Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says some members of Congress are 'not smarter than a bartender'
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hit back at critics who deride her past experience as a bartender during an appearance on Showtime's "Desus & Mero."
- She suggested that some fellow members of Congress think they're "smarter" than the bartenders, waitresses, and other working people they represent.
- AOC and the talk show hosts rode the subway together and stopped by a local Bronx bodega for breakfast sandwiches before the congresswomen mixed them up some drinks at a bar.
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hit back at critics who deride her experience as a bartender during an appearance on an episode of Showtime's "Desus & Mero" released Thursday.
The congresswoman mixed a few drinks for her fellow Bronx natives, show hosts Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, on a tour of their home borough.
When Desus asked Ocasio-Cortez how she takes criticism of her service industry background, she suggested that some members of Congress think they're "smarter" than their working class constituents and colleagues.
"I feel like people are always clowning themselves when they say that because it's like, okay so you think every person you represent that's a bartender, a waitress, a working person, that they can't do this job?" she said. "Because let me tell you, I work with some of these people and they are not smarter than a bartender."
Ocasio-Cortez has repeatedly expressed pride in her experience serving drinks and tacos in Manhattan while knocking doors for Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential bid and, later, mounting her own primary race for Congress. She's also been upfront about the financial struggles she and her family have faced and centers her working-class background in her political work.
The trio also rode the subway together, stopped by a local bodega for breakfast sandwiches, and walked around the neighborhood together.
This isn't the first time Ocasio-Cortez has starred on the Bronx-based show. The congresswoman was Desus and Mero's feature guest on the first episode of their Showtime program last year.