Critics tore into New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for an interview she did recently with former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on MSNBC, with some labeling the whole segment “softball,” a term that means it was an easy interview that contained no challenging questions. During the interview, Psaki asked AOC what most people seem to get wrong about her or to share something that most folks don’t know about her. It’s the kind of question you’d expect to be asked as an ice breaker during a new small group Bible study, not on a journalistic news program.
“When I meet with colleagues or individuals that I had not met with before, they are surprised that I do my homework a lot,” Ocasio-Cortez replied, according to Fox News. Dr. Nicole Saphier slammed Ocasio-Cortez’s answer to the question as “really pathetic.”
“That answer, when she was asked walking along the river, you know what is something… powerful that people just don’t know about you and the only thing that she could come up with is that ‘I do my homework.’ That says ‘I am mediocre at best and I will do the minimum possible,’” Saphier explained on “The Big Weekend Show.” “‘I’m going to show up for congressional hearings, and I’ll have read the pamphlet that someone put together for me.’ That’s what that says.” She then said that Ocasio-Cortez has a “very wobbly relationship with facts,” and stated that the congresswoman will likely be a “great influencer” once she leaves public office.
“There is a 2019 article which essentially says that AOC has a really hard time when she speaks, she misquotes facts. She misspoke about the Keystone pipeline, her 2023 TikTok video, where she essentially made a TikTok account saying we shouldn’t be banning TikTok – that’s ‘banning free speech.’ And she’s completely negating the fact that there is a national security [risk]… when it comes to TikTok,” she continued. “I think she’s going to be a great influencer when her congressional days are over. And that’s about it.”
Charlie Hurt, a co-host for the program, stated that AOC doesn’t have to do her own homework or can “come off like she is doing her homework” due to the fact she “gets softball questions like that.”
“I’ve never seen a politician come to Congress who is more deeply beloved with zero record whatsoever than AOC, and she milks it brilliantly,” he continued. The show then provided a highlight montage that featured AOC’s “non-serious” moments after she sported a dress to the Met Gala that said, “Tax the Rich,” responded to questions concerning her morning routine with “Vogue” magazine, shared all sorts of tips for applying makeup and did a little jig outside of her office.
Tom Shillue, another co-host on the show, made the case that AOC is effective at being a politician because she is “good at this kind of stuff,” adding, “She’s good at all the social media stuff. When I see her talking on the… floor when she’s doing these committee, you know, question and answer – She’s not as impressive as she is when she’s doing makeup tips,” he said. “She’s good at these little things.”
He continued by saying AOC has gotten into a bit of trouble for wearing the infamous Met Gala dress due to becoming rich herself. “Everybody knows she’s a phony. But, you know, whatever works for her,” he added in the report’s conclusion.