Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s rise to political fame before she’s even been sworn in has confused even fellow Democrats, including outgoing Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill.
In an interview with CNN, the Missouri Democrat acknowledged she’s “a little confused why she’s (Ocasio-Cortez) the thing.”
McCaskill on AOC: “I don't know her. I'm a little confused why she's the thing. But it's a good example of what I'm talking about, a bright shiny new object, came out of nowhere and surprised people when she beat a very experienced congressman." https://t.co/VNWRCq5BxL
— Eugene Scott (@Eugene_Scott) December 26, 2018
“It’s a good example of what I'm talking about, a bright shiny new object, came out of nowhere and surprised people when she beat a very experienced congressman,” she said.
The Democratic socialist unseated 10-term incumbent Democrat Joe Crowley in New York’s 14th Congressional District’s primary earlier in the year.
Ocasio-Cortez, 29, has embraced ultra-progressive measures including abolishing ICE and Medicare for all.
“She's now talked about a lot,” McCaskill said, referring to Ocasio-Cortez. “I’m not sure what she's done yet to generate that kind of enthusiasm, but I wish her well. I hope she hangs the moon.”
"The rhetoric is cheap,” she added. “Getting results is a lot harder."
McCaskill also said she hopes Ocasio-Cortez doesn’t ignore white working-class voters who are
Increasingly growing away from the Democratic Party.
"I hope she also realizes that the parts of the country that are rejecting the Democratic Party, like a whole lot of white working-class voters, need to hear about how their work is going to be respected, and the dignity of their jobs, and how we can really stick to issues that we can actually accomplish something on,” McCaskill said.