Ocasio-Cortez and Piers Morgan in spat over Ivanka's White House role: 'Could've been worse, she could've been a bartender'
Young democrat firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got into a Twitter bout with British TV presenter and journalist Piers Morgan after she complained about Ivanka Trump working in the White House despite never being elected to office.
Morgan, Daily Mail's US editor-at-large, scoffed: "Could be worse... Ivanka could have been a bar-tender 18 months ago," referring to Ocasio-Cortez's job at a Mexican bar which she repeatedly talks about.
Earlier, AOC had tweeted: "It may be shocking to some, but being someone’s daughter actually isn’t a career qualification. It hurts our diplomatic standing when the president phones it in & the world moves on. The US needs our president working the G20. Bringing a qualified diplomat couldn’t hurt either."
She retorted saying: "Actually, that would make government better—not worse. Imagine if more people in power spent years of their lives actually working for a living. We’d probably have healthcare and living wages by now."
In response, Morgan went on to argue he had nothing against bartenders having been one himself, adding he was merely pointing out the fact that the majority of White House staffers holding significant positions had not been elected to office.
Speaking of the Trump scion, Morgan said, "I’ve known Ivanka Trump for 13 years & seen her at work in many different scenarios. She’s one of the smartest people I know, as well as one of the most loyal, diligent & decent. Your desire to belittle her says more about you than her."
Furthermore, Morgan said Ivanka was there on 'merit' and not nepotism, adding he was only 'having a pop' at Ocasio Cortez's jibe on the first daughter for lack of experience when 'she herself was serving drinks 18 months ago.'
AOC then went on to retaliate with a barrage of complaints against 'the GOP' and accused Republicans of 'classism.'
"As always, I‘m proud of my work in restaurants," she fumed, before listing her other qualifications. "I also worked for Sen. Ted Kennedy, piloted literacy projects in the South Bronx, studied Development Economics in W Africa, served as an Educational Director & won international science competitions before I ran for office, too. Working people that GOP dismisses as 'just a waitress/cook/etc' contain multitudes, & are just as capable & intelligent as anyone."
She continued: "Classism - judging someone’s character by their income - is disappointing to see from them. What is so appalling to GOP about having an honest job? Some of the most nuanced, intelligent, & grounded people I‘ve ever met weren’t at BU, MIT or Harvard events when I was a student. They were the plumbers & waitresses I hung out with at happy hour, who had ferocious intellectual curiosity and a lived context of the real world."
"In other words, Republicans who criticize my being a waitress as evidence of lacking skill can take their classism to the trash," she wrote. "You are insulting the capacities and potential of virtually every working person in America (&the world) for having experience that’s earned, not bought. (And that’s if they even take out their own trash, which I doubt)."
Morgan, who won the first season of 'The Apprentice' and shares a close relationship with the populist leader, later challenged Ocasio-Cortez to a sit-down interview.
The democratic socialist, however, hasn't responded as yet.