Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden insists he can unify a fractured nation, and he’ll test his theory with an unusual nominating convention intended to span the spectrum of U.S. politics.
But one of the far-left’s biggest star was informed Wednesday she’ll only get the spotlight for 60-seconds.
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And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., doesn’t seem too happy. The socialist leader took to Twitter to vent her frustration that Biden’s team was only giving her a minute of airtime during the nationally televised event.
She quoted the poem “Life Is Just a Minute” by Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, a noted civil rights leader. The poem implies that the brief minute of airtime was “forced upon” her but that she’ll do everything she can with it.
“I only have a minute.
Sixty seconds in it.
Forced upon me, I did not choose it,
But I know that I must use it.
Give account if I abuse it.
Suffer, if I lose it.Only a tiny little minute,
But eternity is in it.”– Dr. Benjamin E. Mays
(and recited by Elijah Cummings) ???? https://t.co/ul9CE7NriV— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 12, 2020
The Democratic National Convention will be a virtual production since the COVID-19 pandemic led party officials to cancel all in-person plans in Milwaukee.
A detailed but incomplete list of speakers released Tuesday also features many of Biden’s 2020 primary rivals, congressional leaders close to the former vice president, “Never Trump” Republicans and several everyday Americans, including some who supported President Donald Trump in 2016.
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Ocasio-Cortez supporters called it a “slap” and insulting to the far-left wing of the party.
REPUBLICAN John Kasich is getting more time to speak at the DEMOCRATIC national Convention than @AOC. That is all.
— Nabilah Islam (@NabilahforGA07) August 13, 2020
Party officials and Biden aides describe the agenda as a way to pitch the nominee as a steady, consensus-building figure in contrast with Trump’s turbulent personality.
Yet the unusual format, with just eight hours of prime-time programming spread over four nights from Aug. 17-20, will test Biden’s ability to project a cohesive message to a splintered electorate wrenched by a pandemic, a devastated economy and ongoing unrest over racial injustices.
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Programming is set to be broadcast and streamed online each night from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. EDT.
Biden has not named a keynote speaker, who will be featured Tuesday, the same night Biden will be formally nominated by a pre-recorded roll call vote of the 57 state and territorial delegations.
Notable omissions on the list as it stood Tuesday morning: Georgia voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams, who delivered Democrats’ State of the Union response in 2019; Beto O’Rourke, the former Texas congressman who ran for president this year; and two of Biden’s campaign co-chairmen: Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond.
The Associated Press contributed to this article