MSNBC host Jen Psaki circled back with some pointed criticism of House Democrats during a recent broadcast in which she chided them for rejecting Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) for a top committee position.
Ocasio-Cortez ran unsuccessfully to become the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, losing out to Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA). Psaki argued that House Democrats missed “a big opportunity” in rejecting Ocasio-Cortez.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was instrumental in scuttling the New York lawmaker’s chances of winning the position. “This is one of the few committees in Congress that actually generates national attention or media coverage,” Psaki said. “Under Jamie Raskin, it became a critical platform for countering Republican misinformation.”
The host further stated that the prospect of having a younger representative in this position was a mistake.
While I have deep, deep respect for Speaker Pelosi, she’s been on this show many times, she’s fierce, and nothing against Congressman Connolly at all, this felt like an obvious chance to apply some of the lessons we should have learned from the November election, right? Instead, Democrats passed over one of the youngest, most media-savvy members of Congress for a key leadership public role.
Jen Psaki blasts Democrats for voting against AOC for top spot on House Oversight Committee.
— Jeff Charles, Doni's St. Bernard🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) December 26, 2024
"House Democrats missed...a big opportunity." pic.twitter.com/gki3x3HY0Y
Connolly defeated Ocasio-Cortez by a margin of 34-27. The New York lawmaker’s allies argued that the Steering Committee, which voted on the position, has an inherent bias in favor of older lawmakers. However, others, like Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), insisted that Connolly is “a very good communicator,” according to Axios.
While making her case for the position on the Oversight Committee, AOC attempted to cast her role as vital when it comes to countering the incoming Trump administration. She argued that the new administration will be “profound and consequential” and insisted that the committee focus on its “history of both holding administrations accountable and taking on the economic precarity and inequality that is challenging the American way of life.”
Ocasio-Cortez pointed to her record of going after Trump, specifically her collaboration with investigators on Michael Cohen’s testimony against the president-elect, which contributed to a $355 million fraud verdict.
AOC even received support from an unlikely figure: House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who complimented the lawmaker during an interview on Fox News Live. He said she is “better spoken” than other Democrats and noted that Democrats “have nowhere to go but up.”
Comer said AOC is “a lot nicer than Jamie Raskin, and she’s pleasant to be around.” However, he acknowledged that “My endorsement of AOC is probably hurting her, which…I think is amusing.”
Psaki’s comments likely reflect many Democratic voters and operatives who desperately want younger and fresher faces to take more of a role in the party’s leadership. Yet, the old guard appears intent on maintaining their grip on power. Folks like Pelosi and others have hesitated to pass the baton to the younger generations, which has prompted an internal civil war between the younger faction and the establishment that has been in control for decades.
What Psaki sees is that after the ignominious defeat Democrats suffered on Election Day, the party is still sticking to business as usual, which will likely result in more Republican victories.
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