Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, recently addressed previous controversial comments made by her and other socialist politicians. Speaking on ABC’s ‘This Week,’ Ocasio-Cortez humorously referred to the ‘Woke 1’ era as ‘crazy,’ dismissing the extreme nature of past remarks.
During the interview, host Jon Karl asked Ocasio-Cortez to comment on Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong’s past controversial statements. Hong had once called for the cancellation of Thanksgiving and the abolition of prisons, positions she is now trying to distance herself from as she pursues the Democratic nomination in her state.
“I have a local city councilman that has this saying, ‘Woke 1 was crazy,'” Ocasio-Cortez said, laughing. “And I think that what’s important is that we have to assess what a candidate is saying now.”
Ocasio-Cortez was further queried about whether the socialist movement had gone ‘too far,’ referencing her previous support for defunding the police. She explained that most controversial statements were made during the peak of the COVID-19 shutdowns, a time when people were more open to change.
“I think that the doors were really open in trying to entertain any and every policy that was going to get us to a better place. And I actually think that the discussions that were had in that time were quite fruitful,” she stated. She stressed that current crime discussions differ fundamentally from those held during the lockdown period, with a shared goal of achieving the lowest possible crime rates.
Karl mentioned the Democratic Socialists of America’s (DSA) national program still lists abolishing the police as an objective. Ocasio-Cortez clarified her affiliation with the New York City chapter of DSA, noting she does not agree with all national positions.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez and the DSA for comment regarding her previous support for defunding the police in 2020.
Ocasio-Cortez’s relationship with the DSA has become contentious. The organization withdrew its endorsement for her 2024 re-election bid, citing her failure to oppose all funding to Israel and endorse boycotts and sanctions against the nation. The DSA has also been divided on whether to endorse Ocasio-Cortez for the 2028 presidential election.
Despite these tensions, a spokesperson for Canary Mission told Fox News Digital that an Ocasio-Cortez presidency could significantly empower the movement, granting its agenda access to the full power of the executive branch.
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