As Red State‘s Elizabeth Vaughn wrote this morning, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) was dismissive of former Rep. John Delaney’s (D-MD-6) anti-Medicare for All stance over the weekend. In a tweet, she told Delaney to “sashay away” since he was booed “for a full minute” at California’s Democratic convention:

First, his comments:

Democrat John Delaney: “Medicare for all may sound good but it’s actually not good policy nor is it good politics” “It shouldn’t be a kind of healthcare that kicks 150 million Americans off their healthcare” “This is called the battle of ideas my friends” Democrats boo loudly pic.twitter.com/qP6MnORH6G — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) June 2, 2019

In response to the boos, he defended himself on Twitter later:

Our goal should be everyone getting healthcare as a right. That goal is achievable. If we make the goal the elimination of private insurance (b/c some people don't like it) then we give 150 Million Americans a reason not to vote for us, we lose every election, & Rs gut the ACA. — John Delaney (@JohnDelaney) June 2, 2019

That wasn’t good enough for AOC:

Since there’s so many people running for President (& not enough for Senate), instead of obsessing over who‘s a “frontrunner,” maybe we can start w some general eliminations. This awful, untrue line got boo’ed for a full minute. John Delaney, thank you but please sashay away 👋🏽 https://t.co/0RDOwbfcgv — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 2, 2019

The Delaney campaign fired back at the freshman Congresswoman in a statement and series of tweets Sunday and Monday, reports The Hill:

Delaney’s press secretary, Michael Starr Hopkins, released a statement on Monday saying that Ocasio-Cortez’s comments only help President Trump move toward reelection in 2020. “The only person Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez helped with her tweet about Congressman Delaney was Donald Trump,” Hopkins’s statement reads. “If Democrats are serious about beating the President at the ballot box, we need less political grandstanding and more truth-telling from the Bernie wing of the party. “2016 should have taught us that if we allow this primary to become a popularity contest on Twitter rather than a debate of ideas in the public square, the country will lose. We’ve seen this playbook before and it ends with a second term for Donald Trump.”

We will go anywhere and talk to anyone. That’s what leadership looks like. If @aoc wants to have a debate of ideas she can pick the show. The American people deserve an honest conversation w/ facts. https://t.co/1P28RBPTkd — MichaelStarr Hopkins (@Theonlyhonest) June 3, 2019

Intolerance to alternative points of view is not what the Democratic Party should be about. Don't we get enough of that from Trump? — John Delaney (@JohnDelaney) June 3, 2019

When it comes right down to it, a debate over universal healthcare vs. Medicare for All would really just amount to liberals trying to “out-liberal” each other. But the sound-bites from it could potentially be beneficial for Republicans on down the road.

On a related note, if showing sustained disapproval for comments made during a formal setting is grounds for disqualifying candidates for higher office – as AOC suggests, here’s a suggestion for what should happen with her seat this election cycle:

Since veterans stormed out of a meeting with you recently in disgust, maybe we can start with some Democratic primary challengers for #NY14. https://t.co/Te7IiEU9zn — Sister Toldjah 😁 (@sistertoldjah) June 3, 2019

Make it happen, Democrats. Make it happen.

——————————-

—Based in North Carolina, Sister Toldjah is a former liberal and a 15+ year veteran of blogging with an emphasis on media bias, social issues, and the culture wars. Read her Red State archives here. Connect with her on Twitter.–