How about this?
I’m AOC and I endorse Guy Fieri for Mayor of Flavortown.
Let’s go to Flavortown.
Let’s do it.
Honk honk or whatever.
“Honk honk or whatever”?
That’s what we’re doing?
This is the problem. Wait, Russ, don’t come in.
Don’t even fucking come in.
This is the problem.
There’s a lot of people with Ocasio-Cortez shirts with the exclamation, dadda dadda da…
And then if Bernie’s not the nominee, they’ll be like, “eh, whatever.”
And we can’t have “whatever.”
- No. I’ll get the glasses... - I don’t mean that jokingly. I mean that for sure, for sure.
I’ll bleach my tips. Let’s do it.
Let’s go to Flavortown.
Alright. I appreciate you being a good sport.
- We’re going to fucking Flavortown, alright? Yes. - That’s what we gotta do. That’s what we gotta do.
Diners, Drive-ins…
And Dives.
I was gonna say “dash.”
Representative AOC, thank you so much for sitting down with me.
Of course, thank you.
So we are here in the Watergate Hotel…
- Yeah. - ...just as kind of like a throwback
to when presidents were held accountable.
- Yeah, exactly, for sure. - Yeah.
When impeachment was a thing that was effective, yeah.
Yes.
Okay, so what do you feel most comfortable me calling you?
Representative?
Congresswoman?
Comrade? I want you to feel…
You can call me “Representative.” Let’s go gender-neutral today.
Okay, great. Okay.
Let’s talk about the Green New Deal.
According to UN scientists, we only have 12 years to stop a global warming catastrophe.
What is the Green New Deal, and why do we have to care about it right now?
So, the Green New Deal is a jobs and justice-centered plan to decarbonize the US economy within 10 years.
It is one of the only plans put forward that’s actually in line with scientific consensus and the UN’s IPCC report.
And it also focuses on creating the maximum amount of prosperity
for working people and marginalized communities in the process.
Do you think it’s feasible to get both parties to agree on the Green New Deal
when we can’t even agree on the Paris Climate Agreement?
You know, I think there are some parts of the Republican Party that are just kind of beyond winning over.
They are… I mean, I work with some of these folks.
You have people showing up with snowballs to prove that climate change isn’t real.
You have folks that don’t believe climate change– that it’s real– that are sitting members of Congress.
So, there are just some folks that are not going to be negotiated with.
They work for the fossil fuel industry. They are bankrolled by the fossil fuel industry
and their job is to protect the fossil fuel industry.
So what is your strategy to untangle those relationships or are you trying to work around them?
- Well… - What’s the play here?
I think one of the big things that we need to do is win elections.
We need to win a House majority.
We need to win the Senate and we need to win the presidency because there are gonna be
way too many people that are gonna try to expand ExxonMobil’s role in our society
as opposed to making sure that we transition to renewables and clean energy.
Can you talk about the justice arm of this? ‘Cause I think for a lot of people, that’s kind of confusing.
Obviously, we want to take care of the planet, that’s great.
What’s the justice element of this entire policy?
So, the thing that a lot of people sometimes don’t understand
about climate change, is that it doesn’t impact all of us equally.
Just look at Flint.
- Just look at Hurricane Katrina. - Right.
Just look at Hurricane Maria, and you will see how front line and marginalized communities–
Standing Rock is a perfect example.
There was a whole fracking pipeline and it was supposed to go through
affluent white suburb, and everyone showed up to their community board meetings and…
- Right, shift it over. Right. - And yelled it out and then…
that pipeline deci– you know, they decided to route it through
the most marginalized community, which was a Native reservation.
And so what the Green New Deal does is that it focuses on front line communities
and people who will be disproportionately impacted to make sure that we have a just transition.
That includes everyone from coal miners in Appalachia
and making sure that we have job security for those communities
to families whose water is being poisoned in Flint.
The proposal also says that Americans will have, “millions of good, high-wage jobs.”
How is that possible and can I have one?
Yeah, so do you not already have one?
