Ocasio-Cortez Complains About What Trump Called Her During Debate: 'Disrespect of Women'
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez complained that President Donald Trump was being disrespectful when he called her “AOC” during Thursday’s presidential debate.
“I wonder if Republicans understand how much they advertise their disrespect of women in debates when they consistently call women members of Congress by nicknames or first names while using titles & last names when referring to men of = stature,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.
“Women notice. It conveys a lot.”
The New York Democrat was referring to comments Trump made during the debate when he was criticizing Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s climate plan.
“If you look at what he wants to do, if you look at his plan, his environmental plan, do you know who developed it? AOC plus three, they know nothing about the climate,” Trump said Thursday.
“I mean, she’s got a good line of stuff, but she knows nothing about the climate and they’re all hopping through hoops for AOC plus three.”
The president was referencing Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusets, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan who have become known as “the Squad.”
Ocasio-Cortez said the nickname “AOC” was “given to me by community & the people. Y’all can call me AOC.”
“Government colleagues referring to each other in a public or professional context (aka who don’t know me like that) should refer to their peers as ‘Congresswoman,’ ‘Representative,’ etc. Basic respect 101,” she tweeted.
AOC is a name given to me by community & the people. Y’all can call me AOC.
Government colleagues referring to each other in a public or professional context (aka who don’t know me like that) should refer to their peers as “Congresswoman,” “Representative,”etc. Basic respect 101
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 23, 2020
Twitter users were not exactly sympathetic to Ocasio-Cortez’s complaint.
“It’s not a name it’s simply your initials. Ever heard people say JFK MLK RFK RBG,” Chris Manning tweeted.
“People who demand to be addressed by titles are usually the most self centered self important insufferable people to be around.”
It’s not a name it’s simply your initials. Ever heard people say JFK MLK RFK RBG
People who demand to be addressed by titles are usually the most self centered self important insufferable people to be around.— Chris Manning (@Manning4USCong) October 23, 2020
“What about your highly esteemed colleague congresswoman Tlaib called potus a mofo?” one Twitter user asked.
What about when your highly esteemed colleague congresswoman Tlaib called potus a mofo?
— Udit (@uditgoyal95) October 23, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez served as co-chair of a panel that advised Biden on climate change, one of six “Biden-[Bernie] Sanders Unity Task Forces” that were created to try to unify the Democratic Party ahead of the general election in November.
“She believes the moment will only be successful if we continue to apply pressure both inside and outside the system,” Ocasio-Cortez spokeswoman Lauren Hitt told The Washington Post in May.
“This is just one element of the broader fight for just policies.”
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