this post was submitted on 09 May 2026
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"What’s funny about that is they assume my ambition is positional. They assume my ambition is a title or a seat. My ambition is way bigger than that. My ambition is to change this country. Presidents come and go, elected officials come and go, single payer healthcare is forever."

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[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 242 points 1 day ago (4 children)

I'd vote for her. I'd also vote for Bernie again, if he ran again. I don't care about his age, all that would matter is he got into office, and established a cabinet, and had a good Vice President to take over.

[–] foggy@lemmy.world 145 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (7 children)

Bernie is 84 years old.

I am a huge fan of Bernie. Have been for over a decade. He is too old to be the president.

[–] ZMoney@lemmy.world 3 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

The point of Bernie or AOC or Zohran or any socialist candidate is the movement behind them, which represents the will of the masses. The actual figurehead is largely irrelevant because everything they do is in the interest of their constituents. They might use their charisma to win (but usually it's the movement that actually wins the campaign), but once they're in power they just have to fulfill their promises, and they have staff to do this.

A regular politician, by contrast, enacts the will of the corporate class. In this way they're mostly irrelevant too.

[–] Kn1ghtDigital@lemmy.zip 98 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Shouldn't be getting downvotes for this. Bernie deserves to rest, he's been saying the same message for decades and it's up to us to make it better for him, now.

[–] postmateDumbass@lemmy.world 57 points 1 day ago (1 children)

He would be more valuable as an advisor.

Less energy wasted on the bullshit.

Exactly. He’d make a wonderful cabinet member or top advisor.

[–] BradleyUffner@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

If Bernie wants to rest, then he can rest.

He isn't acting like a man that wants to rest.

[–] Poem_for_your_sprog@lemmy.world 46 points 1 day ago (2 children)

He's also incredibly sharp for 84....but he's 84...

He'll be 86 at the next election.

[–] KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 1 day ago

And 90 by the time he is out of office, at least.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

As president you get way more stress, more travel, less sleep. He wouldn't do well in the president's office.

[–] TachyonTele@piefed.social 12 points 1 day ago

Yeah his opening came and gone, unfortunately. Time doesn't care, it marches on.

[–] ramenshaman@lemmy.world 19 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

That's the same thing everybody said last time and Bernie is in better physical, mental, and psychological condition than Trump.

[–] ouRKaoS@lemmy.today 33 points 1 day ago

better physical, mental, and psychological condition than Trump.

That bar is so low I'd need to dig a hole to find it.

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago

Of course, and because of that he would never win an election, because people won't vote for him because "he's too old". Like I said, I don't care about his age, or that he would likely die in office, perhaps even in the first year. I'd still vote for him, because I agree with him, and I want his ideas in that office. That's why he'd need a good V.P. I don't understand why anyone would care how old he is, as long as they agree with him. Is it because he would probably die in office? Why does that matter?

I don't care about Trump's age per se, I do care that he's got dementia. Bernie doesn't have dementia.

Anyway, it's a pipe dream, and I'll happily vote for one of his protégés, too.

[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 day ago

More importantly, he's too old, and not aggressive enough, to win. We need someone that knows how to build and run a political machine, that can seize control of the party and purge the old guard. A true populist that can play a crowd. Bernie unfortunately lacks the killer instinct to overcome the establishment.

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Bernie for president and AOC for vice president? That'd be something.

IF he died in office, the position likely would be taken good care of

[–] hcf@sh.itjust.works 64 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I'd door-knock for her.

Sheesh, and I haven't canvased for a candidate in almost 20 years.

[–] lettruthout@lemmy.world 34 points 1 day ago

I canvassed for Bernie. It was a good experience. And he won the state.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

I phone banked for her in her 2018 campaign.

[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

UAW Boss Sean Fein would be a good candidate.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world -1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Well they need to get out and start doing media now. Regardless, a successful candidate is going to have to out in hundreds of hours in front of cameras and developing a level of comfort and ease of answering questions that only comes with practice and putting in the hours. It's also one of my biggest critiques of AOC. She also hasn't/isn't putting in the reps in terms of media cycles. When they do, it's very controlled and brief.

