Photo: Charles Krupa/AP/REX/Shutterstock
When it comes to Twitter, it looks like President Donald Trump has some competition.
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was one of a wave of new faces joining Congress earlier this month, made C-SPAN history when a video of her speech from the House floor went viral on Twitter on Thursday.
As of Friday afternoon, the just-over four minute video had 2.48 million views.
That record-breaking stat follows arecent study of total engagement on Twitter, in December and January. While Trump ranked far and away at No. 1, Ocasio-Cortez — unknown a year ago — was No. 2.
Ocasio-Cortezoutlined how an air traffic controller in the Bronx,whom she represents, is suffering as he misses paychecks. (Some 800,000 federal workers are going without pay.)
“It is terrifying to think that almost every single air traffic controller in the United States is currently distracted at work because they don’t know when their next paycheck is coming,” she said.
Then she went wide, criticizing Trump, who has refused to pass a spending bill until he is given money for a wall.
Rick Loomis/Getty
“It is actually not about a wall, it is not about the border, and it is certainly not about the well-being of everyday Americans,” Ocasio-Cortez said in her floor speech. “The truth is, this shutdown is about the erosion of American democracy and the subversion of our most basic governmental norms.”
She continued: “Each and every member of this body has a responsibility to this nation and to everyone in the United States of America, whether they voted for us or not. And this president shares in that responsibility as well, which means he has a responsibility to my constituent.”
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Ocasio-Cortez’s facility with social media, her progressive politics and her star-making story (rocketing to national prominence less than a year ago when she won her primary unexpectedly) have made her a target of fascination and scorn, depending on the viewpoint.
“Here is America’s favorite commie know-it-all acting like the clueless nitwit she is” the anonymous account wrote alongside the clip. (The tweet was later removed.)
That same day Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman elected to Congress, helda Twitter lesson for House Democrats, according to ABC News. And her colleagues loved it. Some of her advice?
“Social media is not just for young people,” she said, ABC reports.
“Sometimes the culture here is to fit in and keep your heads low,” she said. But: “We don’t want to separate ourselves” from constituents on social media.
source: people.com
