AngloPress: --- Making her primetime debut at the Democratic National Convention, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a powerful appeal on Monday night, urging Democrats to rally behind nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and "deliver on an ambitious agenda for the people.""We choose a new path, opening the door to a new day, one that is truly for the people and by the people," she declared.
This speech marked a significant shift from her brief 90-second introduction of Sen. Bernie Sanders at the 2020 DNC, as Ocasio-Cortez was granted a prominent speaking slot on the first night of this year’s convention. Reflecting on her working-class roots, she addressed attacks from Republicans who have disparaged her previous job as a bartender.
"Since my election, Republicans have taunted me about going back to bartending," Ocasio-Cortez said. "But I'm proud of that work. Imagine having leaders in the White House who understand and value that experience, like Kamala and Tim."
She praised Harris as someone who "understands the urgency of rent, groceries, and prescriptions."
"I am here tonight because we have a rare opportunity," Ocasio-Cortez said. "With Kamala Harris, we have a chance to elect a president who is genuinely for the middle class because she comes from it."
Ocasio-Cortez did not shy away from criticizing former President Donald Trump, earning enthusiastic applause as she described him as a "two-bit union buster" who would "sell this country for a dollar to line his own pockets and those of his Wall Street friends."
"The truth is, Don, you cannot love your country if you only fight for the wealthy and big business," she said. "To love this country is to fight for all its people—working people, everyday Americans like bartenders, factory workers, and fast-food cashiers."
Amid the applause and support for Harris, Ocasio-Cortez also acknowledged Harris’s efforts in international diplomacy, highlighting her work "to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bring hostages home."
