Politico: AOC brings star power to Iowa for Sanders

[JoeOtterbein]

(Disclaimer: the article is written by this DU poster's daughter)

https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/10/alexandria-ocasio-corteziowa-sanders-068786

One rally featuring the New York congresswoman was the largest of the campaign cycle in the caucus state.

By HOLLY OTTERBEIN 11/10/2019 03:46 PM EST

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Gabriela Barajas’ friends dragged her to the rally with Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The 19-year-old had never gone to a campaign event before, and she had no idea who she’d support in the Democratic primary. But by the time she left, she was with Sanders.

“I’m speechless right now,” she said as her friends bolted toward her with a freshly snapped selfie with Ocasio-Cortez in hand. “Seeing how passionate he is, how passionate she is, it just amazes me. ... She’s inspirational to all Latinas, to all women.”

Ocasio-Cortez’s star power was put to the test in Middle America this weekend — and she and Sanders drew thousands of excited fans to three stops across Iowa. Audience members donned purple shirts emblazoned with the Bronx congresswoman’s name and shouted “I love you!” to her.

The raucous crowds demonstrated that Ocasio-Cortez can boost excitement and win media attention for Sanders’ campaign in the early-voting states, even if she comes with the downside of turning off some moderate voters. All three stops this weekend were larger than any Sanders had previously held in Iowa this year, bringing between 2,000 and 2,400 people each, according to the campaign. Sanders aides said the Council Bluffs rally drew more people than any other presidential campaign event in the state in 2019.

snip

more at link

[democratisphere]

1. Star power..........

[NurseJackie]

9. I'm more impressed with a politician's legislative accomplishments.

Star power..........

I know, right? I'm more impressed with a politician's legislative accomplishments.

[democratisphere]

10. Agreed.

drumpf thinks he has "star power". Ugh!

[George II]

2. She should bring star power to the 14th District of New York.

[Tiggeroshii]

5. Already has.

Based on the more than 70% of the district that voted for her.

[OldRed2450]

6. Pretty normal

That's not unusual for a blue district. Here is my rep :With all precincts reporting, Blumenauer has 72.7 percent of the vote, followed by Harrison with 19.9 percent.

[JoeOtterbein]

7. AOC hit a biggie see: "Mr. Crowley, the No. 4 Democrat in the House, had drastically outspent his...

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/nyregion/joseph-crowley-ocasio-cortez-democratic-primary.html

[George II]

8. That was a year ago. BTW, 82% of the district voted for Joseph Crowley in 2016.

[Tiggeroshii]

12. So? He was popular too.

Until he wasnt.

[JoeOtterbein]

14. WOW!!!! I knew AOC was great but she beat an incumbent who was last elected by 82%!!!!!!

Thanks George!!!! Thanks for pointing out just how awesome AOC really is!!!!

To be honest I would not have thought you were a big AOC fan!!!!

Thanks bro!!!!

[still_one]

27. Nah, it is more important to travel around the country. Wonder who pays for her trips, hotels, etc.

to campaign for Sanders?

[Eric J in MN]

30. I'm guessing Bernie 2020 pays for her travel

...when she campaigns for him. That’s how it usually works with someone giving speeches for a candidate.

[still_one]

31. Makes sense

[BannonsLiver]

39. Maybe Politico will dig into that

I wouldn’t hold your breath though.

[zentrum]

3. Love her!

[Thekaspervote]

4. Not a fan

[betsuni]

11. She said this the other day on ABC and I'd like to know what she meant by it:

"I think we're so used to electoral cycles about being the lesser of two evils that we are not used to selecting the best of good options."

Doesn't she know "lesser of two evils" "both sides" was used to discourage voting for our Democratic Party nominee in the last presidential election? The idiom "lesser of two evils" means a choice between two immoral/evil/terrible things. Since when are Democrats as evil as Republicans?

[JoeOtterbein]

13. Maybe she was talking about the Primaries?

You know like someone else voting for someone you may, or may not like. It's like ok ya know.

[betsuni]

15. Since when has a Democratic primary ever been a "lesser of two evils" situation?

[Cha]

17. Exactly!

[JoeOtterbein]

19. Why do you want to ask me?

We need to start demanding answers from our leaders. Ask her. Or find another Dem to follow.

AOC is OK with me!

[betsuni]

20. I don't "follow" anybody.

Don't need a leader, either. It's not about you.

[LanternWaste]

36. It's those pesky and literal inferences that seem to stop your narrative.

And prevent you from answering (rather than simply responding to) relevant criticisms.

But as long as you have bumper stickers with the full substance of policy, it's all ok.

[still_one]

28. bazinga!!!

[calguy]

33. Maybe she doesn't know what she's talking about

That lessor of two evils line has been used for as long as I can remember, and I'm almost 70.

[Cha]

16. Maybe she's use to it.. but she sure as hell doesn't

speak for me.

Thank Goodness Sharice David won the primary where AOC and BS were campaigning for Brent Welder.

And Thankfully Gov Whitmer won the primary against El Sayed whom BS and AOC were campaigning for.

[JoeOtterbein]

22. Awww!!! I'm sure her feelings would hurt.

[BannonsLiver]

41. She has a lot to learn.

The trouble comes when people don’t realize that and think they have all the answers.

