Claire McCaskill’s comment last year questioning why Ocasio-Cortez is “the thing” was and remains stupid. I think establishment democrats are nervous because maybe (fingers crossed) young liberals are not satisfied when all democratic politicians seem to offer voters is "at least we're not Trump.”

Chuck Todd made several errors in his criticism of Ocasio-Cortez. The largest is his conflation of concentration camps with death camps. People die in concentration camps of course, but usually as a result of disease, or malnutrition, or neglect. During the insurrection in Cuba in the 1890's, the Spanish put thousands of civilians in what they called re-concentration camps, so that the army could then sweep through a rebel province in pursuit of guerrillas who were operating among the peasants, and using them for cover. What the Spanish forgot, or didn't realize, was that by putting thousands of men, women and children in overcrowded detention camps, in a tropical climate, they were guaranteeing an epidemic of preventable diseases, which cost hundreds of lives, and brought the McKinley administration closer to confrontation with Spain. The "yellow press", led by publishers like William Randolph Hearst, and Joseph Pulitzer, published story after story highlighting Spanish atrocities, and demanding a U.S. response. The result, eventually, was the Spanish- American War. The US, as we speak, is currently holding more than 53,000 peaceful refugees in concentration camps.

In another episode, Fox News found Ocasio-Cortez’ low net worth to be very funny. Remember, the Republican Party and it's obsequious acolytes at Faux News, can't imagine a struggling working class politician. After all, the Republican base, so called, consists of aggrieved middle and upper middle class whites, who view the poor and the near- poor as both dangerous and unworthy. The notion of such a declasse person actually winning a place at the table of power strikes them as radical and alarming. How dare she presume to occupy a position of authority! As for not having enough to afford an apartment in Washington DC, of course that's  hilarious. Such a thing is contrary to natural law good manners.

The Right Wing is downright obsessed with Ocascio-Cortez (and they will never show her respect and call her by her full last name). Anything she does, from going to a hair salon to making margaritas at home, they pay attention and spend their time attacking and obsessing.

Ocascio-Cortez is a Democratic Socialist. The DSA is the fastest-growing political party in the US. Nearly every candidate she has endorsed has won. So yes, she IS the thing. The old machine that runs the Democratic Party will one day be replaced by young progressives. It might come too late for the nation, but the Democratic party is due for an upgrade. If we Democratic Socialists stay focused and committed, we will change this party.