I think the article title might be a little harsh but still I tend to agree. I think Beto O’Rourke is surely the beneficiary of the “bright shiny object” condition. There isn’t as “much there there” as I would like to see.
Beto O’Rourke Is the Candidate For Vapid Morons
Let me draw your attention to the most horrifying paragraphs of this Vanity Fair profile of Beto O’Rourke, the Texas congressman who announced his presidential campaign Thursday morning: O’Rourke is careful to pay homage to progressive icons, crediting Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren with advancing the national conversation on health care and consumer protections, but sells himself as something slightly different: a youthful uniter, willing to listen and learn from the most recalcitrant right-wing voters and work with Republicans.