071519
Maybe politics is beanbag. Beanbags hurt. They ain’t fatal.
Joe Crowley was gracious in defeat. Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, he took his primary loss to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with grace. Bright, charming, interesting, she began planning more primary victories. By other insurgents. Against other entrenched Democrats.
The DCCC would have none of it. Nor Nancy Pelosi. Protect incumbents. Stop insurgents. The DCCC decided. Any consultant who works with an insurgent against an incumbent will be barred from working for incumbents.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been squeezed. Criticized by Republicans for being radical. Criticized by Democrats for describing immigrant detention centers as concentration camps, for being insensitive about the Holocaust. Limited in her ability to help insurgents target Democrats.
The Congressional black Caucus criticized her for backing primary opponents to Representative Henry Cuellar (TX 28) and Lacy Clay (MO 01) and maybe others. No matter that Cuellar is one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress and had a primary opponent in 2016. No matter that Lacy Clay inherited the seat from his father and had primary opponents in 2018, 2016, and 2012.
AOC’s chief of staff didn’t help when he compared moderate and conservative Democratic Congressmen to mid 20th century southern segregationists. Nor did he help when he acknowledged the extent to which the Green New Deal was aimed at reducing income inequality.
AOC should fire him. No matter how much she likes him and relies on him. Fire him. Let him take the blame for this quarrel. Be a pol. Politics ain’t beanbag? Maybe politics is beanbag. Beanbag hurts, but it ain’t fatal.