AOC Give Remarks During DNC
The Democratic National Convention kicked off in Chicago, and one of the standout moments from the first night came from none other than Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The New York Congresswoman, known for her fiery rhetoric and passionate speeches, took the stage in primetime to rally the crowd. But it wasn’t just her words that got people talking—it was the way she delivered them.
During her seven-minute speech, Ocasio-Cortez seemed to switch up her accent at one point, which caught the attention of viewers and sparked a flurry of reactions on social media. While passionately comparing Donald Trump to Kamala Harris, she used a distinct tone when she said, “on our way of life,” stretching out the word “life” in a way that sounded markedly different from the rest of her speech. This sudden shift led some conservatives to question what accent she was trying out, with one account asking, “What accent is AOC using here?”
This isn’t the first time Ocasio-Cortez has faced scrutiny over her speech patterns. She’s been accused before of altering her accent depending on her audience, most notably back in 2019 when she adopted a Southern drawl while addressing Al Sharpton’s civil rights organization.
That moment resurfaced in a viral video recently, reigniting debates about whether she’s pandering to different groups. Critics have labeled her a “fraud,” while her defenders argue that her speech reflects the linguistic diversity she’s navigated throughout her life.
What in the world was this supposed to be
pic.twitter.com/Vu18T5l62F— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 20, 2024
In response to past accusations, Ocasio-Cortez has been vocal about the challenges of growing up in a bilingual and bicultural environment, explaining that her speech can shift depending on the setting, particularly when she’s fired up or speaking to her constituents in the Bronx. She’s pointed out that these shifts are natural for anyone who has had to straddle different cultural and social worlds, especially in environments like Congress, where she’s often in the spotlight.
But let’s get back to the convention itself. Despite the chatter about her accent, Ocasio-Cortez’s speech was a major hit with the crowd at the United Center. She didn’t hold back in her criticism of Donald Trump, calling him a “two-bit union buster” and accusing him of prioritizing his own wealth over the country’s well-being. She also embraced her working-class roots, proudly stating that she’d be happy to return to bartending—a job she held before her rise to Congress—because there’s nothing wrong with working for a living.
This speech marked a shift in tone for Ocasio-Cortez, who has typically been known for her progressive, sometimes anti-establishment rhetoric. On Monday night, she appeared to align more closely with the broader Democratic Party platform and its leaders, including the newly nominated ticket of Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
This was a stark contrast to her appearance at the 2020 convention, where she delivered a brief, symbolic endorsement of Bernie Sanders. Back then, she famously remarked that in any other country, she and Joe Biden wouldn’t even be in the same party.