CHICAGO—Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) touted Vice President Kamala Harris's support for an Israeli ceasefire in a primetime address to the Democratic National Convention, drawing cheers from the audience at the event’s opening night.
Harris "is as committed to our reproductive and civil rights as she is to taking on corporate greed. And she is working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bringing hostages home," Ocasio-Cortez said to loud applause from the crowd in Chicago.
Ocasio-Cortez’s comments were a nod to Democratic voters who have increasingly turned against Israel in recent years. Inside and outside the convention, left-wing protesters railed against the Jewish state, calling on Harris to enact an arms embargo on Israel and pressure its leaders to abandon their battle against Hamas.
The Democratic Party’s decision to tap Ocasio-Cortez for a primetime speaking slot on the convention's opening night illustrates the growing power of the party’s left wing. During her speech, Ocasio-Cortez sought to portray Democrats as the representatives of the working class and criticized Republicans as the party of the wealthy elite.
"Ever since I got elected, Republicans have attacked me by saying that I should go back to bartending. But let me tell you, I'm happy to any day of the week, because there is nothing wrong with working for a living," she said.
"Imagine having leaders in the White House who understand that—leaders like Kamala and Tim [Walz]."