Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana thinks that the future of the Democratic Party is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
Not that he thinks much of her, or the Democrats, apparently — a party which, according to him, needs instructions on how to wash their hair.
In a town-hall interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, along with several of his GOP Senate colleagues, which aired on Wednesday, Kennedy responded to the idea that the new leadership of the Democratic Party is Sen. Bernie Sanders and Reps. Ocasio-Cortez and Jasmine Crockett of Texas.
“I consider Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez to be the leader of the Democratic Party,” Kennedy said. “She’s entitled to her opinion. I’m entitled to mine.”
Then came a withering quip from a senator known for them: “As I’ve said about her before, I think she’s the reason there are directions on a shampoo bottle.”
After some laughter from everyone: “Our plan for dealing with her is ‘Operation Let Her Speak.’”
I’m not sure which comes away looking worse here, AOC or the shampoo.
However, he’s not necessarily wrong; while it’s early days, there are polling averages for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, and Ocasio-Cortez is tied for third in 270 to Win’s average with 7 percent, behind former Vice President Kamala Harris with 31.3 percent and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg with 10.7 percent.
Was Sen. Kennedy’s jab over the line or fitting?
And, in a primary battle against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in 2026 — a race which many have encouraged AOC to run in after Schumer capitulated to Republicans on the budget — she leads by 19 points in a Data for Progress poll conducted in March, 55 percent to 36 percent. That means she could unseat the most powerful Democrat in New York before the general election even started — just like how she eliminated the most powerful House Democrat in New York, Joseph Crowley, in a 2018 primary.
That’s how it’s going. This is how it started:
Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attacks Israel, calls them the occupiers of Palestine.
When pressed on what she meant she struggled to give an answer and then admitted she does not know what she is talking about. pic.twitter.com/e3Uq1eupD3
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) July 16, 2018
Yes, this is her before she became a representative and was the darling of the Democratic Party, talking about what the “occupation of Palestine,” which she used not infrequently, meant to her.
“Oh! Um. I think what I meant is, like, the settlements that are increasing in some of these areas and places where Palestinians are experiencing difficulty in access to their housing and homes.” Asked to expand on that: “Yeah, I mean, I think, I’d also just — I am not the expert on geopolitics on this issue.”
That hasn’t stopped her from opining on things she clearly has no experience on, as her time in Congress has demonstrated. She’s now busy saying that any sort of Republican win means that fascism is on the march:
AOC: “We are about to enter a period of fascism and authoritarianism” pic.twitter.com/VDkyeB99zz
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 7, 2024
Perhaps that’s why Democrats in a more precarious position — like Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, barely elected in a state Donald Trump carried easily this time around — said last month at a town hall that her state’s politics “require me to be more than just an AOC.”
“I can’t do what she does, because we live in a purple state and I’m a pragmatist,” she said to a voter who rattled off AOC and other congressional progressives. “Everyone you mentioned has a lot of words, but what have they actually done to change the situation with Donald Trump?”
Nothing. But don’t expect that to diminish her influence. You own her now. And please do pass it along: It’s lather, rinse, then repeat.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
