Former president Barack Obama notably snubbed Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New House candidate, when he endorsed more than 80 Democrats back in August.
But Obama on Monday finally endorsed Ocasio-Cortez, who has joined forces with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to push free health care and college for all, along with other socialist ideas that experts estimate will cost $40 trillion. The socialist candidate took a high profile after she defeated House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley in a primary.
“The Democratic Party has always made the biggest difference in the lives of the American people when we lead with conviction, principle, and bold, new ideas. Our incredible array of candidates up and down the ticket, all across the country, make up a movement of citizens who are younger, more diverse, more female than ever before,” Obama said.
“They’re Americans who aren’t just running against something, but for something. They’re running to expand opportunity and restore the honor and compassion that should be the essence of public service. I’m proud to endorse so many of them today, and I’m eager to continue making the case for why they deserve our votes this November.”
Obama snubbed the 28-year-old former bartender in August, even though Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez has called her the “future of our party.”
But Ocasio-Cortez has stumbled badly since her rise to fame. Last month, Ocasio-Cortez appeared on the CNN morning show “State of the Union” where host Jake Tapper asked her how she’d pay for all her costly programs — especially when her proposed tax increases would bring in just $2 trillion in new revenue.
Her answer included this gem: “… When you look at the economic activity that it spurs — for example, if you look at my generation, millennials, the amount of economic activity that we do not engage in. The fact that we delay purchasing homes, that we don’t participate in the economy as purchasing cars as fully as fully as possible is a cost. It is an externality, if you will, of unprecedented amount of student loan debt.”
Hmm. Sounds qualified for Congress.
The Republican National Committee mocked the endorsement.
“President Obama oversaw the slowest economic recovery in modern history and it cost Democrats more than 1,000 seats. By tying these candidates to his failed economic policies, he’s helping ensure they suffer the same fate,” said RNC spokesman Michael Ahrens.