Ocasio-Cortez Strikes Back At McCaskill, Accuses Her Of ‘Covering For The GOP’

The war between ousted Missouri Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill and New York Democratic Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez heated up on Saturday as Ocasio-Cortez tweeted about her confusion over McCaskill’s recent comments.

Responding to a CNN interview McCaskill gave last week, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, “Not sure why fmr Sen. McCaskill keeps going on TV to call me a ‘thing’ and ‘shiny object,’ but it’s pretty disappointing.”

Not sure why fmr Sen. McCaskill keeps going on TV to call me a “thing” and “shiny object,” but it’s pretty disappointing.

McCaskill promised she’d “100% back Trump up” on his anti-immigrant rhetoric & lost. In MO, almost all progressive ballot issues won. https://t.co/53qKvnr8KG

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 29, 2018

McCaskill’s actual comments were slightly less offensive in context — the exiting Senator wished Ocasio-Cortez well while warning her, however clumsily, that talk is cheap. (RELATED: Claire McCaskill To Ocasio-Cortez: Don’t Anger Working Class White People)

“I don’t know her,” McCaskill said when asked if she’d consider Ocasio-Cortez a “crazy Democrat” like the ones she decried on the campaign trail. “I’m a little confused why she’s the thing. But it’s a good example of what I’m talking about, a bright shiny new object, came out of nowhere and surprised people when she beat a very experienced congressman.”

McCaskill added, “And so she’s now talked about a lot. I’m not sure what she’s done yet to generate that kind of enthusiasm, but I wish her well. I hope she hangs the moon.”

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee ranking member Claire McCaskill (D-MO) questions Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on “Authorities and Resources Needed to Protect and Secure the United States,” on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, U.S., May 15, 2018. REUTERS/Erin Schaff