President Donald Trump mocks Beto O'Rourke's Hispanic nickname ahead of visit to El Paso

[left-of-center2012]

President Donald Trump chose the night before his visit to El Paso to honor the victims of a mass shooting -- targeted due to their Mexican heritage -- as the opportunity to mock Beto O'Rourke's Hispanic nickname.

Link to tweet

O'Rourke's birth name is Robert, but he was nicknamed "Beto" as a child by his parents since he has the same name as his grandfather (to diferentiate him from his grandfather). The former congressman is Irish, but his ancestors settled in El Paso. "Beto" is a common Spanish nickname.

O'Rourke quickly responded to Trump's tweet, saying, "22 people are dead in my hometown after an act of terror inspired by your racism. El Paso will not be quiet and neither will I."
"You know the s--- he's been saying. He's been calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals," O'Rourke responded. "He's not tolerating racism, he's promoting racism. He's not tolerating violence, he's inciting racism and violence in this country."

https://abcnews.go.com/US/president-donald-trump-mocks-beto-orourkes-hispanic-nickname/story?id=64821042

[TexasProgresive]

1. Beto is a nickname for several Spanish names ending in berto

Roberto, Alberto and Gilberto are examples. I always assumed that it was his Latino friends that gave him Beto, but I can see Grandparents in El Paso of whatever ethnicity doing it as well. I have my own nickname given me by Latino friends.

[left-of-center2012]

2. "I always assumed that it was his Latino friends that gave him Beto"

I'm sure I heard that too.

[John Fante]

3. Right-wingers see this as Trump merely defending himself.

The difference, of course, is that Beto is admonishing Trump's racist rhetoric (echoed in the killer's manifesto).

Trump is attacking Beto's nickname and poll numbers.

One of these critiques has more bite than the other.

[Hekate]

4. DTs is absolutely classless. Family and friends bestow nicknames every day...

...and where you live has a lot to do with what they are. El Paso is Beto's hometown, where his family has been for generations. Only a racist Trumpist would see anytning wrong with that.