'I'm at any disadvantage at all,' Beto O'Rourke says of being white male in Democratic presidential field after admitting it would be 'very difficult not to select a woman' as his running mate Beto O'Rourke claims he's not at any disadvantage at all being a white male in the crowded Democratic presidential primary field His remarks come after he had to apologize for a series of gaffes after his entry into the race including a joke he made about his wife He also said it would 'very difficult' not to have a woman as his running mate There are five women competing against him for the Democratic nomination By Emily Goodin, U.s. Political Reporter For Dailymail.com Published: 15:22 GMT, 17 March 2019 | Updated: 15:22 GMT, 17 March 2019 Viewcomments Beto O'Rourke claims he's not at any disadvantage at all being a white male in the crowded Democratic presidential primary field after conceding it would 'very difficult' not to have a woman as his running mate. 'I would never begin by saying I'm at any disadvantage at all,' he told NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday when asked. 'As a white man who has had privileges that others could not depend on or take for granted, I've clearly had advantages over the course of my life. I think recognizing that and understanding that others have not, doing everything I can to ensure that there is opportunity and the possibility for advancement and advantage for everyone is a big part of this campaign and a big part of the people who comprise this campaign,' he added. Beto O'Rourke claims he's not at any disadvantage at all being a white male in the crowded Democratic presidential primary field He also said it would 'very difficult' not to have a woman as his running mate He also praised the diversity of the 14 candidates running for the right to take on President Donald Trump in 2020. 'I just think that this is the best field that we've ever seen in the nominating process. I think the diversity of background, and experience, expertise that is going to be brought to bear on these problems is exceptional. And I know at the end of the day we're all going to be on the same team and I'm excited about that,' he noted. O'Rourke announced his presidential ambitions on Thursday and headed for the early caucus state of Iowa, where he had to apologize for a series of gaffes, including his joke that his wife raises their three children practically on her own. He said on Saturday it would be 'very difficult' not to select a woman to be his running mate if he wins the nomination. 'It would be very difficult not to select a woman with so many extraordinary women who are running right now,' he said during a campaign stop in Dubuque, Iowa. 'But first I would have to win,' he said. 'You know, this is as open as it has ever been.' There are five women competing against him for the Democratic nomination: Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Amy Klobuchar along with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Speaking on the podcast Political Party LIVE! in Cedar Rapids, he admitted he was wrong for joking that his wife raised the family only 'sometimes with my help', which had sparked outrage among female politicians and activists. 'Not only will I not say that again, but I'll 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,' O'Rourke said. He acknowledged that the 'criticism is right on' and said his controversial statement was his 'ham-handed attempt to highlight the fact that Amy has the lion's share of the burden in our family'. 'She actually works but is the primary parent in our family, especially when I served in Congress, especially when I was on the campaign trail,' he said. He and Amy married in 2005 after meeting on a blind date and have two sons and a daughter tougher. As are Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard O'Rourke announced his White House bid on Thursday after months of speculation with a three-minute video where his wife Amy sits silently at his side clinging onto his arm. He quickly faced backlash over perceived odd mannerisms, with critics like President Donald Trump mocking him as crazy for his excessive hand gestures and Dr. Drew Pinsky, the host of The Celebrity Rehab, saying 'there's something not right' about O'Rourke. Oddsmakers currently show O'Rourke in fourth for the nomination, after Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility