AOC: 'Republicans have been getting walloped by Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer'

Rep. AOC Speaks to NBC News Ryan Nobles About Trump’s Government Shutdown

RN: So, Congresswoman, it seems like your name keeps being brought up during this shutdown debate and specifically as it relates to Senator Schumer - that you're the one pressuring Senator Schumer to hold out here. How would you respond to that, those attacks?

AOC: I mean, it is so ridiculous and I think that what we are seeing right now is that Republicans, the vice president yesterday in his comments, they are desperate.

They have shut down the government. They have found themselves in this situation. Federal workers, they're trying to pressure federal workers into possible Hatch act violations and they're saying this stuff about me in the press.

And the fact of the matter is I can tell you in the seven years that I've been here, they have never given me a single phone call because they know what the truth is.

They know that the people that they need to be negotiating with, and who they are negotiating with are Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, and that they are getting walloped in these negotiations because they have no plan for people.

And we are here to ensure that every American has expanded and protected healthcare in America.

RN: So do you want to be part of the negotiations? Would you walk into a room and and go toe-to-toe with JD Mansion?

It's so important to understand that these people are all talk. They are all talk.

They are negotiating with Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries and the Democratic leadership, and Democrats are united to that end.

RN: Now the one of the things I keep saying is that you want a primary Chuck Schumer in New York. I mean you haven't answered that question directly. Is that...?

AOC: Yeah, I think the answer is that people are sick of politics being determined by these horse races. We are here to make sure that people can afford their insulin and we can't allow all of this nonsense to distract us from the fact that starting today people's premiums are going to be doubling.

I was hearing some from some folks last night who are already working in in Medicare and they're working in insurance industries and 80 year olds and 90 year olds are going to be seeing their insurance premiums go up by 100%.

People are going to die. Nobody cares about some election years from now. They care about if their kids can get insulin and if they can put food on the table. And the more people want to talk about that, the more callous they're being about the realities that everyday Americans are facing.

RN: And so when they say then let's just get the government back open and negotiate for seven weeks. Why don't you buy that argument?

AOC: Because they don't. We've seen this happen over and over again. And every time this administration says something, they go back on their word. We have to just end this right now.

Let's make sure that people's health care premiums are protected. Let's end this shutdown. Let's get people fed and let's get these paychecks back flowing. And the ask isn't even that much. Republicans are in charge of the House, the Senate, and the presidency. If you are asking for another party's vote, you should be open to negotiate.

They do this all the time. So the fact that they are offended that there would be any sort of discussion on how we protect healthcare in America is just silly and that and the request here genuinely is not that big. It's not that big.

RN: And you say Democrats are united right now. How long how long could you be united for?

AOC: I you know I know I'm I am a member of the House of Representatives. Our caucus is tremendously united and what this administration is saying about fighting for health care for undocumented people is a total lie. I mean just genuinely it's a total lie.

We're fighting to make sure that people's health care premiums can remain low as possible after a trillion dollars in cuts to our health care system that the Republican majority just passed a few months ago. This is going to have a tremendous and devastating effect on people's everyday lives and their ability to put food on the table.

And that's what we're trying to make sure that we are protecting people from.


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