Newly elected Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on CBS's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Monday admitted she gives "zero" f***s about some members of the Democratic Party criticizing her outspoken nature.
Host Colbert raised the issue in his sit-down interview with the 29-year-old democratic socialist.
"Now, congresswoman, for you and other freshmen members of Congress, you're getting a fair amount of pushback privately and publicly from more established members of even your own party saying, 'Wait your turn, go slow, don't ask for so much so fast right now, you're new, wait your turn for everything and don't make waves,'" he said.
Colbert continued: "I want to ask this question in a respectful manner, knowing also that you're from Queens, so you will understand this question."
"And the BX, and the BX," Ocasio-Cortez said, referring to the Bronx.
"On a scale from zero to some, how many f***s do you give?" Colbert asked.
Ocasio-Cortez quickly reached to her side and brought her hand out in a 0 shape.
"I think it's um, zero," she said, and laughed.
"That's my thought!" Colbert said.
The host then pressed Ocasio-Cortez further on the issue.
"So what do you say to the people who say we need party unity, and we can't have you going and meeting with the people who are occupying (House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi's office because that shows a divided front for the Democrats that the opposition party can take advantage of?" Colbert said.
Ocasio-Cortez responded, "Well, it's how we choose to interpret items and how we choose to interpret events and things like activism and advocacy."
In light of Martin Luther King Jr. Day that day, she said that King was "divisive in his time" and "wildly unpopular" when he was pushing for the Civil Rights Act. Ocasio-Cortez added that "activism is inherently divisive" and that social movements "should be the moral compass of our politics."
Ocasio-Cortez's unrestrained attacks on politicians whose views she does not agree with have garnered praise from liberals who welcome her young, strong voice but also some criticism that she should focus on legislative victories before speaking.
"I'm a little confused why she's the thing," said former Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill in her exit interview with CNN in early January said. "She's now talked about a lot. I'm not sure what she's done yet to generate that kind of enthusiasm, but I wish her well."
Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman to be elected to Congress, has also drawn fire for apparently planning to challenge Democratic incumbents she sees as moderates.
"I'm sure Ms. Cortez means well, but there's almost an outstanding rule: Don't attack your own people," Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri told Politico earlier this month. "We just don't need sniping in our Democratic Caucus."
