Beto O'Rourke has some regrets about that Vanity Fair cover story

Critics of Beto O'Rourke's Vanity Fair cover story made some valid points, the former Texas congressman says.

O'Rourke during a Tuesday appearance on The View was faced some tough questions from Meghan McCain about the profile of him published shortly before he announced his presidential campaign in March. McCain, in particular, highlighted his Vanity Fair quote, "Man, I'm just born to be in it," as well as a comment that he "sometimes" helps raise his kids, asking if he can "get away with more" because he's a man.

The 2020 Democrat conceded that he has "been privileged" and that the Vanity Fair cover was problematic because it "reinforces that perception of privilege." He also said he especially regrets the way the "born to be in it" quote came across, saying he was trying to express "that I felt my calling was in public service," not that he was born to be president, because "no one is born to be president of the United States of America, least of all me."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up

O'Rourke also agreed he "deserved" criticism over his comment about "sometimes" raising his kids, saying his wife made him realize it sounded "flip" and adding, "I have a lot to learn and still am."

After jumping into the race with impressive fundraising totals, O'Rourke has recently lagged in the polls, and The Associated Press reports he's planning a "reintroduction" of his campaign, with this appearance on The View being a part of that. Watch O'Rourke's comments on The View below. Brendan Morrow