Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez added another plank in the bridge dividing the factions in the Democratic Party.
The New York freshman congresswoman admitted she did not have one particular candidate that she backs from the sizable group of Democratic contenders hoping to unseat President Donald Trump in 2020, but she was clear who did not “animate” her as a prospect.
(Video: Twitter/Yahoo News)
The self-proclaimed Democratic socialist was asked if she had picked a candidate to support in the 2020 race during an interview on the Yahoo News podcast “Skullduggery.”
“I don’t, I truly do not have one yet,” Ocasio-Cortez told co-hosts Michael Isikoff and Daniel Klaidman.
“I’m very supportive of Bernie’s run. I don’t officially, I mean I haven’t endorsed anybody, but I’m very supportive of Bernie,” the 29-year-old said, referring to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders whose 2016 campaign she took part in as an organizer.
“I also think what Elizabeth Warren has been bringing to the table is truly remarkable, truly remarkable and transformational,” she added.
But she was less enthusiastic about the prospect of former Vice President Joe Biden running, however.
“Could you support Joe Biden” Isikoff asked, though Biden has not officially announced that he is in the running.
“I don’t know,” Ocasio-Cortez replied, adding “I mean … I will support whoever the Democratic nominee is.”
But when pressed on whether she meant she is not excited about a Biden campaign, the progressive lawmaker was more than clear.
“That does not particularly animate me right now,” she said, noting that she has “a lot of issues” with a potential Biden candidacy.
“I can understand why people would be excited by that, this idea that we can go back to the good old days with Obama, with Obama’s vice president,” Ocasio-Cortez explained. “There’s an emotional element to that, but I don’t want to go back. I want to go forward.”
She didn’t seem ready to throw her own hat in the ring either, admitting that her few months in office as the youngest woman ever elected to Congress have been “pretty hard already.”
“I really don’t know,” she said. “I think about it every once in a while, but … this is pretty hard already.”
“I just want to be most useful, and I’m not trying to kind of impose some personal ambition,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “I think that, if a window opens and I feel like I can do well, and do better, and offer more to people, then I would consider it. But … I don’t have like a 10-year plan or a five-year plan or anything.”
Ocasio-Cortez may not think she is ready to run for another office but many are pointing to the New York congresswoman and other freshman lawmakers as the new power in the House of Representatives, something Speaker Nancy Pelosi dismissed in a “60 Minutes” interview on Sunday.
Pelosi says her paradise is still in tact, but ’60 Min’ host calls her bluff for swatting off AOC and her tiny posse of socialists https://t.co/Xs7fJhv80B pic.twitter.com/8X8DgL50By
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) April 15, 2019
“That’s like five people,” Pelosi brushed off the perceived influence of Ocasio-Cortez and other “self-described socialists,” claiming she, herself, is a “progressive.”
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway suggested that “there’s trouble in Pelosi’s paradise” during an interview with MSNBC’s Chuck Todd on Sunday, noting the influence of the radical new Democrats like Ocasio-Cortez, and Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.
Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez took another very vocal step in distancing herself from her mainstream Democrat colleagues in her dis of Biden. Liberal Twitter users let her know they were not happy about it.
I don’t know any Democrat that wants to go back, not even Joe. We have Republicans trying to do that already. Joe’s got foreign policy chops no other Democrat has, though.
— John Cloutman (@Cloutman) April 15, 2019
Sorry, AOC, I totally disagree…….it’s not “going back” it’s bringing civility, honesty, pride, fortitude, and looking forward for America!
— Cher47 (@Cher47) April 15, 2019
These Bernie Bunch folk all seem to create straw men to hold themselves up against as “better than”. In fact nobody wants to go back, why is Biden any more “going back” then Bernie? All she’s saying here is she doesnt like Biden. I’m not sure why her opinion is important tho
— feral (@shuboogie) April 15, 2019
This is why America is screwed. You hate what’s good and love the idea you know better.
— @InformedTakes (@PeebsY0) April 15, 2019
I disagree with your statement. You don’t speak for all Dems
— Trending (@TrendingFB) April 15, 2019
Many Twitter users were pretty clear that they just didn’t care what the progressive darling had to say.
I really don’t care, do you? Getting all up in her feelings isn’t a life goal.
— CHURCHLADY320 (@CHURCHLADY320) April 15, 2019
So what? Do we have to report on her every thought and utterance?
— John Henry (@johnhenrytime) April 15, 2019
What next? Is she going to accuse Biden of inappropriate hugging? ??? #AOCSTFU #AOCGOYS
— kahuna????#NeverBernie (@kahuna754) April 15, 2019
@AOC the circular firing squad leader?
— Voltaire’sG 45=2close2treason (@thiswaltz5) April 15, 2019
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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