[TomCADem]

18. Wish We Could Sub AOC for Bernie Sanders

I can see why Bernie is heavily relying on her as a surrogate. She is young, energetic and she does not have his anti-immigration, pro-gun and pro-Russia baggage. Plus, she actually is a Democrat! I would vote for her over Bernie any day of the week.

[JoeOtterbein]

21. AOC is right to support Bernie. He is our most energetic leader right now.

That is why she is so passionately supporting him for POTUS.

Just like me! (BTW, just an 63-year ole white dude in PA)

Feeling the Bern!!!!

[TomCADem]

23. I Dunno. Unlike Bernie, AOC Has Been A Great Pro-Immigrant Voice

AOC has taken a brave stand in not merely resisting Trump, but pushing for a liberalization of policies to promote the mobility and human dignity of immigrants. Right wing opponents have denounced her views as pushing for "open borders."

In contrast, Bernie's stance against “a rational, non-racist immigration policy” gets a bit lost when he also thinks that it’s a bad idea to “have people from Vietnam and China and Mexico and Latin America coming in.” Bernie has long pushed a nativist, us versus them, view of immigrants, particularly those coming from Asia or Latin America.

“Nobody, I mean not many people believe in open borders. If you simply opened the borders, you’d have people from Vietnam and China and Mexico and Latin America coming in. And no one thinks that is a plausible approach. On the other hand, I think the strength of this nation is the diversity and the new ideas from immigrants from all walks of life have given this country. So you need a rational, non-racist immigration policy which welcomes people in from all over the world to improve our economy, but clearly you cannot have open borders.”

[JoeOtterbein]

24. What wrong with (from the Bernie quote above):

So you need a rational, non-racist immigration policy which welcomes people in from all over the world to improve our economy,...

I like rational. Maybe AOC does too?

[TomCADem]

49. Steve King (R-Iowa) Also Likes Bernie's Views On Immigration

Link to tweet

?lang=en

On top of that, Bernie has co-sponsored anti-immigration legislation with Chuck Grassley (R). Unlike Bernie, I seriously doubt that AOC is on the same page with both Steve King and Chuck Grassley:

https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/steve-king-spars-with-aoc-on-twitter-over-detention-center-toilets

Steve King spars with AOC on Twitter over detention center toilets

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fired back at Iowa's Steve King just a few hours after he tweeted out video of himself drinking water from fountain attached to toilet.

Earlier Wednesday, Congressman King told Iowans at a town hall in Eagle Grove he drank out of the water fountains at a detention center near the U.S. and Mexico border and that it was "actually pretty good."

It was in response to Ocasio-Cortez's previous criticism back in July about the conditions in detention centers. King said Ocasio-Cortez was being dishonest when she claimed migrants were forced to drink out of toilets when there's an actual water fountain attached to them.

Hours after the tweet Wednesday night, the Democrat from New York fired back at King, saying "There is genre of videos where GOP House members - who clearly didn't read sworn testimony that detention sinks were broken - filming themselves drinking out of toilet sinks. They’re so anti-immigrant they risk pink eye to show off that they didn’t do the reading #CloseTheCamps."

[LanternWaste]

37. What objective data leads you to allege BS is the 'most energetic'?

(and remember, bumper stickers don't count as objective evidence...)

[crazytown]

29. There's that pesky Holly Otterbein again -

Too many words, too many facts, too many quotes, too much atmosphere, too much journalism.

[JoeOtterbein]

35. Hahahhaaaa!

Thanks for the laugh!

Also, my FB friends & family loved your picture of Grandpaw Otter!

[crazytown]

44. LOL 'Grandpaw Otter'

That photo is one of a kind. Never seen another like it. I'm pleased the Otterbein family enjoyed it in the affectionate way that was intended.

[JoeOtterbein]

45. I'm going to wait a bit then change my FB pic to Grandpaw Otterbein.

His is like wayyy cuter than mine!

[crazytown]

47. I smile when I see your otter avatar here

I really like otters, so count my vote for a FB crotchety otter, loud and proud. Otterbein is a great name, although sometimes you must get fed up with allusions to 'the otter side' of the family.

[JoeOtterbein]

48. Actually I never heard that one before I used it. My friends always called me "Otter" but sometimes

...they would modify it to "Otterbutt"!

I haven't heard in a long while, and just sharing it still makes me laugh!

[calguy]

32. She's not a star who's accomplished anything yet

She's merely an attraction. It works to impress some, but not most. If in 10 years we can look back and list her accomplishments as we can Nancy, then she will be a true star.

[JoeOtterbein]

42. Awwww. Don't worry. AOC will be a star in your sky too one day. Could be if Joe wins the nomination.

[boomer_wv]

46. Pass

If Biden is the nominee I'd sooner have AOC go into radio silence for the rest of the election. She isn't going to be somebody that Biden has on the trail or as part of the campaign.

[LanternWaste]

38. I'd call a mere freshman legislator 'star power' too... if my narrative demanded that duplicity.

[BannonsLiver]

40. "Star" is highly subjective.

[Uncle Joe]

43. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread JoeOtterbein.