Nancy Pelosi is old-school backroom politics. Remember how she finessed the Speaker of the House position by cutting all kinds of deals with Democrats who initially wanted new blood up against Donald Trump and the White Walkers?
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So the levels of shade she keeps throwing toward Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, makes her look nervous and like a hater and like an old woman whoโs definitely afraid of a Daenerys Targaryen coming for her crown.
Side note: Game of Thrones just premiered on Sunday after a two-year hiatus so you are going to catch all these Thrones references. All. Of. Them.ย
During a Sunday night interview with 60 Minutes, Pelosi was asked by host Lesley Stahl: โYou have these wingsโAOC, and her group on one side-โ
Pelosi: Thatโs like five people.
Stahl: No, itโsโthe progressive group is more than five.
Pelosi: Well, the progressiveโIโm a progressive. Yeah.
Clearly, Pelosi is trying to downplay the level of influence that AOC has and is coming off like a jealous Real Housewife of Congress.
CNNโs editor-at-large Chris Cillizza also pointed out that this isnโt the first time this has happened:
Earlier this month, in an interview with USA Today, Pelosi said this of the influence of AOC and her followers: โWhile there are people who have a large number of Twitter followers, whatโs important is that we have large numbers of votes on the floor of the House.โ I wonder whom Pelosi could be talking about there????
In February, Pelosi was asked about the Green New Deal, a set of proposals aimed at addressing climate change that Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed. โIt will be one of several or maybe many suggestions that we receive,โ Pelosi responded dismissively. โThe green dream, or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but theyโre for it, right?โ
Pelosi doesnโt want this AOC smoke, but there might actually be fire as it doesnโt seem like AOC has reached out much to Pelosi and thatโs probably because Pelosi is a part of the old guard.
Also from Cillizzaโs piece:
The divide between Pelosi and AOC represents a broader disagreement within the party as it continues to grapple with how to deal with President Donald Trump. Ocasio-Cortez represents a new, younger breed of Democrat who is far more willing to confront Republicans and to fearlessly push very liberal solutions that could open them up to counterattacks from the GOP. Pelosi is old school โ a liberal, yes, but someone who has built a career on realpolitik, finding workable solutions amid a longer-game view of politics.
Whatโs fascinating is that the chasm between the Pelosi and AOC wings of the partyโalthough Pelosi would likely roll her eyes at the idea of an AOC wingโ isnโt really ideological. The Democratic Party, broadly speaking, has become more liberal overall during the past decade. And no one who knows anything would ever think of calling Pelosi a moderate. Rather the difference is in tactics and approach.
Pelosi needs to be careful though, as sheโs starting to nudge dangerously close to Fox News pundits who canโt keep AOCโs name off their thin, white, pasty lips. Also, the last thing the Democrats need is a full inter-party split where itโs the youngins vs. the discounted coffee crew at McDonaldโs.
At some point, as with all good superhero movies, the young hotshot who barely knows how to use his or her superpowers joins forces with the old superhero whoโs been doing this shit forever. Basically, Pelosi needs to stop hating and learn how to utilize AOCโs enthusiasm, charm and fresh-faced, wide-eyed passion instead of waiting on her to bend the knee, because AOCโs not built like that.
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