(Patriot.Buzz) – Highlighting her status as a “pariah” within her own party, a new book has revealed liberal Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s standing within the Democratic Party after breaking the status quo.
Ocasio-Cortez, commonly referred to as AOC, rapidly gained prominence as a favorite among progressive activists. Still, her entry into Congress was met with solid resistance from fellow Democrats, according to a new book titled “The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution,” authored by Ryan Grim.
Drawing on his experience as the Washington DC bureau chief for The Intercept, Grim describes Ocasio-Cortez as someone who wanted to “remake the system and to be thanked for doing it.”
Her early actions in Congress, such as defeating Joe Crowley, a ten-term incumbent, and challenging established party norms, marked her as a nuisance. Notably, in a meeting with then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Ocasio-Cortez was advised to abandon the “Abolish ICE” slogan, to which Ocasio-Cortez responded with skepticism.
Ocasio-Cortez’s unorthodox leftwing methods, including participating in a climate activist sit-in at Pelosi’s office, further alienated her from party leaders. In public, Pelosi maintained a cautious stance towards Ocasio-Cortez but slammed her behind the scenes.
Ocasio-Cortez shared with Grim via text, “The amount of times she told me that … ‘I have protest signs older than you in my basement’ s—. Like yeah, but mine don’t collect dust.”
The progressive congresswoman’s online influence, with over 13.2 million followers, sharply contrasted with the reality of her influence within Congress, a point underscored by Pelosi’s remarks in The New York Times in 2019. Pelosi’s comments highlighted the gap between Ocasio-Cortez’s social media presence and her actual legislative support.
Ocasio-Cortez’s approach also put her at odds with other party members, such as Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal. Grim describes a tense meeting between Ocasio-Cortez, her chief of staff, and Jayapal, who demanded that Ocasio-Cortez manage her staff more effectively.
Ocasio-Cortez’s support for Senator Bernie Sanders during the 2020 presidential primary and her subsequent backing of Joe Biden also stirred controversy within the party.
Despite these challenges, Ocasio-Cortez has gradually climbed the ranks in Congress, now serving as the vice-ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, one of the most prominent panels in the House.
Grim concludes that while Ocasio-Cortez is vocal and influential publicly, she struggles with internal conflicts and an aversion toward conflict, which has hindered her effectiveness in Congress.
