Another Democrat in the race, another original nickname from President Trump.
Or so we thought. Because on Thursday, after Beto O'Rourke threw his name in the 2020 hat, Trump's team revealed it would likely just call the ex-Senate candidate by his given name — a more subtle sideswipe that could foreshadow how Trump will take on his latest competitor.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Gidley didn't mention that Hogan is his middle name, and that he's actually named John. Similarly, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) didn't acknowledge that his real name is Rafael when trying to drag O'Rourke during their Senate matchup.
Irony aside, Gidley's condescension puts O'Rourke on the cusp of a joining a small group of non-nicknamed Trump enemies. 2020 contender and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) has so far avoided a moniker, which former New Jersey governor Chris Christie suggested means he "respects" her. Trump also just calls House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) by her first name. Then again, judging by Trump's first impression of O'Rourke as a candidate, we could be looking at another 599 days with "Crazy Hands Robert." Kathryn Krawczyk
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to TrumpSpeed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raidsSpeed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raidSpeed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearingSpeed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mountSpeed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own listspeed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battleSpeed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants
