President Joe Biden visited a Virginia forest on Earth Day, delivering remarks about the importance of combatting the climate crisis and touting major steps his administration has taken in that direction.
The centerpiece of Biden’s remarks included a $7 billion grant program for solar energy that the administration says will help nearly a million low-income households and “cut 5 million metric tons of carbon pollution annually.”
Biden also promoted his Climate Corps initiative and thanked many in attendance — “advocates and community leaders” — including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who the President praised for being the first Native American to hold a Cabinet position.
Biden’s introduction of Ocasio-Cortez offered a hint that AOC’s influence was far-reaching and carried weight on issues far beyond climate, where their views have always aligned. Less aligned — though not enough to rupture the relationship — have been Biden’s and Ocasio-Cortez’s views on the Israel-Hamas war and the ensuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
While Biden has professed and exhibited “ironclad” support for Israel, even as the President has castigated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the execution of Israel’s response in Gaza, Ocasio-Cortez has called for a cease-fire almost from the start of the Israeli response and been an advocate for the innocents caught in the crossfire in Gaza.
“Representative Ocasio-Cortez of New York,” Biden said, thanking and praising the Congresswoman in Virginia. “You know, I learned a long time ago: Listen to that lady. Listen to that lady. We’re going to talk more about another part of the world too, real quickly.”
That other part of the world is presumably the Middle East, where Ocasio-Cortez has become — as a member of The Squad — one of the most prominent voices arguing against what she has characterized as irresponsible support for Israel’s retribution.
37 House Democrats voted against sending Israel $26 billion in aid, but @RepBeccaB says there are “many more that are not at all happy.”
— AYMAN (@AymanMSNBC) April 21, 2024
“What we heard over and over and over again was, ‘We know there needs to be a change.’” pic.twitter.com/OeZaxtTmZx
The progressive wing of Congress, of which Ocasio-Cortez is a star, has continued to grow in influence, pushing even the staunch Israel supporter and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to contend last month that “the Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after Oct. 7.”
Biden’s promise that he would be “listening” to Ocasio-Cortez and “real quickly” was an intentional shout out — a public promise — to both to Ocasio-Cortez and her supporters, who support stopping the Israel-Hamas war and battling the climate.
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