Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the democratic socialist elected last year to represent New York’s 14th congressional district, spent a good portion of Tuesday night’s State of the Union address refusing to applaud many of the most memorable lines delivered by President Donald Trump.
Though the cameras didn’t pan to the room when first lady Melania Trump was introduced by her husband, The Guardian’s Washington bureau chief David Smith noticed Ocasio-Cortez being encouraged by another member to applaud. “She appears to reply ‘What? Why?'” Smith tweeted.
Trump begins speech and welcomes Melania. Most stand and applaud. One member encourages Ocasio-Cortez to do so; she appears to reply, “What? Why?”
— David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) February 6, 2019
The Daily Caller’s Benny Johnson also noticed:
HI ????
I’m inside the press gallery at the State Of The Union.
I’m going to be tweeting all the awesome shit you can’t see on TV.
Like for instance: AOC is one of the only Dems to not stand & applaud when Trump recognized First Lady Melania Trump.
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) February 6, 2019
On issue after issue—from low minority unemployment numbers to curing AIDS to the effort to stop sex traffickers—the New York congresswoman chose to sit instead of acknowledging the president’s remarks with any approval. (RELATED: Republicans Break Out Into ‘USA!’ Chant As Trump Says The U.S. Is ‘Strong’ During SOTU)
And Twitter took notice:
“This woman even refused to applaud the @ICEgov agent who saved more than 300 girls and woman from coyote smugglers,” tweeted former Trump staffer Sebastian Gorka. “@AOC is a Marxist who couldn’t care less about other women.”
NOTE THIS WELL:
This woman even refused to applaud the @ICEgov agent who saved more than 300 girls and woman from coyote smugglers. @AOC is a Marxist who couldn’t care less about other women. pic.twitter.com/agO1asVtWY
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) February 6, 2019
Socialist AOC refuses to applaud record low African-American & Hispanic unemployment levels. #SOTU
— Amy Mek (@AmyMek) February 6, 2019
Wow, @AOC and her Anti-Semite Caucus can’t even bring themselves to applaud our veterans. They’ve upped @TheDemocrats’ hate-America game. #SOTU
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) February 6, 2019
@SpeakerPelosi stood/applauded at this moment…camera then went to @AOC & several others who didn’t stand/applaud. Interesting since @abbydphillip reports; “Nancy Pelosi’s other big job tonight: signaling to other Dems when it is ok to stand in response to something POTUS says” https://t.co/45yJxfaXcD
— Christi Paul (@Christi_Paul) February 6, 2019
@AOC doesn’t applaud the “common good!”
— Kevin McCullough (@KMCRadio) February 6, 2019
God, @AOC is such a miserable person. Can’t applaud for stopping sex traffickers and then can’t even get behind all the other DEM women chanting USA.
— Robert Blizzard (@robertblizzard) February 6, 2019
Wow, @AOC won’t even stand to applaud the elimination of AIDS.The pro-AIDS stance of @TheDemocrats is new and unexpected. Is AIDS progressive or something? #SOTU
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) February 6, 2019
One moment that did end up seeing Ocasio-Cortez stand and celebrate was Trump’s recognition of the number of women in Congress. However, her attempted high-five didn’t quite land as intended. Twitter didn’t miss that one either.
Highlight of the #StateOfTheUnion:@AOC high fives the air. pic.twitter.com/FUnOgXQLw4
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) February 6, 2019