Here's Why AOC Nominated Bernie Sanders at the Democratic Convention

A lot of people paying attention to the Democratic Convention are confused by congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's nomination for Bernie Sanders. Sanders lost the Democratic presidential primary to Joe Biden back in April, so many are tweeting their confusion over why AOC would endorse Sanders if he already lost. Some even saw it as a mistake on AOC's part. 

One Twitter user wrote, "Dear Jesus @AOC there ya go throwing away the last leg y’all had to stand on for 2020! endorsing Bernie at a convention meant to endorse Biden! This is so funny! It’s only Tuesday and shits already gone up in flames!" But there's actually nothing that AOC did that's so unusual. 

In a 60-second clip you can watch above, AOC states, “In a time when millions of people in the United States are looking for deep systemic solutions to our crises of mass evictions, unemployment, and lack of health care, and ​espíritu del pueblo​ and out of a love for all people, I hereby second the nomination of Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont for president of the United States of America." 

AOC, who is very self-aware and probably saw the numerous questions pointed at her on Twitter, addressed her nomination. Yes, she nominated Sanders. Yes, you can still do that at a Democratic Convention. You can nominated anyone who's part of the formal roll call of delegates — it's a procedural step. Although the Democratic Party officially nominated Biden, Sanders did receive the second most delegates even though he rescinded his candidacy. And that's just how democracy works. 

"If you were confused, no worries!  Convention rules require roll call & nominations for every candidate that passes the delegate threshold.  I was asked to 2nd the nom for Sen. Sanders for roll call. I extend my deepest congratulations to @JoeBiden - let's go win in November," AOC explained tonight.

In short, AOC didn't endorse Sanders, she nominated him. She'll still be endorsing Biden this election.

Some are also wondering why AOC only had 60 seconds while John Kasich was headlining. We already knew this was happening last week, and many consider it a failure on the Democratic party. The Cut called it "self-sabotage," writing, "The failure of a major political party to showcase one of its most talented politicians, a young person whose communicative reach and facility positions her to be among its leaders deep into our future, is self-sabotage." Many other are speaking out.

Did the Democratic party only give AOC a measly 60 seconds because of her politics? "The party has clearly taken from the presidential primary result a message that what America and its left-of-center base want is … Joe Biden," The Cut writes. It is a true shame that AOC (and many of the other younger progressives) wasn't given much air time. As we move forward and (hopefully) reshape and re-sculpt our country's broken system, more and more like AOC will be given the spotlight they deserve.