Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) was recently criticized on social media for employing what seemed to be an overly embellished southern twang during her speech at the Democratic National Convention. Many pointed out that such an accent is atypical of someone from The Bronx. The incident occurred during the “Squad” member’s remarks, attempting to claim Trump did not embody the interest of the working class despite his MAGA agenda that focuses on economic prosperity for all Americans.
“I, for one, am tired of hearing about how a two-bit union buster thinks of himself as more of a patriot than the woman who fights every single day to lift working people out from under the boots of greed trampling on our way of life,” AOC said. She particularly pulled out an uncharacteristic southern twang when stating “on our way of life.” Subsequently, the clip drew varying responses on social media.
“Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez developed a new phony accent in the middle of delivering her very painful speech,” Fox News contributor Steve Cortes stated. “So when did she become a preacher?” an X account named Nuclear Maga Lisa commented. “What accent is AOC using here?” one user on X said. “Preacher AOC debuting her new accent,” another person wrote.
The American Tribune recently reported on comments from conservative commentator and former Fox News host Megyn Kelly, who criticized AOC’s speech. Kelly suggested that those praising Ocasio Cortez were mistaking an emphatic manner of speaking for making a substantive argument.
“When I saw people on the internet praising her last night, even some Republicans, like, ‘Oh, that was a great speech,’ I thought, have you never actually seen an effective female public speaker? Like, they mistake energy or like enthusiasm for effectiveness,” Kelly said. “I mean, anyone can get up there and shout at you! She can shout at you! It doesn’t make you a good public speaker. It was like an assault. Right? Don’t you feel assaulted by what I just did? That’s how I felt listening to her.”
Kelly also suggested that AOC’s speech patterns attempted to mimic that of former President Barrack Obama, often regarded as one of the most talented Democratic speakers in modern U.S. politics. After playing a clip of then-Sen. Barack Obama speaking at the DNC in 2004, she said, “That’s what AOC was going for. That’s what they all go for. They fail. There’s only one Barack Obama. There will never be another Barack Obama. I’m sorry, find your own style. You’re not good at imitation.”
The seemingly fake southern accent from Democrats is not exclusive to AOC. Earlier this month, The American Tribune reported on Vice President Kamala Harris utilizing a similar manner of speaking during a campaign event in Atlanta. Speaking to the southern audience, Harris said, “You all helped us in 2020, and we gon’ do it again in twenty twenty fouah,” she said, before highlighting her supposed record on immigration, “I will proudly put my record against his any day of the week. Any day of the week, including, for example, on the issue of immigration.”
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