“I’m not really sure why Nancy Pelosi felt the need to hit AOC and Ilhan like this.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-C.A., seemed to take a shot at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on Monday – suggesting that the political upstart’s Twitter activism isn’t helping Democrats.
In an interview with USA Today, Pelosi said that her party needs to win elections, not likes on social media.
“While there are people who have a large number of Twitter followers, what’s important is that we have large numbers of votes on the floor of the House,” Pelosi said.
WATCH: Woman Tans So Much People Mistake Her for Black Person
While Pelosi did not name Ocasio-Cortez, both critics and defenders of the freshman congresswoman interpreted the comments as an attack.
While generally no fans of Pelosi, conservatives cheered the Democratic infighting.
https://twitter.com/AIIAmericanGirI/status/1115356429970485250
Progressives, meanwhile, voiced dismay at Pelosi’s pushback on their favored wing of the party.
Ryan Grim, The Intercept’s D.C. bureau chief, complained that “Pelosi is utterly unafraid of the left.”
Though it’s not that simple.
Pelosi is Speaker of the House, yet never passes up an opportunity to sideswipe @AOC in an interview. That’s not somebody coming from a feeling of strength.
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) April 9, 2019
Democratic strategist Waleed Shahid, who formerly worked for Ocasio-Cortez, bemoaned Pelosi’s remarks as unnecessary, and interpreted them as also targeting Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-M.N.
I'm not really sure why Nancy Pelosi felt the need to hit AOC and Ilhan like this. pic.twitter.com/91Agbpbqwv
— Waleed Shahid 🪬 (@_waleedshahid) April 8, 2019
Omar has over 800,000 Twitter followers, and Ocasio-Cortez has 3.9 million, giving her by far the most reach of any House member. By comparison, Pelosi has 2.4 million followers.
Whereas Pelosi has a long record of political effectiveness, though, Ocasio-Cortez’s signature Green New Deal failed to win a single “yes” vote last month when Republicans brought it to the Senate floor. Although Democratic presidential candidates were among the proposal’s public backers, the party adopted a strategy of voting “present.”
Pelosi has been among a number of Democrats to push back on the vague and costly Green New Deal, as well as Ocasio-Cortez’s populist brand of socialist-style politics.
Polls and reporting have shown Ocasio-Cortez losing public support and alienating moderates. But the congresswoman has dismissed those who disapprove of her as bigots and insisted that she is leading a national movement.
WATCH: Police release CCTV images of Novichok poisoning suspects
About Post Author
You may also like
-
What Every Employee Should Know About Their Rights in Texas
-
Finding the Right Support After a Birth Injury Diagnosis: Legal and Medical Resources
-
Financial Options After a Car Accident: How to Manage Unexpected Costs
-
Understanding Your Legal Options After a Slip and Fall Incident
-
Why Offshore Bookkeeping is a Strategic Solution for Businesses Looking to Cut Costs