Ocasio-Cortez Reflects on Early Pandemic Rhetoric

In a recent ABC interview, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York discussed her views on the approaches taken by democratic socialists during the early pandemic, which caught the attention of presenter John Doyle.

With a chuckle, she remarked, “Wake 1 was crazy.” Ocasio-Cortez elaborated that while the policy discussions at that time were “fruitful,” the way they communicated was different now. “The rhetoric back then isn’t what we would use today,” she noted.

Doyle responded, pointing out that rhetoric is just about style; it doesn’t reflect intent or policy. He implied that the shift in language is an attempt to avoid offending average Americans, suggesting it’s a deliberate scaling back.

His commentary leaned towards the notion that shift in focus is strategic, especially with Ocasio-Cortez looking toward a larger political role in the future, possibly in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, where DSA-aligned candidates have been gaining traction.

“AOC represents the face of the progressive left, and it seems she wants to treat that part of her history as somewhat closed off,” he remarked. But he emphasized that a more subdued approach, branded as “Woke 2,” is in motion.

He argued, “We’ll be talking softly, but we still have powerful goals. The plan now isn’t to shock the public; rather, it’s about gaining power first and then pushing the same priorities with a different presentation.” Doyle implied that Ocasio-Cortez’s dismissal of “Woke 1” is more of a public relations strategy, giving her supporters the green light to continue endorsing controversial policies.

Among those controversial ideas, he noted topics such as defunding the police, diversity initiatives, and various gender identity issues. “We’re trying to be less overt, but we aim to keep moving towards the long-term objectives we’ve had since the 1960s,” he added.