I don’t know. I just don’t know how long I’m gonna have this show. I’m gonna be honest.
I piss off a lot of autocrats. So, I’m just trying to get in early wherever I can.
So I think what’s awesome about the Green New Deal is that it acknowledges
where good jobs come from– which are unions and labor unions.
And the way that we can really insure and guarantee good jobs, high wages, great healthcare
in this country, is with a revitalized labor movement that’s also committed to saving our planet.
And we’ve shown that in even smaller pieces of legislation within that framework– like our Green New Deal
for public housing has the support of laborers and construction workers, as well.
So it’s really in working with everyone from frontline communities,
Native climate leaders and environmental leaders, union leaders– all of these folks need to come to the table.
But what’s controversial about it is who’s also not at the table:
fossil fuel lobbyists and lots of other kind of corporate executives
aren’t in the normal position of writing policy for lawmakers, and so that makes them uncomfortable.
How do you convince somebody who’s worked for decades in the oil and gas industry
and let them know, “Hey, you’re gonna be okay if we completely revolutionize the way we live our lives”?
Well, one aspect of the Green New Deal is that we actually pay
special attention to fossil fuel workers because it’s not good enough to say–
“We’re gonna put you in a 6-month apprenticeship program and move right along.”
We fight for coal workers, for example in Kentucky, more than Mitch McConnell ever has.
We actually advocate for the bailout of coal workers’ pensions,
whereas Mitch McConnell won’t even meet with coal workers who have black lung and are
being disproportionately impacted by the health consequences of working in the fossil fuel industry.
So there’s that, but also, we’re gonna be creating millions
of jobs in everything from wind turbines to solar panel installation.
And we’re going to have to transition a lot of people into that work.
The key is making sure that oil barons don’t turn into solar barons.
And that renewable energy jobs are higher quality and more just and dignified than fossil fuel jobs are.
That to me, I think, is one of the biggest fears that a lot of citizens have–
that the oligarchs and the plutocrats that run that industry are just gonna come in and just run the solar industry.
Yeah, absolutely, and that’s a very real risk that we have, which is why
the Green New Deal calls for unionization of workers and calls for really strong labor policy,
because the best check that we have on runaway income inequality,
and some of the best checks that we have on runaway income inequality are unions and labor unions.
To me, the Green New Deal is like the sentence, “NBA Champion Sacramento Kings.”
I love it, I want it.
It’s not gonna fuckin’ happen.
Well, it can happen, but our theory of change needs to happen in elections.
It’s not gonna happen with Mitch McConnell running the Senate.
It’s not gonna happen with Donald Trump in the White House.
But it can happen with Democratic majorities,
a Democratic majority in the Senate, and a Democratic president.
And that’s why our elections are so important, because the Green New Deal has as good a chance as
protecting women’s rights and protecting Roe v. Wade under this current administration.
But if we’re able to really fight for Democratic majorities at the ballot box,
then we’re talking about actually having some legs on this thing.
I think the argument is the execution of it– what’s the short term vision, what’s the long-term vision?
Are you really gonna pass this whole thing all at once?
No, so a Green New Deal– so the Green New Deal is a resolution on the floor of the House.
And what it does is that it outlines specific principles by which our climate policy should be executed.
And so, those principles go down to three things:
One–a ten-year timeline for decarbonization.
Two–making sure that we are creating jobs in any climate legislation, and
three–that we are centering and focusing on disproportionately impacted communities.
Those are not hard to do, and so far we already have several pieces, breakaway pieces of legislation,
addressing everything from public housing, electric vehicles, and also, you know, issues like mass transit.
So you broke it into small little fun-sized chunks.
Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
But if people are against it, they’re going to recognize that.
Like, I try to feed my daughter broccoli. She hates it.
And when I break it up and I just put it in these little pieces, she’s like,
“I see that green shit. I told you, Daddy, I don’t like this green shit.”
Well, I think the irony of it is that that’s how lobbyists get things done all the time.
