Steve Bullock's 2020 run got off to a stuttered start on Tuesday when he failed to answer a simple question: What is his biggest political accomplishment? He's been governor of Montana since 2013. Surely he could come up with something?
To paraphrase him: Ummm....
Despite being in office for nearly seven years, @GovernorBullock struggled to name a single accomplishment. Watch as he twists his way through his disastrous answer: pic.twitter.com/2jnC7hAASQ
— America Rising (@AmericaRising) May 14, 2019
This woman was not asking a trick question. Yet Bullock fumbled and stumbled through it, and it was all very awkward. When the question was first posed, Bullock stood for several seconds, clearly taken aback by the inquiry, before he started talking about his role as a dad. Then, going in a different direction, he started talking about what he's not.
"I think the things where - as governor, it's not like attorney general where you know you've won or lost a case. Sometimes you won't have impacts for years."
He then pivoted to talking about election integrity, and by then I forgot the question. He did manage to mention how he's pleased so many Montanans have health care and that they ("they" was pretty ambiguous) have "invested in education." At no point did he claim a specific success.
How was he not expecting this question? It's a popular one at town halls.
He's done better at touting his credentials or at least forming coherent thoughts in other interviews, noting, for instance, how he's managed to "bridge divides" and work with both Democrats and Republicans and that he's one of few Democrats who have been elected in Trump-supporting states.
Bullock is one of 23 Democrats prepared to run against President Trump in 2020. Or, as you can see above, not all that prepared.