[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works -5 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world -2 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works -2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Explaim how you complain to management to get your critiics cancelled? You gave your hand away.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world -2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What did you get banned for being a gif hating loser in the other thread? I would never report you for being that kind of a loser; it's far more fun to just mock you relentlessly when you have a psychological moment like that. Which was truly fun and brightened my day, so I do want to say thanks and I appreciate your participation. It was probably some one who agreed with me on how silly you were being that reported you. I would never do that, it's far more entertaining to have you staying in the game.

For your participation yesterday, I sincerely appreciate it:

Now, into the comment at hand..

You can be and should be a critic of me but you should also have the charity to take my arguments on their face. I think AOC is mid among current progressives and I've outlined why several times in this thread. I can reiterate those points if you like and we can take it from there.

[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works -4 points 20 hours ago (1 children)
[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 1 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

And I think you've developed a personality disorder.

[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works -1 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

The amount of work you have put into trolling me speaks for itself. Fucking pathetic. You should be ashamed of yourself why don't you go back in the mirror and practice making fearsome faces. Haha,

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 1 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

When you enjoy what you do, it's not work.

[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works 1 points 13 hours ago

You are a troll.

[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Well clearly trolling is your calling. Is it pathetic? Yes. Hahaha.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 2 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Bruh you responded to me. You could just go about your merry way but you pd won't allow it.

[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works 0 points 11 hours ago (1 children)
[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago (1 children)
[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works 0 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

The world is mine! But piss off, you are pathetic. I will get to that.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 1 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

It's fine, I don't mind supporting or interacting with fans

[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 hours ago

You are a mean drunk. You can't handle the alcohol.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world -4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

She has work to do, because if she ran right now, she'd get eaten alive.

Notice that AOC doesn't do very many hard interviews, and that when she gets a question asked of her that she isn't prepared for, she stumbles.

AOC has been basically absent from leftwing media while plenty of other very solid progressives are out there putting in reps doing hard interviews in combative environments. AOC doesn't do that and is only does very controlled media opportunities. That's not good for someone who wants to be president. I don't think she's done the time like others have to be able to weather a primary.

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 1 day ago (1 children)

AOC doesn't do very many hard interviews

Define "hard". If you mean antagonistic, that's because she wisely tries not to waste too much time and energy boosting the false narratives of the billionaire-owned mass media that bear a lot of the blame for how things got awful enough for fascism to return.

she gets a question asked of her that she isn't prepared for, she stumbles

As do pretty much anyone. Which is why she and most competent politicians make sure to be prepared for all possible pertinent questions.

It still depends btw: do you call refusing to entertain a deliberately false narrative "stumbling"?

AOC has been basically absent from leftwing media

That's a bit of an exaggeration but she's not made herself available as much as for example Ro Khanna, I'll give you that.

Ro and most of the ones making that many media appearances don't seem as genuine and principled, though.

Whether that's due to the sheer volume of gotcha questions or because they ARE less principled, that's not a good look to the ones they need to reach.

hard interviews in combative environments

AKA contributing to disinformation by accepting their clickbait false narratives as legitimately in the interest of the people.

AOC doesn't do that and is only does very controlled media opportunities.

Yeah, imagine preferring to talk about the REAL issues rather than how everyone to the left of Ronald Reagan are either immature children or dangerous radicals 🙄

That's not good for someone who wants to be president.

I'd argue the exact opposite. If you mud wrestle with a pig, the pig beats you with experience and you get filthy no matter how well you do.

I don't think she's done the time like others have to be able to weather a primary

Dude. The way she ENTERED politics was by going from volunteering for Bernie to unseating a 10-term incumbent who was the third ranking Dem representative in two years!

She has since easily beaten more right wing Dems favored by the DNC in primaries twice (and won unopposed except for the Republican nominee once).

