Ocasio-Cortez Says a Biden Presidential Run Doesn't 'Animate' Her

By Hunter Walker, Yahoo News

23 April 19

ep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who was an organizer for Bernie Sanders’s 2016 campaign, said she will back whoever the Democrats nominate for president in 2020 — but she would clearly prefer someone other than former Vice President Joe Biden.

The freshman congresswoman, who became a rising star in the party after scoring a shocking victory against a high-ranking Democrat last year, said she hasn’t picked a 2020 candidate to support.

“I truly do not have one yet. I truly do not,” Ocasio-Cortez said on the Yahoo News podcast “Skullduggery.”

But the prospect of a Biden run doesn’t “animate” her, she said.

At least 18 Democrats have entered the presidential race, and others are considering joining their ranks. Ocasio-Cortez demurred when asked if she will back Sanders again, and threw out the name of another presidential candidate who has caught her eye, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

“I’m very supportive of Bernie’s run. ... I haven’t endorsed anybody, but I’m very supportive of Bernie,” Ocasio-Cortez said, adding, “I also think what Elizabeth Warren has been bringing to the table is … truly remarkable, truly remarkable and transformational.”

While Biden hasn’t officially entered the race, he is leading many polls of the primary field. Yahoo News asked Ocasio-Cortez if she would support him.

“I don’t know. I mean … I will support whoever the Democratic nominee is,” she said.

Yet she seemed decidedly unenthusiastic about the prospect of a Biden candidacy.

“That does not particularly animate me right now,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

The congresswoman said she has “a lot of issues” with a potential Biden White House bid.

“I can understand why people would be excited by that, this idea that we can go back to the good old days with Obama, with Obama’s vice president,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “There’s an emotional element to that, but I don’t want to go back. I want to go forward.”

Might she run for higher office one day herself?

“I really don’t know,” she said. “I think about it every once in a while, but … this is pretty hard already.”

She was asked to explain what she thinks about when considering the possibility of running for another position.

“I just want to be most useful, and I’m not trying to kind of impose some personal ambition,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “I think that, if a window opens and I feel like I can do well, and do better, and offer more to people, then I would consider it. But … I don’t have like a 10-year plan or a five-year plan or anything.”