Liberal panelists on “CNN NewsNight” melted down Tuesday night after “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary criticized Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York’s answer on Taiwan, saying it was similar to former Vice President Kamala Harris’ verbal stumbles.
Ocasio-Cortez rambled for 40 seconds when she was asked during the Munich Security Conference whether the United States should send troops to defend the Taiwan-based Republic of China if the People’s Republic of China attacked it. After panelists Ana Navarro, Cari Champion and Leigh McGowan ganged up on Newsmax host James Tabacco, O’Leary gave his review of Ocasio-Cortez’s performance.
“You’re right, she was fabulous,” O’Leary said sarcastically after Navarro talked down to Tabacco, prompting Champion to respond, “It’s not about her being fabulous. It wasn’t —”
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“Let’s say you’re hired to give a speech. Let’s say you’re hired because you’re expected to deliver information to an audience. Let’s say you’re even paid for it,” O’Leary cut in. “When you go and do that, what happens is the agency that hired you, whether it’s the government, your own party, says, ‘That was not your best moment.’ In fact, they tied you back to Kamala Harris. You were so bad, you sounded like her. And, by the way, I’m sorry, it’s not a partisan issue. She was terrible! Get over it. Maybe she’ll get better.”
Harris gave answers that were described as “word salad” in interviews during her tenure as vice president. She flubbed the Pledge of Allegiance while presiding over the Senate during one of her last days as Vice President in January 2025.
In addition to the “word salad” response, Ocasio-Cortez, a member of a group of far-left Democrats known as “the Squad,” also falsely claimed Venezuela was south of the equator while criticizing the operation that captured dictator Nicolas Maduro, while also making false claims about the origin of cowboys.
“No. But the reality is if you take just a minute and not be condescending, I really believe what she was —” Champion claimed before O’Leary cut in, saying, “I’m condescending? I’m trying to help her, lift her up —”
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After additional back-and-forth, Champion claimed that Ocasio-Cortez was trying to “think before she speaks,” while talking down to O’Leary.
“Any of us talked like that, Abby would tell the producers, ‘Don’t have them on anymore.’ We wouldn’t be on ever again,” Tabacco said, with Phillip responding, “Everyone, stop talking, please, for just a moment. Stop talking. Thank you. John and Kevin, you all are strongly criticizing AOC for making flubs.”
“She was terrible,” O’Leary responded. “That’s why.”
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