At her first major appearance at the Democratic National Convention, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York addressed the crowd by expressing gratitude to Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and President Joe Biden for their leadership and vision.
Ocasio-Cortez shared her own experiences of growing up in a middle-class family in New York, drawing parallels to the backgrounds of Harris and Walz. She emphasized the importance of hard work, stating, “There is nothing wrong with working for a living. Imagine having leaders who understand that,” which resonated with the audience.
This marked a significant moment for Ocasio-Cortez, who was given a primetime slot after her brief recorded endorsement of Senator Bernie Sanders at the DNC in 2020.
During her speech, she criticized former President Donald Trump, accusing him of prioritizing personal gain over the needs of Americans. She expressed her frustration, saying, “I, for one, am tired of hearing about how a two-bit union buster thinks of himself as more of a patriot than the woman who fights every single day to lift working people out from under the boots of greed trampling on our way of life.”
Ocasio-Cortez also made a notable reference to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, acknowledging Harris’s efforts toward pursuing a ceasefire in the region.
As she concluded her speech, the crowd erupted in chants of “AOC! AOC!” in support of the congresswoman as she left the stage.