ABC Hails Ocasio-Cortez as Possible ‘Kingmaker’ in 2020 Dem Primary

June 16th, 2019 1:21 PM

Freshman New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has become a darling of the liberal media because of her young age and unabashed promotion of socialism. They celebrated her ludicrous Green New Deal while ignoring her many campaign finance violations and ethics questions.

Now, during Sunday’s Good Morning America and This Week, ABC chief White House correspondent Jon Karl hailed the influence the Congresswoman could have over the 2020 Democratic primary process and perhaps “play kingmaker” with her endorsement.

The fawning began on GMA, where co-anchor Dan Harris recalled that Ocasio-Cortez had “been vocal at times in her criticism of the Democratic front-runner”, former Vice President Joe Biden. He wanted to know, “how much work is Biden going to have to do to in order win over AOC and her fans?” If he were to win the nomination, of course.

Karl gushed about how “you can argue that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the most sought-after endorsement in this Democratic primary. And it's hard to imagine a scenario where Joe Biden wins her over in the primary.”

After suggesting that was “the big question”, Karl recounted how Ocasio-Cortez had already ripped Biden for claiming he had the most “progressive” record of the entire 2020 field. “That is something we’ve already heard from AOC saying she thinks is completely ridiculous,” he noted.

At the top of This Week, Karl teased his interview with the Congresswoman with these superficial questions: “Who will she endorse? Will she play kingmaker in the 2020 Democratic primary?

 

 

Following the liberal media’s obligatory questions about impeaching President Trump, Karl dove into the 2020 endorsement hype. “All right, so let's turn to the 2020 campaign. Are you going to endorse,” he asked with obvious excitement.

Despite Ocasio-Cortez’s repeated comments that she wasn’t ready to endorse yet, citing the lack of debates so far, Karl pressed her on the possibility of endorsing Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, her socialist comrade:

KARL: Bernie Sanders just announced his list of New York endorsements. You obviously weren’t on that list because you’re not endorsing. Did he ask for your endorsement?

(…)

KARL: Would he have an edge? I mean, you volunteered for his campaign, he supported your campaign.

A short time later, Karl asked her if she felt “Democrats will lose to Donald Trump if they don't nominate” “a true progressive”. Ocasio-Cortez thought there was a good chance her party could lose in 2020.

Citing the Congresswoman’s criticism of the large Democratic field and how she wanted to see candidates like former Congressman John Delaney “eliminated”, Karl was eager to know “who else should step out of this race?

ABC was really putting a lot of unearned influence in the hands of a freshman representative that had absolutely zero accomplishments in their career.

The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:

ABC’s Good Morning America
June 16, 2019
8:06:55 a.m. Eastern

DAN HARRIS: You're going to be talking to Freshman Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC. She’s become a breakout left-wing star. She’s been vocal at times in her criticism of the Democratic front-runner in the race to take on Donald Trump, Joe Biden. So, how much work is Biden going to have to do to in order win over AOC and her fans?

JON KARL: Well, I’m going to ask her exactly that. Hopefully, she's not listening, Dan, now she knows what I'm going to ask. You know, that's a critical question. I think that you can argue that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the most sought-after endorsement in this Democratic primary. And it's hard to imagine a scenario where Joe Biden wins her over in the primary.

The big question is, if Biden wins the nomination, can he convince Ocasio-Cortez or more importantly all of her supporters that he could be the progressive standard bearer. As you know, Biden called himself the candidate with the most progressive record in this field. That is something we’ve already heard from AOC saying she thinks is completely ridiculous. She's not a fan of Biden. It’s going to take a lot of work from Biden ultimately to win her over and her supporters over.

(…)

 

ABC’s This Week
June 16, 2019
9:00:45 a.m. Eastern

JON KARL: Plus, AOC unfiltered.

ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: An impeachment inquiry is right on our doorstep.

KARL: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez live in studio for her first Sunday show interview since taking office. Who will she endorse? Will she play kingmaker in the 2020 Democratic primary? And her reaction to the President's suggesting that he accept help from a foreign power.

(…)

9:37:49 a.m. Eastern

KARL: All right, so let's turn to the 2020 campaign. Are you going to endorse?

OCASIO-CORTEZ: Uh. I mean. Not now. [Laughter] It's possible that I'll endorse later on perhaps, you know, I do not see myself endorsing any time soon. We haven't had our first debates yet. I'm very interested in seeing how things will play out. So, we’ll see.

KARL: Bernie Sanders just announced his list of New York endorsements. You obviously weren’t on that list because you’re not endorsing. Did he ask for your endorsement?

OCASIO-CORTEZ: He hasn't. he hasn’t.

(…)

KARL: Would he have an edge? I mean, you volunteered for his campaign, he supported your campaign.

(…)

KARL: So, do you believe that Democrats will lose to Donald Trump if they don't nominate somebody who is, in your mind, a true progressive along the lines that you just described?

(…)

KARL: I saw that you said recently there are too many candidates. 23 I think at the latest count. And you’ve called for I think you sad “eliminations”. And one of those you named was John Delaney, who you said should sashay his way out. But, who else, who else should step out of this race?

(…)

KARL: Do you think Democrats in hindsight made a mistake by giving Bill Clinton a pass all those years over his treatment of women?

(...)