Campaign Reset: Beto O’Rourke Live-Streams Haircut

Former Rep. Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke (D-TX) live-streamed himself getting a haircut in his hometown of El Paso, Texas, this Wednesday, an apparent part of his “reintroduction” meant to boost lagging national interest in his 2020 presidential campaign.

O’Rourke live-streamed his trip to Chema’s barbershop on his Facebook page, taking questions from followers about his haircut and later discussing his education platform. The presidential candidate discussed the need for bringing the soaring cost of education and forgiving student loan debt for those who serve in government. During the stream, the Texas Democrat gave the floor to his barber to talk about his experience of moving to El Paso from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

Beto O'Rourke is livestreaming his haircut. At one point, he notes that his earhair is getting trimmed. Something he says needs to be done as you get older. pic.twitter.com/um040cwpTU

— Matt Viser (@mviser) May 15, 2019

At one point in the stream, a barbershop customer told O’Rourke that while he recognizes him from television, he could not put a name to his face, prompting the Texas Democrat to explain he is running for the White House.

O’Rourke concluded the stream by encouraging viewers to tune in to his CNN town hall later this month. On Monday, the network announced that the town hall will take place May 21 at 10:00 EST at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The event will be moderated by CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash.

The stream comes days after O’Rourke expressed regret regarding his presidential campaign rollout, particularly a quote which appeared on a cover of Vanity Fair announcing his bid, reading: “Man, I’m just born to be in it.”

During a recent campaign stop in Newton, Iowa, O’Rourke conceded that he has struggled to find his campaign footing.

“I think, in part, I was just trying to keep up when I first started out,” he said.“I really feel like I’ve found my rhythm and my pace, and I just feel comfortable, and I feel like this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”

A recent Morning Consult survey shows O’Rourke is in sixth place among registered voters nationwide.

While streaming, O’Rourke also talked about his attempt to reboot his campaign with appearances on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show and ABC’s The View, calling his interview on the latter program “tough.”

“I recognize that I can do a better job, also, of talking to a national audience,” the former Texas congressman told Maddow.

In January, O’Rourke was skewered by reporters for live-streaming a dental cleaning as part of a video series the 2020 hopeful launched to showcase the experiences of people who reside near the U.S.-Mexico border.