'Dumbest Thing' Is Far Right's Latest Attack On AOC For Miami Vacation
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Reprinted with permission from AlterNet
Almost three years after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City was first sworn into Congress, far-right Republicans continue to be obsessed with the progressive Democratic congresswoman — and many of their attacks on her fall painfully flat. A case in point: Republicans playing “gotcha!” in response to a new photo of a maskless AOC drinking outside during a visit to Miami.
People who aren’t regular consumers of right-wing media, upon seeing the photo that’s supposed to inspire outrage, are likely to respond, “So what?” A New York Post tweet reads, “AOC pictured dining maskless in Miami Beach as Omicron cases soar.”
BREAKING: AOC Spotted in Miami Beach as NYC Reports Record Covid Caseshttps://www.nationalreview.com/news/aoc-spotted-in-miami-beach-as-nyc-reports-record-covid-cases/\u00a0\u2026— Philip Klein (@Philip Klein) 1640920550
The implication, evidently, is that Ocasio-Cortez isn’t practicing COVID-19 safety even though she has been an outspoken proponent of vaccines, masks and social distancing precautions. But AOC, in that photo, is outside in the open air and several feet apart from the person she was dining or drinking with. AOC never called for 24/7 isolation and ceasing all human contact in response to the pandemic.
The Washington Post’s David Weigel found the right-wing non-issue puzzling, and The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson found it to be just plain “dumb.”
Didn't get why this was a controversy. Realized that some people who don't live in blue states assume the worst about blue state covid policies. See: Ted Cruz tweeting about a policy in "WA" (Western Australia) and assuming it was Washington state.https://twitter.com/DKThomp/status/1476982700519182349\u00a0\u2026— David Weigel (@David Weigel) 1640975430
The "We caught AOC drinking outside (ok?) without a mask (that's how ppl drink?) in a warm state whose governor she dislikes (what?)" cycle is the dumbest thing I've seen all year. \n\nIs there a Derangement Tax Credit I don't know about that ppl are rushing to claim by midnight?https://twitter.com/jordanbpeterson/status/1476980275091492872\u00a0\u2026— Derek Thompson (@Derek Thompson) 1640975091
Far-right Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' office posted:
Welcome to Florida, AOC!\n\nWe hope you\u2019re enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL\u2019s leadership.https://twitter.com/philipaklein/status/1476753941157359619\u00a0\u2026— Team DeSantis (@Team DeSantis) 1640923885
AOC responded:
Hasn\u2019t Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks?\n\nIf he\u2019s around, I would be happy to say hello. His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks.\n\nIn the meantime, perhaps I could help with local organizing. Folks are quite receptive here :)https://twitter.com/teamrondesantis/status/1476767929064693766\u00a0\u2026— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1640979028
Here are some more responses to the far-right’s latest anti-AOC attack:
There's no mandate, shes vaccinated, boostered, shes 6 feet away..whats the problem?— Momto2Goldens (@Momto2Goldens) 1640968593
She broke no rules\u2026very silly— Tony Volpon (@Tony Volpon) 1640976752
People have made up a weird mischaracterization for what is happening in blue states. \n\nHaving a drink outside is...exactly what people have been doing the last 18 months!— Matt Darling \ud83c\udf10\ud83d\udcb8\ud83c\udf07 (@Matt Darling \ud83c\udf10\ud83d\udcb8\ud83c\udf07) 1640975202
The hypocrisy they are apparently pointing out literally makes zero sense. NYC and every other blue area allow you to dine outside maskless.— Sean (@Sean) 1640976612
It\u2019s just a witless \u201cwhat about?\u201d ism pushback against the criticism DeSantis is getting, which would have been punctured if he\u2019d only issued a two sentence statement. And also\u2014difference between being a rep from a single CD and top executive in a state.— Richard Yeselson (@Richard Yeselson) 1640975903
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