ointer:[h=2]Ted Cruz's Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke says he's 'ASHAMED' of writing college article about Broadway actresses 'whose only qualifications seem to be their phenomenally large breasts and tight buttocks'[/h]
- Beto O'Rourke apologized for a review he wrote of 'The Will Rogers Follies': There is no excuse for making disrespectful and demeaning comments about women.'
- He wrote it in 1991 when he was a student at Columbia University
- O'Rourke is challenging Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz
- Polls show the race is tight and O'Rourke has outraised Cruz
- O'Rourke also has had to explain a drunk driving accident from his 20s
Beto O'Rourke, a rising star in the Democratic Party who is challenging Republican Sen. Ted Cruz for his seat, apologized for his college review of a Broadway musical where he criticized the actresses 'whose only qualifications seem to be their phenomenally large breasts and tight buttocks.'
The three-term Democratic congressman, while a student at Columbia University in 1991, reviewed the Broadway musical 'The Will Rogers Follies' for the student newspaper the Columbia Daily Spectator.
Writing under the name Robert O'Rourke - which is his birth name (Beto was given to him as a nickname as a child) - he described the show as 'one of the most glaring examples of the sickening excesses and moral degradations of our culture.'
The three-term Democratic congressman, while a student at Columbia University in 1991, reviewed the Broadway musical 'The Will Rogers Follies' for the student newspaper the Columbia Daily Spectator.
Writing under the name Robert O'Rourke - which is his birth name (Beto was given to him as a nickname as a child) - he described the show as 'one of the most glaring examples of the sickening excesses and moral degradations of our culture.'
O'Rourke's four-paragraphs of prose on the show, which was on the life and career of humorist Will Rogers, set agains the backdrop of the Ziegfeld Follies, is filled with colorful language about the performers.
'Basically, the show documents the life of Will Rogers, the 'lassoing fool,' who rose from being an insignificant side show attraction to one of the more prominent political pundits and cultural statesmen in our history,' O'Rourke wrote.
'Yet it is produced and directed in such a showy, glitzy, and ultimately, tacky manner, that one cannot help feeling disgusted throughout the show. Keith Carradine in the lead role is surrounded by perma-smile actresses whose only qualifications seem to be their phenomenally large breasts and tight buttocks.'
It's unclear of O'Rourke was criticizing the show's use of the actress for effect or commenting on their bodies, according to Politico, which first reported the review's existence.
'Basically, the show documents the life of Will Rogers, the 'lassoing fool,' who rose from being an insignificant side show attraction to one of the more prominent political pundits and cultural statesmen in our history,' O'Rourke wrote.
'Yet it is produced and directed in such a showy, glitzy, and ultimately, tacky manner, that one cannot help feeling disgusted throughout the show. Keith Carradine in the lead role is surrounded by perma-smile actresses whose only qualifications seem to be their phenomenally large breasts and tight buttocks.'
It's unclear of O'Rourke was criticizing the show's use of the actress for effect or commenting on their bodies, according to Politico, which first reported the review's existence.
He apologized for his words in a statement: 'I am ashamed of what I wrote and I apologize. There is no excuse for making disrespectful and demeaning comments about women.'
The news website wrote that it was tipped off about O'Rourke's review, which ran on Oct. 10, 1991 and is in the Spectator's archive, by a 'person who opposes O'Rourke's Senate
campaign.'
Still it paints another picture of O'Rourke, whose candidacy has caught fire with the Democratic Party and in the state of Texas, where Cruz is facing the contest of his political life.
Polls have shown the race is tight, within five points, which is worrisome for Republicans who should have this race locked up in the red state of Texas.
Last month, even Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged that Cruz is in a tough contest.
The news website wrote that it was tipped off about O'Rourke's review, which ran on Oct. 10, 1991 and is in the Spectator's archive, by a 'person who opposes O'Rourke's Senate
campaign.'
Still it paints another picture of O'Rourke, whose candidacy has caught fire with the Democratic Party and in the state of Texas, where Cruz is facing the contest of his political life.
Polls have shown the race is tight, within five points, which is worrisome for Republicans who should have this race locked up in the red state of Texas.
Last month, even Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged that Cruz is in a tough contest.
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Beto O'Rourke mugshot from 1998
In the police report, the police officer said O'Rourke was present when he arrived at the scene and that the then 26-year-old had a blood alcohol content of 0.136, according to a breathalyzer test. The legal state limit in Texas was .10 at the time and was lowered to 0.08 a year later.
But the report also contained this line about O'Rourke: 'The driver attempted to leave the accident but was stopped by the reporter.'
The witness to the accident, who reported it to the police, is not identified and O'Rourke has repeatedly denied he tried to leave.
