Ocasio-Cortez will work with former Democratic presidential nominee and Secretary of State John Kerry, the panel’s other co-chair, in a group that also includes Varshini Prakash, the executive director of the Sunrise Movement, the youth-led champions of the Green New Deal.
Republicans and no doubt the oil and gas industry were delighted at Biden’s appointment of AOC because they feel she will be a lightning rod for criticism from conservatives.
After all, AOC was roundly criticized last month when she celebrated with Tweets after oil prices plunged into negative territory.
“You absolutely love to see it,” she tweeted then quickly deleted the message.
“This along with record low interest rates means it’s the right time for a worker-led, mass investment in green infrastructure to save our planet. *cough*,” Ocasio-Cortez continued.
When Bernie Sanders’ communications director Mike Casca responded “like some kind of new deal?”, Ocasio-Cortez cheerfully replied, “Great idea!”
The task forces, which also cover health care, the economy, criminal justice and education, include a lineup of progressive leaders and top Biden campaign aides and allies. Sanders revealed plans to form the advisory panels when he dropped out of the presidential primary last month, a sign of both campaigns’ desire to form a united front against President
Donald Trump and smooth over worries among Democrats that the party would splinter along ideological lines according to
CNN. “It’s no great secret out there, Joe, that you and I have our differences, and we’re not going to paper them over. That’s real,” Sanders said when he endorsed Biden in April. “But I hope that these task forces will come together utilizing the best minds and people in your campaign and in my campaign to work out real solutions to these very, very important problems.”
Biden echoed that in a statement Wednesday morning, with a special emphasis on the message he hopes the joint effort will send to factional Democrats.
“A united party is key to defeating Donald Trump this November and moving our country forward through an unprecedented crisis,” Biden said. “As we work toward our shared goal, it is especially critical that we not lose sight of the pressing issues facing Americans.”
Sanders commended Biden in his own statement for seeking out “the best ideas” and “working together with my campaign to assemble a group of leading thinkers and activists who can and will unify our party in a transformational and progressive direction.”
Two sources familiar with the discussions told CNN that former President Barack Obama had been involved in the initial discussions about forming the task forces. A former top Sanders aide praised Biden’s team for its cooperation and said it did not reject any of the Sanders camp’s recommendations. In turn, the source said, the Sanders team chose its representatives carefully — steering clear of “bomb throwers” and focusing on experts, activists and lawmakers, like Ocasio-Cortez, with a sincere interest in collaboration.
Source: CNN
