Beto O'Rourke Walks Back 'Born To Be In It' 2020 Remark Amid Criticism

Democratic presidential candidate Beto ORourke on Sunday said he doesnt believe anyone can be born to hold political office, days after raising eyebrows for comments he made to Vanity Fair in which he suggested he was destined to run for president.

The magazines recent profile of ORourke quoted him as saying he was just born to be in it while discussing the 2020 presidential race. HuffPosts Amanda Terkel argued the remark highlighted a sense of entitlement that only a straight, white male could have the luxury of possessing.

Asked on Sunday about the controversial comment, ORourke appeared to have trouble recalling whether he had actually said it.

Man, I hope I didnt say that, ORourke told reporters in Wisconsin, according to NBC News . I dont know that anyone is born for an office or a position.

A representative for ORourkes campaign referred HuffPost to a video of him answering the question Sunday in which the candidate says he meant he was born to serve.

ORourke, who lost his race to unseat incumbent Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) in November, formally announced Thursday he was entering the already crowded pool of Democratic presidential candidates in a video alongside his wife, Amy Hoover Sanders.

WATCH: Beto O'Rourke announces that he will run for president in 2020. https://t.co/CephmJtemR pic.twitter.com/Ui7woB0sER

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WATCH: Beto O'Rourke announces that he will run for president in 2020. https://t.co/CephmJtemR pic.twitter.com/Ui7woB0sER
NBC News (@NBCNews) March 14, 2019

The video also drew backlash for featuring Sanders silently staring at her husband as he discussed his quest to win the White House. ORourke has also joked that his wife is raising their three kids in El Paso sometimes with my help.

ORourke expressed regret on Friday for his ham-handed attempt to try to highlight the fact that Amy has the lions share of the burden in our family.

Not only will I not say that again, but Ill be more thoughtful going forward in the way that I talk about our marriage, and also the way in which I acknowledge the truth of the criticism that I have enjoyed white privilege, he said during a Political Party LIVE! podcast taping in Iowa, CNN reported .

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ORourke continued to discuss his privileges during an interview Saturday with NBCs Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd during a campaign stop in Iowa.

As a white man who has had privileges that others could not depend on, or take for granted, Ive clearly had advantages over the course of my life, he said, adding that a big part of his campaign is recognizing that and understanding that others have not.