Last Updated on August 18, 2020
In a video detailing the policies she champions as a democratic socialist, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) snubbed former vice president Joe Biden and instead endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for president.
In a roughly 90-second video, the time allotted to her by the Democratic Party, Ocasio-Cortez delivered a rebuke against Biden and suggested that the former vice president and long time senator will not resolve the “systemic” issues she wants addressed if elected president.
“In a time when millions of people in the United States are looking for deep systemic solutions to our crises of mass evictions, unemployment, and lack of health care, and espíritu del pueblo and out of a love for all people, I hereby second the nomination of Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont for president of the United States of America,” said Ocasio-Cortez.
Some say the decision to nominate Sanders was made at the party’s behest as a show of unity, noting that President Barack Obama allowed Clinton to be nominated in 2008. President Obama beat Clinton in the delegate contest in 2008, though Clinton won the popular vote.
Huffington Post contributor Yashar Ali slammed NBC for its reporting of Ocasio-Cortez’s nomination, writing that “Hillary Clinton got the same respect in 2008,” and claiming that the gesture was “procedural” before demanding NBC “delete and clarify” their reporting.
This is an incredibly misleading tweet. @AOC filled a role others have in the past to honor the second place winner by symbolically nominating them. Hillary Clinton got the same respect in 2008.
It’s procedural! @NBCNews should delete and clarify https://t.co/paZ74nrvK1
— Yashar Ali 🐘 یاشار (@yashar) August 19, 2020
In 2008, CNN reported that “Obama’s campaign encouraged Clinton to put her name in roll call ‘as a show of unity and in recognition of the historic race she ran and the fact that she was the first woman to compete in all of our nation’s primary contests,’ according to a statement from the Clinton and Obama press offices.”
However, at the time CNN did not note that this is a tradition that extends beyond 2008. Instead, CNN reported that a source within the Obama campaign told them they “always knew it would probably have to happen.” and that “They have known since the day she dropped out that [Clinton] wanted this ‘for history.'”
Additionally, National File was not able to verify that Sanders was symbolically nominated during the 2016 convention.
Ocasio-Cortez previously endorsed Sanders during the Democratic Primaries. Sanders suspended his campaign after Biden began winning races after early suffering defeats in early voting states.
Sanders endorsed Biden in a video scripted for the convention aired on Monday.
This is a developing news story and may be updated as additional details become available.
