It was pretty clear that Beto O’Rourke began his run for president sometime during his campaign to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz, likely when millions started pouring in from out-of-state donors who were desperate to flip any red seat blue. (Remember Jon Ossoff?)

But now that he’s officially announced, the editors of the nation’s biggest newspapers have assigned reporters to follow him around, and the job seems to have fallen to The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman, who offered this insight:

Beto wanted to dip his toes in the Mississippi during a drive between campaign stops https://t.co/Y7gRhDsqJU — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 14, 2019

“Yes, he was driving himself” — is that such a good idea?

We clicked through and learned that as much as O’Rourke wanted to dip his toes in the Mississippi — how could one not? — his campaign team assured him there wasn’t time.

“Some future visit we’ll do that,” he conceded.

And then he talked about unity for a bit and got back in his car to drive to the next campaign stop.

Lmao — Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) March 14, 2019

Is Beto doing a gap year — Jeremy McLellan (@JeremyMcLellan) March 14, 2019

I can't take this guy seriously. Maybe back when I was an emo teenager, but I'm a grown up now. I just can't. — Señia (@ayasgirl) March 14, 2019

He's the human version of the movie 500 Days of Summer — Curtle (@curtle) March 14, 2019

If Crystal Pepsi was a person, it would be Beto — Sweat Baker (@werewhalewolf) March 15, 2019

Beto reminds me of one hand clapping — Cross Potent (@crosspotent) March 15, 2019

Journalists from one side of their mouth: Where is his substance? We'd like to talk about substance. Journalists from the other side of their mouth: Let's write articles about candidates wanting to dip their toes in water. — Sen. KBJr., PhD. (@JRsenator) March 14, 2019

I can’t take much more of this — ed (@eleventy17) March 15, 2019

Is this news? — Snark (@cbail_lee) March 14, 2019

Of course he did. — Super Gay ?️‍? (@GayMafia1969) March 14, 2019

Golly, a real Huck Finn moment… — Jim Hill (@hilljim) March 15, 2019

Oh ffs really this is the so called paper of record?!? ? — Beth Bryson (@maddezmom) March 14, 2019

Members of the media would have been lapping up water downstream — Ja (@j4539w) March 15, 2019

We want to know about Beto's toes in the Mississippi? What's wrong with you? — lillikusa (@lillikusa) March 14, 2019

What a goofball. Nice effort by the local press to make him appear, uh, significant? — Milo Stone (@GooberGabbing) March 14, 2019

Oh, please. Somebody tell the leftist pundits to take the kneepads off. — Joe Six Pack (@JShep33) March 15, 2019

*journos squeal* — Kristopher Millennial, Soy Enthusiast (@jd_2355) March 15, 2019

Beto is a media creation who is being stuffed down our throats. We see what you're doing. — WSSmith77 (@Smith77Ws) March 15, 2019

Those are literally 90% reporters — Frank Gallagher (@mc_reewithcheez) March 15, 2019

The crowds at the campaign stops, he means.

Beto keeps a bottle of the dirt from everywhere he goes on vacation. — . (@connorlxmartin) March 15, 2019

Oh, man … do you remember when they were having Draft Beto house parties and reading his dopey blog posts aloud to get fired up?

This is going to be like the Truman show. — Dr ‘Merica (@USOutragePolice) March 14, 2019

Will Haberman and all the other reporters follow O’Rourke into thrift shots and kind of force him to try on jackets?

Kamala had better unleash some of that oppo research soon if she wants the spotlight back.

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