Young Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ("AOC") has been dubbed a media-darling. She laughs, she dances, she wears designer shoes. AOC also connects to the millennials and gives them the mirror-image representation that they so desperately crave. Young liberals are in love with her.
AOC is also nonsensical, intellectually void, and helplessly unrealistic. But these negatives, albeit of primary importance, somehow fade in comparison to her charm and charisma. As it now stands, AOC is a legitimate threat to both conservatives and centrist Democrats.
Or rather, that would be the case if we considered her in a vacuum. Thankfully, we live in a crowded world among many admirable people.
Conservatives have an equal and opposite contender in Dan Crenshaw. The good people of Texas have elected a handsome, charming, articulate, and wise young leader to represent them in Congress. Crenshaw is the embodiment of the all-American spirit. He has the same visual draw as AOC but exceeds her in that he can keep your attention with his poised, thoughtful and rational discussions. AOC, in contrast, speaks in discordant babble.
And, just as the media have a soft spot for the lovely AOC, they also beam at the sight of the charming Mr. Crenshaw. Apart from his refreshing even-tempered demeanor, he has persuaded the bleeding-heart liberals that his heart bleeds too. Aside from publicly forgiving SNL comedian Pete Davidson for a tasteless liberal joke about his combat injury, Dan Crenshaw rushed to help the young man when Davidson alluded to thoughts of suicide. Media embraced the story and commended Crenshaw's efforts.
Yet Dan Crenshaw shines even brighter when you reflect on his background. Crenshaw is a former United States Navy SEAL officer with five deployments under his belt and the rank of Lieutenant Commander. After losing his eye to an IED in Afghanistan on his third tour of duty, Crenshaw heroically volunteered for two more missions. He earned two Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart, and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with valor. He then went on to earn a master's degree from Harvard. He speaks fluent Spanish and has maintained a happy marriage.
Comparatively, AOC disappears in Crenshaw’s shadow. AOC worked as a bartender and waitress, and as an organizer for Bernie Sander's 2016 presidential campaign. She lacks minimum real-world experience and touts a juvenile’s Utopia as her political aspiration. While Crenshaw makes compelling statements like 10 years of security experience has taught him that a physical barrier is essential for border security, AOC argues that she can cure global weather changes with high taxes on American workers.
AOC is the quintessential cockeyed optimist, while Dan Crenshaw is the respectable and experienced realist.
AOC: I take your dimples and your red lipstick and I raise you a green eye and an American heart.