Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., commented on past controversial remarks made by her and other socialist politicians during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week”. She described the earlier “Woke 1” phase as “crazy” in a light-hearted manner. Host Jon Karl asked for her opinion on Francesca Hong, a Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate known for controversial statements like canceling Thanksgiving or abolishing prisons. Hong has retracted some of these views while pursuing the Democratic nomination.
Ocasio-Cortez shared a saying from a local city councilman, acknowledging that “Woke 1 was crazy.” She emphasized the importance of evaluating current statements of candidates. Karl probed whether the socialist movement had gone “too far”, noting her past support for defunding the police. Ocasio-Cortez clarified these comments came during the intense period of COVID shutdowns, when people were more open to change.
“The discussions during that time were quite fruitful,” she stated. She explained that today’s conversations about crime differ from those during lockdown. She believes that the goal remains to achieve a low crime rate and appreciates candidates having a platform to represent themselves currently.
Karl mentioned that the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), associated with many Democratic politicians like AOC, still advocates abolishing the police. Ocasio-Cortez noted her membership in the New York City chapter, not the national body, and distanced herself from certain positions. Previously, Ocasio-Cortez supported police defunding efforts in 2020.
Fox News Digital sought comments from Ocasio-Cortez and the DSA. The DSA had endorsed her political journey initially but withdrew support in 2024, citing unmet conditions like opposing all funding to Israel and supporting its boycott. Recently, the group debated endorsing her for the 2028 presidential race, reflecting internal discord.
A spokesperson for Canary Mission suggested that an AOC presidency would amplify the DSA’s influence by granting access to executive power. Fox News’ Peter Pinedo and Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report. Story suggestions can be directed to [email protected] and on Twitter: @lmkornick.
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