Left-wing Congress representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has slammed news broadcaster NBC for claiming she is disloyal to her Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Joe Biden after she cast her nomination for his rival Bernie Sanders.
"In one of the shortest speeches of the DNC, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez did not endorse Joe Biden", NBC tweeted on Tuesday night in reference to AOC’s 99-second speech that focused on praising Sanders and his "democratic socialist" agenda.
That tweet was deleted hours later. The 30-year-old New York congresswoman also took to Twitter to accuse the channel of "misinformation".
"You waited several hours to correct your obvious and blatantly misleading tweet", she wrote. "It sparked an enormous amount of hatred and vitriol, & now the misinfo [sic] you created is circulating on other networks".
You waited several hours to correct your obvious and blatantly misleading tweet.
It sparked an enormous amount of hatred and vitriol, & now the misinfo you created is circulating on other networks.
You waited several hours to correct your obvious and blatantly misleading tweet.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 19, 2020
It sparked an enormous amount of hatred and vitriol, & now the misinfo you created is circulating on other networks.
All to generate hate-clicks from a pre-recorded, routine procedural motion. https://t.co/crDlEymgMD
Democratic National Convention officials were quick to point out that it was routine for delegates to cast votes for their pledged presidential hopeful and speak in their favour, despite the 78-year-old conceding in 77-year-old Biden’s favour months ago.
The runner up in the Democratic nomination race is traditionally honoured at the convention, held this year in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but with delegates attending virtually via video-conferencing.
In another tweet, AOC endorsed Biden, saying: "I deeply look forward to fighting for our future together and reclaiming our democracy in November".
Congratulations, @JoeBiden - I deeply look forward to fighting for our future together and reclaiming our democracy in November.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 19, 2020
Thank you @DemConvention for having me deliver Sen. Sanders’ roll call nomination speech.
It’s been an absolute honor.#NotMeUs & #Biden2020 🇺🇸 https://t.co/dJN1FUQfix
Biden’s choice as his running mate of unpopular rightwinger Kamala Harris, who dropped out of the primaries early on due to lack of support, was seen as a slap in the face to Sanders and his supporters.
Fox News host and commentator Sean Hannity tweeted that AOC was "not letting go", with one user sarcastically replying that AOC "has spoken" and Sanders was now the Democratic nominee.
Not Letting Go... https://t.co/Gzn45tT5uP
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) August 19, 2020
Well that’s it then. Sanders is the nominee. A- has spoken
— Carolyn Nelson (@cabinrock16) August 19, 2020
Hawkish Republican senator Lindsey Graham tweeted that the sanders, fellow leftwinger Elizabeth Warren and four-congresswoman Democratic "Squad", which includes AOC, control Democratic policy making and "Joe Biden is merely along for the ride".
It’s painfully obvious The Squad with @AOC, @BernieSanders, and Elizabeth Warren are in control of the Democratic Party's legislative agenda.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) August 19, 2020
Joe Biden is merely along for the ride.
But some Twitter users expressed support for Ocasio-Cortez.
Thank You @AOC for nominating Bernie Sanders for President. Your speech was short, yet beautiful & passionate. You continue to show your heart & your fight for the American People! pic.twitter.com/9iS84DxHo5
— Expand The Squad 🌹 (@PepperOceanna) August 19, 2020
Others, however, took a more cynical view of her performance.
Which is why it was perfect for AOC to do it.
— Robbie Jaeger 🔎 (@RobletoFire) August 19, 2020
She gets attention, and gets it for something that looks and sounds great, but is absolutely meaningless.
So on-brand. pic.twitter.com/k2HwzwsJJm
