Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez likened conservative commentator Ben Shapiro's challenge to a public debate to "catcalling" in a tweet Thursday night, adding he had "bad intentions."
Shapiro offered to give her congressional campaign—or a charity—$10,000 in exchange for an hour-long debate, noting Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez said she represents the "future" of the party. A reporter for Shapiro's website The Daily Wire wrote an article about her refusal to respond to Shapiro's request, and Ocasio-Cortez screen-shotted his tweet, commenting that she didn't owe a response to something akin to "catcalling."
"Just like catcalling, I don’t owe a response to unsolicited requests from men with bad intentions, " she tweeted. "And also like catcalling, for some reason they feel entitled to one."
Just like catcalling, I don’t owe a response to unsolicited requests from men with bad intentions.
And also like catcalling, for some reason they feel entitled to one. pic.twitter.com/rsD17Oq9qe
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 10, 2018
Shapiro swiftly responded, writing, "Discussion and debate are not "bad intentions." Slandering someone as a sexist catcaller without reason or evidence does demonstrate cowardice and bad intent, however."
"But sure, go with "the Orthodox Jew who has never catcalled a woman in his life is ACKSHUALLY a sexist catcaller for asking for a discussion or debate." I’m sure your media sycophants will eat it up," he wrote in another tweet.
Discussion and debate are not 'bad intentions." Slandering someone as a sexist catcaller without reason or evidence does demonstrate cowardice and bad intent, however. https://t.co/kYaYuf0W43
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 10, 2018
But sure, go with 'the Orthodox Jew who has never catcalled a woman in his life is ACKSHUALLY a sexist catcaller for asking for a discussion or debate." I’m sure your media sycophants will eat it up.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 10, 2018
He also retweeted several conservatives who blasted Ocasio-Cortez for making the issue about her gender.
Okay fine @Ocasio2018, if you won’t debate @benshapiro because he’s a man (and because he would destroy you intellectually) how about a debate with me? https://t.co/y4m2mkLbVt
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) August 10, 2018
If you find an offer to debate as threatening as a catcall you are maybe possibly perhaps not ready for prime time.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 10, 2018
A baseless, explicitly motive-impugning accusation of sexism to avoid a debate. Unsurprising but still so weak. https://t.co/x1Duptdpc3
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) August 10, 2018
The 28-year-old democratic socialist, who became a Democratic star overnight following her upset primary victory in June over Rep. Joe Crowley (D., N.Y.), has stumbled on a number of topics since entering the national scene, including questions on health care, economics, and the Middle East.
In one CNN interview alone this week, Ocasio-Cortez bungled questions about House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) and how to pay for her proposed "Medicare for all" program.
She is expected to easily win her race in November, given the heavy Democratic bent of her district.