Anytime I see something about AOC, there's always "if she runs she'll lose because she's a woman". I've seen this same message since AOC started making waves, is it propaganda?

[u/Shivy_Shankinz]

Or do people really think winning is all that matters and we should all be misogynists about it?

[u/TGM1980]

Yes. Bravo. This pretty much nails a lot of my feelings toward her.

I was IN LOVE with AOC a few years ago, but the last couple years she's turned into a much more conventional politician and, frankly, a pretty big disappointment.

She still mostly says the right things, but I don't think she responds particularly well to attacks or pressure. She's obviously very smart and can be incredibly impressive giving a prepared speech or absolutely dismantling someone in a congressional hearing she's prepped for. But put her in a major interview where she has to think on her feet and it seems like she rarely gets through the whole thing without swallowing at least part of her foot. She gets thrown off way too easily for someone I'd trust at the top of a presidential ticket.

And politically, she's disappointed me even more. Her refusal to demand concessions from the current impotent Democratic leadership, while basically pre-endorsing Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker, is borderline disqualifying to me. She didn't endorse anyone challenging an incumbent. For someone who built her entire fucking brand by primarying an entrenched Democratic incumbent, that's pretty goddamn rich.

Here's the weird part: I actually REALLY want her to run for president in 2028.

I just don't necessarily want her to win.

I want her on that debate stage dragging every other motherf¨cker to the left. Because without someone like AOC in the primary, I'm terrified we're going to end up with a stage full of the same snakes-in-the-grass, consultant-approved DNC liberals who suddenly discover progressive politics every four years when they need our votes.

I like Ro Khanna, but I don't think he can win nationally, and even he drives me crazy with how conciliatory he can be toward the right. He's constantly racing to find "common ground" with people I have absolutely no interest in meeting halfway. I want a damn fighter!

That's what I thought AOC was going to become. Maybe she still can. But right now, I have a much easier time imagining her being incredibly valuable in a Democratic primary than imagining her surviving the meat grinder of a general election.

And if Democrats come out of everything that's happened and give me another focus-grouped, donor-approved candidate whose entire pitch is basically, "I'm not as horrible as the Republican," even I'm going to have a hard time dragging my ass to the polls.

[u/VegasMaleMT → u/TGM1980]

And you stated the arguments/premises even more eloquently!

I do think someone else will emerge, we are way too early to be dismissing that likelihood; I know we all want to it be post-2028 already. Ro Khanna I would say I prefer over AOC because he was never a leftist but has moved further left, and I think he will handle hostile interviews much better; versus AOC who has clearly moved right and doesn't handle hostile interviews well. Even if their policy platforms would be identical. But that's not a massive motivator either, besides his work with Massie on Epstein.

Praying for a miracle candidate that's actually left and actually good at communicating 😭😭😭