking apps Homeland Security Democrats urge Zuckerberg to act on ‘dangerous’ Trump posts Scarborough, Hunt laud Romney for joining protesters: ‘Such a turning point’ for GOP support of Trump MORE took to Twitter to tout O’Rourke’s candidacy.

“He has been doing well over the past month,” Scarborough wrote. “As I said a few weeks back, do not take your eyes off of his candidacy. He can still win.”

 

O’Rourke rose to national prominence when he narrowly lost a race in reliably red Texas against Sen. Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote The Hill’s Morning Report – Trump’s public standing sags after Floyd protests GOP senators introduce resolution opposing calls to defund the police MORE (R) in 2018.

The launch of his presidential campaign stirred interest, but he has struggled to gain traction in the polls.

Biden, however, has been consistently polling at the top of the crowded Democratic field of two dozen candidates vying for the opportunity to take on President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE in 2020.

The former vice president led the pack with 24 percent of the vote in an Iowa poll conducted by veteran pollster Ann Selzer for The Des Moines Register and CNN this week.

In that poll, only 2 percent of Iowa Democrats say O’Rourke would be their first choice in the first-in-the-nation caucuses, a large drop from December, when he had 11 percent support. 

O’Rourke on Sunday brushed off the low spot in the poll.

“I don’t know that this many months out from the caucuses in Iowa these polls really indicate what our prospects are,” O’Rourke told George StephanopoulosGeorge Robert StephanopoulosPelosi: Presidents should not ‘fuel the flame’ National security adviser defends Trump tweets: The president ‘wants to de-escalate violence’ Sanders pushes back on doubts supporters will back Biden MORE on ABC’s “This Week.”  

“If I relied on polls, in any race I’ve run, I never would have served in the U.S. Congress, never would have taken on Ted Cruz, never would have been able to lead the largest grass-roots effort in the state of Texas,” he added.