Things got surprisingly entertaining during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on Thursday, May 15, when one GOP congressman in the room dropped a nuclear-level quip on AOC after she finished a berserk tirade about Medicaid reforms the Trump Administration wants to make.
What sparke the quip is that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was snapping about the reforms and asking leading questions to a witness brought before the committee, obviously playing to the CSPAN cameras in the hearing room as she did so in an attempt to boost her profile and credentials as a “fighter” as the Democrats search for a new leader.
There was one particular moment that appeared to have set AOC’s mocking colleague, Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX), off. That was when she went on a lengthy rant and mix of leading questions, then finally got somewhat professional and asked, regarding a potential Medicaid reform, “Um, in terms of some of the exemptions, pregnancy is covered, correct?”
Weber, obviously quite annoyed with her obvious attempt to grandstand for the cameras before asking a serious question, interrupted before the witness could “May I interrupt? I’m glad you’re addressing us instead of addressing the camera.” He then added, “Keep going.”
So AOC did so, going back to whining about potential Medicaid reforms the GOP will make by sounding off about abortion and increasing restrictions placed up on it in red states. She said, “Given the Dobbs decision and the fact that many women and the fact that many women in many states are forced to…”
Weber then started to cut her off as AOC said, “Okay, what about miscarriage?” Interrupting, Weber noted that she was once again granstanding for the cameras, saying, “Reclaiming my time. I just want to make the point that we’d like for you to address the Republicans and let’s have a dialogue this way & not through a camera.” AOC snapped, “But, but, I’m just asking about a miscarriage.” Weber snapped, in return, “The gentlelady is out of order!”
Watch them bicker here:
"*" indicates required fields
AOC was not put off by his quip, unfortunately, though the moment was entertaining. Instead, she later did some even more obvious grandstanding for the CSPAN cameras. Turning to one of them and waving at it, AOC said, “There are 13.7 million Americans on the other side of that screen there. Hello, hello.”
Continuing, she insisted that it was her job to talk to the cameras rather than her colleagues, saying, “I’m talking to you because I work for you. They deserve to see what is happening here because there are plenty of districts, including Republican ones, where 25 percent of your constituents are on Medicaid, 40 percent of your constituents are on Medicaid.”
Weber then once again noted that he wanted her to yield, as he was reclaiming his time, saying, “Will the gentlelady yield?” It was with that comment that AOC lost it completely, snapping at him and saying, “I will not yield because it was a terribly disrespectful comment, and I will not yield to disrespectful men!”
Watch that here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video