Nancy Pelosi Appears To Take Jab at Ocasio-Cortez During Candid Interview
In a comment that appeared to be aimed at Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in an interview that when it comes to governing, substance is more important than sizzle.
According to a lengthy story published Monday by USA Today, Pelosi was asked about the state of the Democratic Party, now that a crop of progressive legislators seems bent on moving the party ever further to the left.
Pelosi appeared to jab Ocasio-Cortez, who has amassed a vast social media following that includes 3.9 million Twitter followers.
“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.
“As I say to my own district, ‘You go out and elect 218 people, just like San Francisco, then we can talk,’ ” she said.
“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.” — Speaker Pelosi https://t.co/ze6iwybD5z
— Counterchekist (@counterchekist) April 8, 2019
But the report noted that some are restive with Pelosi’s leadership.
Alexandra Rojas, executive director of far-left Justice Democrats, said Pelosi and other more mainstream Democrats must “embrace the grassroots energy that’s in the Democratic base right now” or let others lead.
@SpeakerPelosi
From one dem to another, stfu. AOC is the future: health care for all, tackling climate change, integrity, ethics. Take a lesson.Nancy Pelosi just trolled Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Again.https://t.co/KKNzq5ia90
— Kelley Rose (@roserabbit1) April 9, 2019
“[@IlhanMN, @RashidaTlaib, and @AOC] are members of Congress who are pushing the boundaries of dialogue around public policy and offering new perspectives and new ideas.” https://t.co/SnRuaGESgI
— Justice Democrats (@justicedems) April 8, 2019
Writing on CNN, commentator Chris Cillizza supplied what he said was the real meaning of Pelosi’s comments.
“If you think Pelosi’s comments on AOC are accidental and not meant to send a very clear message to AOC, you don’t know much about Pelosi,” he wrote.
“What message is she sending? This one: ‘Look, I have been a liberal’s liberal for longer than you’ve been on earth. But not everyone House Democrat (sic) represents districts like we do. And we need to understand that they are governed by a different set of political realities. The most important thing we do isn’t score ideological points. It’s pass legislation as a united caucus — to show all Americans we are doing the work, not just playing partisan games.'”
Pelosi has sent a similar message before to tell Ocasio-Cortez who was in charge.
In February, she referred to the Green New Deal, a resolution Ocasio-Cortez had championed, as “The green dream, or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but they’re for it, right?” CNN reported.
Among the issues emerging is a call from progressives to add “tens of billions of dollars” to proposed federal budget spending caps, Politico has reported.
Asked if the progressive sparring over budget caps reminds him of watching past House GOP infighting, Budget Committee Chairman Yarmuth (D-KY) responds: “It’s like looking in the mirror.”
— Cristina Marcos (@cimarcos) April 9, 2019
The caps serve as the initial position of the House as it begins budget talks with the Senate.
However, according to Politico, the progressive push for more spending could launch a House floor fight over the spending later this week.
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