New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, in a tweet on Sunday night, criticized Democrats who accept a Trump re-election as “fascists.”
She pointed out an Axios article quoting a senior House Democrat acknowledging a likely second Trump term. Ocasio-Cortez urged those who share this sentiment to step aside for leaders dedicated to fighting for fair elections.
If you are a “senior Democrat” thinking this way, it’s time to retire and make space for real leaders who reject acceptance of fascism, she stated on Twitter. Such leadership offers little to the American people. It’s time to step down.
If you’re a “senior Democrat” that feels this way, you should absolutely retire and make space for true leadership that refuses to resign themselves to fascism.
This kind of leadership is functionally useless to the American people. Retire. https://t.co/5oKQeMrOI0
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 15, 2024
The senior House Democrat referred to in the Axios article expressed concerns over post-shooting turmoil being too chaotic for leadership disputes.
Pressure mounts for President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race. Over 20 Democrats are calling for Biden to step down as the party’s nominee following his debate performance last month. Public figures like George Clooney and Stephen King, and politicians like Rep. Greg Stanton and Rep. Brittany Pettersen, are among those questioning Biden’s suitability for office.
Rep. Pettersen appealed to Biden to pass the torch to another capable Democratic leader for a better chance to defeat the perceived threat of Donald Trump.
During a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, shots were fired leading to chaos. Trump, after a non-fatal attack, defiantly raised his fist while being led away by Secret Service agents. This incident evoked comparisons between Trump’s response and concerns over Biden’s fitness for office.
President Biden, in contrast to Ocasio-Cortez’s stance, emphasized unity following the assassination attempt, stressing that disagreements are part of democracy but not grounds for enmity.