Rep, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) had just 98 seconds to get her message across on the second night of the Democratic National Convention. She packed a lot into her time and the moment became one of the most talked-about of the night. Here’s what she said:
Good evening, bienvenidos, and thank you to everyone here today endeavoring toward a better, more just future for our country and our world, in fidelity and gratitude to a mass people’s movement working to establish 21st-century social, economic and human rights, including guaranteed health care, higher education, living wages and labor rights for all people in the United States.
A movement striving to recognize and repair the wounds of racial injustice, colonization, misogyny and homophobia. And to propose and build reimagined systems of immigration and foreign policy that turn away from the violence and xenophobia of our past. A movement that realizes the unsustainable brutality of an economy that rewards explosive inequalities of wealth for the few, at the expense of long-term stability for the many. And who organized a historic, grass roots campaign to reclaim our democracy.
In a time when millions of people in the United States are looking for deep systemic solutions to our crisis of mass evictions, unemployment, and lack of health care, en el 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.
Many applauded AOC for her message, but for those who didn’t know the story behind why she ended her speech by nominating Sanders, Vox explains:
Her speech was not an endorsement of Sanders in some ongoing contest with former Vice President Joe Biden, but rather part of standard practice at the DNC, where any candidate who secures enough delegates is eligible to get “nominated” to the party’s ticket. Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks Tuesday evening were a symbolic nomination of Sanders aimed at acknowledging his run and his contributions.
While she didn’t mention Biden in her speech, a short time after her remarks, she tweeted: “Congratulations, @JoeBiden – I deeply look forward to fighting for our future together and reclaiming our democracy in November. Thank you @DemConvention for having me deliver Sen. Sanders’ roll call nomination speech. It’s been an absolute honor. #NotMeUs & #Biden2020″
She also tried to clarify the rules.
If you were confused, no worries!
Convention rules require roll call & nominations for every candidate that passes the delegate threshold.
I was asked to 2nd the nom for Sen. Sanders for roll call.
I extend my deepest congratulations to @JoeBiden – let’s go win in November. 🇺🇸 https://t.co/uI92P3UfLn
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 19, 2020
The 30-year-old says this was a case of people not doing their research. NBC News, for one, tweeted out, “In one of the shortest speeches at the DNC, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez did not endorse Biden.” AOC responded saying, “This is completely unacceptable, disappointing, and appalling. The DNC shared the procedural purpose of my remarks to media WELL in advance. @NBC knew what was going to happen & that it was routine. How does a headline that malicious & misleading happen w/ that prior knowledge?”
NBC did offer a clarification, but the NY Congresswoman pointed out the damage that had already been done, writing “You waited several hours to correct your obvious and blatantly misleading tweet. It sparked an enormous amount of hatred and vitriol, & now the misinfo you created is circulating on other networks. All to generate hate-clicks from a pre-recorded, routine procedural motion.”
Editor's note and clarification (2/2):
Ocasio-Cortez was asked by the DNC to second Sanders' nomination. The nomination is a procedural requirement of the convention.
Ocasio-Cortez has previously endorsed Biden, & her speech was similar in length to other nominating speeches.
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 19, 2020
Watch AOC’s speech above.