A PROFILE OF ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ
an establishmentarian flourish reminiscent of Hillary Clinton’s monogram, “AOC” – siphoned from their campaigns. But the thrill of her win almost doubled donations to the mutually endorsed candidates, all fellow heirs to Sanders’ presidential campaign. In a closed- door rap session with reporters after the rally, she let Teachout take most of the questions. But it was Ocasio-Cortez the students were waiting outside the door to see. In brown sandals, black jeans, and a cropped khaki blazer over a Zephyr Teachout T-shirt, she greeted selfie-wishers like they were old friends. And it felt that way to the students, too. One, Jessica Meneses, who also hails from the Bronx, described her preference for Ocasio- Cortez as a kind of hometown simpatico . “In terms of policy, I have to learn more about her,” she said, “But I know where she comes from, and I know she gets the struggle.” Meneses registered to vote in New Paltz after the school year started in late August, so she can’t vote for Ocasio-Cortez as she’d hoped. She’s not alone in her disappointment. For many at the rally, the star power of Ocasio- Cortez renewed their interest in politics, which had been waning since Sanders lost the 2016 nomination. Socialism-curious cynic Alex Martino, a SUNY student who hung around after the rally with a friend from the campus chapter of the International Socialist Organization, still resents the Democratic establishment for what they did to Sanders. “Her ideas, especially that a movement is bigger than policy or politics, are right. But I’m cynical,” Martino said, adding that he “wouldn’t
be surprised” to see an outsider candidate like Ocasio-Cortez accommodate herself to corporate centrism now that she’s tasted power and fame. “At least she still calls herself a socialist.” Beating Crowley catapulted Ocasio-Cortez to international fame unseen since Sanders. And progressive Democrats have needed her on the trail, which took her to Delaware, Michigan, and San Francisco before she headed back home to the outer boroughs. “I’ve only been out of the district 11 days in three months,” she told me after the rally, perceptibly losing patience while Trent and the team still smiled along. “Those are the days the media likes to focus on,” she added, turning the critique back on me and my overly-critical ilk. As we in the press like to point out, she has in recent history struggled with irrefutable facts... One recent stumble was the status of Puerto Rico’s sovereignty – she called it “a colony of the U.S.,” then backtracked in a campaign e-mail. Days before, she’d struggled to answer a question posed by CNN’s Jake Tapper – namely, how she would pay for the estimated $40 trillion cost of 10 years’ worth of Medicare for all, guaranteed jobs, government housing, and free college. She couldn’t say. She hasn’t said yet whether she’s met with Pelosi since her big win, or to what extent she’ll challenge the California Democrat, a powerful fundraiser who’s unpopular with her party’s far-left wing. Ocasio-Cortez wouldn’t be wise to cross Pelosi if she wants to have any influence as a freshman congresswoman, New York-based Democratic consultant Morgan
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