One of the fun things about covering Texas politics is that every once in a while, a political figure you know too much about, and no one else cares about, does something deeply unwise. Suddenly, they’re in newspapers from Aarhus to Zanzibar, the subject of stories about the strangeness of Americans. It’s hard to describe the feeling. It’s a bit like working at a wildlife rehab facility, taking care of deranged and hobbled birds. One day one of them takes flight, and everyone sees what you knew all along, that they were majestic and beautiful and rare—and then they fly into a Mack truck.
In September, state Representative Briscoe Cain of Deer Park spread his wings. During the Democratic presidential debate, Beto O’Rourke’s team tweeted the candidate’s vow to begin confiscating America’s AR-15s, if elected. Cain shot back: “My AR-15 is waiting for you Robert Francis.”
This is a death threat, Representative. Clearly, you shouldn't own an AR-15—and neither should anyone else. pic.twitter.com/jsiZmwjMDs
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) September 13, 2019
