Looks like Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have decided to bury the hatchet.
The dean of the House Democrats and the high-profile star of the partyβs progressive wing met Friday behind closed doors to βclear the air,β as the Associated Press reports.
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The meeting came about after the two have traded sharp words, culminating with the New York Democrat saying that the House Speaker had been βoutright disrespectfulβ by downplaying the contributions of herself and three other freshman congresswoman of color, collectively known as βthe Squadβ: Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).
Pelosi and other more veteran members of the Democratic caucus defended Pelosiβs remarks that the Squad represented βjust fourβ voices out of the dozens ofΒ Democrats in Congress.
But the dustup became overshadowed when Donald Trump launched a Twitter tirade this month against the Squad, basically telling them to βgo backβ where they came from if they were so unhappy with his policies and the direction heβs been taking the nation.
But on Friday, as the New York Times explains, Pelosi downplayed any differences with Ocasio-Cortez and, by extension, the Democratsβ more progressive arm.
βIn a family you have your differences, but youβre still family,β Ms.Pelosi told reporters later. She acknowledged βsome personality issues,β although she described them as βminor.β To underscore the point, she posted a photograph of herself and a smiling Ms. Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter.
Today, Congresswoman @RepAOC and I sat down to discuss working together to meet the needs of our districts and our country, fairness in our economy and diversity in our country. pic.twitter.com/eVp1LS0Gpw
β Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 26, 2019
Likewise, said Ocasio-Cortez, saying through a spokesman, per AP:
βIt was a very positive and productive meeting about progressive priorities.β
With next yearβs presidential race in full swing, Democrats are likely going to need to be as unified as possible if theyβre to have a chance of unseating Trump.
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