Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that it was “critically important” for former Vice President Joe Biden to give progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) a Cabinet position if he is elected president.
Anchor Jake Tapper said, “Politico is reporting that Senator Bernie Sanders, who you endorsed for the Democratic presidential nomination, that Sanders has expressed an interest as being Biden’s labor secretary if Biden wins the White House. How crucial is it to the progressive movement that Biden offers an important position to Bernie Sanders in a Biden Cabinet, should that happen, should Biden win?”
Ocasio-Cortez said, “Well, I think it’s extremely important. I think what a lot of people kind of misunderstand about the progressive movement is that it wasn’t a slogan when Bernie ran on saying, ‘Not me, us.’ And so it’s not just about where Bernie Sanders is next term or what role that Sen. Sanders is playing, but it’s really about who the Biden administration is choosing to lead agencies across the board.”
She continued, “I believe it is critically important that Biden administration appoint progressive leaders whether it’s in Labor, whether it is in the Treasury or Secretary of Education, etc. The fact of the matter is that this isn’t just about the progressive movement. This is about making sure that we’re not just going back to how things were and rewinding the tape before the Trump administration,”
She added, “But this is about making sure, how are we going to not just make up for lost time, but leap into the future and actually ensure we are making the investments and policy decisions that will create an advanced American society. And, frankly, conservative appointments will not get us there.”
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