If anyone knows how to beat overwhelming odds and win against the experienced establishment favorite, it's her.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

Fox news, Piers Morgon, are both very antogonistic as examples, and I would list Zeteo, any interview with Medhi or Pratt as a hard interview (I personally think Medhi is one of the bester interviewers in medi, hands down).

It's not a matter of it being time wasting, it's a matter of putting in reps and communicating a message. It's about rhetoric and convincing an audience. Bernie finds time for those audiences. Ro Khanna finds time for those audiences. Ilhan finds time for those interviews. And go read the comments under those interviews: MAGA trust Bernie and Ro more than they do most of their own Republicans because Bernie and Ro have put in the reps, done the laps.

And to volley the question back over the net, why does AOC get an accountability pass when all the rest of her squad cohort don't suffer from this same issue? Its not like they aren't effective or productive members of Congress, I'd argue quite the opposite. It was not the Cortesse-Massie bill that got the Epstein files released it wash the Khanna Massie bill that did, and Ro found ample time to take his messages and arguments before the people while doing so.

It still depends btw: do you call refusing to entertain a deliberately false narrative "stumbling"?

Let's take the example I gave. AOC got asked by dropsite if she supported her former chief of staff who is trying to oust Pelosi in California. A fairly gentle question from a friendly source about litterally the person who helped get you into Congress. And she fumbled it. Badly. In a way that should give any progressive pause.

When Ilhan Omar was attacked by a maga supporter at a recent event she didn't back down. She litterally got in the attackers face in a way that should have made national headlines. We're she running for another seat, it would have.

It's fair to juxtapose AOC against her cohort, and she is at the back of that pack in my view. The pack is still leagues ahead of other Democrats but that's beside the point, because now is when we need to make these evaluations.

I'd argue the exact opposite. If you mud wrestle with a pig, the pig beats you with experience and you get filthy no matter how well you do.

I think your an utter fool to believe you can get away from hard interviews. I will not support a candidate who can't handle the pressure of a campaign or read the room or the moment. That's how you get "Please clap." Jeb, and "Nothing would fundamentally change Harris".

These politicians are not your children. It's not your job to protect them. They need to be held up and have their mettle tested before we need to rely upon them to be a backstop against fascism, not after.

You not only have to be able to get jnto the mud and learn to wrestle with the pigs, you need to be able to do so and win. I'm not interested in someone who hasn't put the time in to win dirty fights.

The candidate will have to face down Tucker Carlson or Candice Owens, or any one of the innumerable shit birds who have piled up on the right.

Dude. The way she ENTERED politics was by going from volunteering for Bernie to unseating a 10-term incumbent who was the third ranking Dem representative in two years!

Yeah and for the first two years she was a fire brand. Then something happened and she became far more reserved and calculating. She genuinely changed after getting iced by Pelosi for occupying her office. I think it impacted her and she shifted her approach.

I need to see her taking harder more competitive interviews. I need to see her all over leftwing media and safe space interviews. I need to see her in spaces where her team doesn't control the questions getting asked.

Because there are other progressives who had just as difficult if not more difficult fights than AOC has had, and they don't seem to have a problem taking in those battles.

[–] JustEnoughDucks@slrpnk.net 12 points 1 day ago (2 children)

But to be fair, when is the last time that is there wasn't a softball interview or debate? A huge portion of the US population have never seen a real debate lol

[–] grue@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

There have been softball interviews and debate for liberal/conservative/fascist candidates the corpos like. Leftist candidates, on the other hand, get a hostile treatment or get ignored entirely.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

Bernie takes hard debates ALLL THE TIME and uncle is strong because if it.

Ro Khanna also. They take every media call they can and because of that they are very comfortable getting asked tough questions.

AOC got a softball from dropsite about endorsing her former chief of staff who is challenging Pelosi, and she dropped the ball in an utter what the fuck moment.

You gotta be tough to stand up to nonstop events and pressers and interviews that come with a campaign. AOC genuinely hasn't been putting in the reps and it shows.