Freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has earned an unlikely admirer: Fox News host and conservative pundit Laura Ingraham, whom Ocasio-Cortez herself has criticized on Twitter.
During Ingraham’s show “Ingraham Angle” this week, the host heaped praise on Ocasio-Cortez — whose politics couldn’t be further left of Ingraham’s — two nights in a row.
On Wednesday evening, Ingraham spoke at length about how “impressive” Ocasio-Cortez’s defeat of longtime Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY) was and praised her interest in taking the Democratic Party in “a new direction.”
“Really impressive that she goes from being – you know, she was working at a coffee shop – fairly modest means, and she takes on this very liberal Crowley, Congressman Crowley, third in the leadership in the Democratic Party, and she just organizes the heck out of it and rolls right over him,” Ingraham said. “I kinda like the fact that she’s like, ‘You guys lost to Trump. I’m gonna help take this party in a new direction.’ I kind of admire that.”
She then invited the 29-year-old congresswoman onto her show: “I think we would have a good conversation,” she said.
Laura Ingraham invited Ocasio-Cortez on her show: "I think we would have a good conversation" pic.twitter.com/PwTnNPIt9F
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) January 18, 2019
On Thursday, she suggested that any Democratic presidential hopefuls will need Ocasio-Cortez’s approval if they want to run a successful bid.
“They’re all going to have to kiss Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s ring,” Ingraham said. “When they’re running for president, in one way or another, they’re going to kiss the ring. And she’s only been in town for seven days. That’s pretty amazing.”
Ocasio-Cortez has been openly critical of Ingraham and fellow Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s “outright bigotry” on their shows.
Let’s learn about this, shall we?
Many have recognized that @FoxNews has crossed a line beyond conservatism and into outright bigotry with their financing of Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham. Tucker finances the @DailyCaller, which posted fake nudes of me.
Here’s a breakdown⬇️ https://t.co/nnajlpIcML
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 10, 2019
Yeah, she’s going to leap at a chance to come on your ‘show.’
I hope that AOC is aware of, and will be careful not to fall into, “Horseshoe Theory” traps. Be very wary of Ingraham (Greeks baring gifts…).
This is just the set-up, next week will come the punch line.
So, the move is on to Pelosify her. Or Clintonize her. Take your pick.
The “they’ll need to kiss her ring” bit is the most telling, but it’s clear for months now.
“The young, hispanic, socialist blah blah blah - i.e. not like you - is coming for your way of life. And her powers are scary wicked. Be afraid. Be very afraid.”
“Unlikely” fan is correct. In fact, not a fan at all. Beware conservative Republicans bearing “gifts”. Ingraham is grasping for a bit of AOC’s star power, as well as a chance to dim that light.