- Piecemeal? - In fact...
Piecemeal!
And what they’ll do is that they’ll take these massive thousand-page pieces of legislation,
and they’ll slip in a line here or slip in a line there.
You know, we’ve passed Green New Deal provisions in– in past legislation– just a lot of people don’t know it yet.
Just like the lobbyists do.
We’re, we’re very quietly trying to make your drinking water safer.
That’s good, but that’s just, like, fucked up.
Did you swagger-jack that from the Republicans?
Um, a little bit. A little bit.
I love how you’re always on the offensive with these types of issues.
One of the things that you don’t tolerate is anybody who comes at you on Twitter.
Yeah.
You clap back.
Yeah, absolutely.
Like, people come at you, and they’re just like, “The Green New Deal will never work.”
And you’re like, “Here’s why you’re wrong, a thread.
- Yeah. - ...One of fifteen.”
And then I scroll down, four minutes later, and then you just hit ‘em with the dancing salsa girl emoji.
Yes.
- That’s my morning routine, - Well...
- just you dunking on a civilian with 48 followers. - yeah, I mean...
I try not to do the 48 followers, but I will definitely come at
bad faith folks who are, you know, always trying to come at reasonable policies,
because the modus operandi for Democrats for so long has just been to try to be above the fray.
But meanwhile, all of these bad faith actors who are often bankrolled by the Murdochs
or bankrolled by, you know, all of the worst actors, just get away with more and more and more.
And so they chip away at just common sense in the United States.
What inspires that? This desire to go, “No, I’m gonna body slam you through a fuckin’ table.”
Um…
Versus being like, “Hey, I’m just gonna be above this.
I’m not gonna quote-tweet anybody. I’m not gonna go Super Saiyan on this person.”
- Well… - ‘Cause it’s the one thing you and Trump have in common.
Here’s the thing: I think it’s because I am the representative of the Bronx and Queens
Mhm.
Which means I represent not just my communities’ interests, but I think I represent my communities’ style.
- Got it, clapbacks? - Yeah, I mean… clap backs.
That is, I like to think it originated in New York City and the Bronx specifically.
So, as a rising star in politics, and as someone who embodies the clapback
way to dunk on people, I feel like you’re definitely gonna have a book deal on the way.
I’m tired of walking through Hudson News and seeing twelve Michelle Obama books.
Your book is coming and I kind of put together a little book proposal for you.
Okay, awesome.
- Can I just… - I love it, yeah. Let’s do it.
Alright. Here it is.
Can you just fly it in for me real quick?
Thank you so much.
Oh my God.
This is called AOC.
Burn it!
AOC: The Art of the Clapback.
No!
Yes!
We’re gonna have to talk about this cover art, okay?
You’re the one who said we need to weaponize what they’re doing and use it against them.
Okay, gotcha.
Alright, here we go.
The chapters are just filled with gems.
This is one of my favorites.
Okay, exactly. I mean, he is walking ham sandwich, so…
It’s great.
Yeah.
- Like, you should add those jokes to, to like the chapters. - Done. Done.
Great.
It’s a good way to talk to the people.
I just, when you do that I feel like it’s very vulnerable and...
Aw, thank you.
Yeah. I’m like, oh, this is…
she could get avocado hand, but she’s also talking to us which, is kind of cool.
There you go. Perfect.
I mean, it has been a journey. Multiple pairs.
That one’s gonna cost me a chairmanship. We’re gonna have to strike that out.
- Okay, that was me pitching. You can totally edit it out. - That’s gonna be some editorial…
Alright. Go for it.
I think they have creams for that.
- Okay, this is it. Number one national bestseller. - Okay, perfect.
Thank you. I love it. It’s going to be– let me see.
- Yep. - Look, Tony Schwartz in it.
Clap emojis, one billion retweets, let’s do it.
Look, oh, that’s my district in the background.
- Yeah. - Great, thank you.
- Yeah. - I’ll make sure you get the ghostwriting credit.
Thank you. Appreciate that.