# Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (her brilliant retort to Yoho) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 24, 2020, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220 "2020-07-24T14:56:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/181 "2020-07-25T20:24:33Z")
Did you edit this after the first response? I don’t remember seeing the snark. I wasn’t criticizing your response, in particular. I was seeing this as a general, rambling discussion of issues with combating misogyny in our society. I said that I liked the speech. I’ve said that like 10 times. But once that’s been said, well, the conversation evolves. Dangerosa talking about how in her experience people are treating the speech as a Great Leap Forward, and her own frustration with that response is a pretty reasonable place for the conversation to go from there. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/182 "2020-07-25T20:25:45Z")
So now that you heard her speak, are you open to the idea that misogyny is a problem in a way that you were never clear on before? That other women just couldn’t covey to you? ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/183 "2020-07-25T20:35:35Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > So now that you heard her speak I haven’t; I rarely listen to anyone when reading a transcript 10x faster is an option. But some people are inspired by speeches. Some people make more inspiring speeches. And I, personally, benefit from repetition in messaging when there is competition for my attention. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/184 "2020-07-25T20:37:50Z")
Fair enough. But Dangerosa had a different reaction, it made her tired and sad, because it shows how far we have to go, and how little progress we’ve really made. That’s also a fair reaction, and not a criticism of the speech. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/185 "2020-07-25T20:38:14Z")
FWIW, although I’m certain I would be much more likely to support AOC‘s position on whatever specific legislation is involved here than Yoho’s, it should be said that her Jean Valjean theory of crime is laughably naïve. The spike in violent crime we are seeing in various cities is not a result of parents stealing bread for their starving children, c’mon. 🙄 > [@mhendo](#): > > On the **SlackerInc** theory of idiomatic phrases, you should be warned for wishing death on another poster. Haha, that was pretty good. Touché. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/186 "2020-07-25T20:44:18Z")
For the record, Yoho is my representative and I have attended one of his town hall meetings. I have seen the way he has addressed women, including a climate scientist from UF who questioned him on his stance towards climate change.\* Even in a public setting, he is infuriatingly paternalistic, condescending, and dismissive of women. I have no doubt that he’s far worse when he thinks he can get away with it. \*He told her that he knows climate change doesn’t exist. Why? Because when he was a kid he worked outdoors a lot, and it was really warm back then. CHECK AND MATE. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/187 "2020-07-25T21:07:57Z")
Yoho should start spelling his name “yahoo.” What a turd. Anyway, here’s a great article that, I think, does a good job of articulating some of the points the women in this thread are trying to make. > **[The Poison of Male Incivility](https://www.thecut.com/2020/07/aoc-speech-ted-yoho-new-york-times.html)** > > When a woman dares respond to it, she’s seen as “disruptive.” ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/188 "2020-07-25T21:23:34Z")
FWIW, I have never been in the habit of calling women “(fucking) bitch”. You don’t have to accept my word on that. Nevertheless, it’s true. Guilty as charged of using the word “cunt”, but to be fair, I’ve used it to insult men by order of magnitude more often than women. That said, I’ve refrained from doing so since the thread in ATMB. Feel free to search the boards for its use by me since the date of my posts there. Still, AOC did re-enforce my decision tor refrain. The message was not lost on me. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/189 "2020-07-25T21:36:32Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > FWIW, although I’m certain I would be much more likely to support AOC‘s position on whatever specific legislation is involved here than Yoho’s, it should be said that her Jean Valjean theory of crime is laughably naïve. Yet that should not have triggered an intemperate rage fit on the part of Yoho, just as it did not trigger one in you just now. He could have cooly said what you just did _and walked away_. That it did cause an outburst, and the nature and form of the outburst, is what points to something bigger that’s wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/190 "2020-07-25T21:56:54Z")
Surprised it’s generated such a response. Yoho was totally out of line to make that remark. The Republicans in Congress have adopted a habit of vindictive remarks to emulate their leader. He got caught. He got called out deservedly. It’ll be out of the news cycle and public consciousness in a week. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/191 "2020-07-25T22:57:34Z")
…this twitter thread from Quinn Cummings helps add a bit more context to what both MandaJo and Dangerosa have made in this thread. [https://twitter.com/quinncy/status/1287099839726018560](https://twitter.com/quinncy/status/1287099839726018560) ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/192 "2020-07-25T23:22:43Z")
[Rep. Ted Yoho removed from board of Christian charity over his comments about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/rep-ted-yoho-removed-from-board-of-christian-charity-over-his-comments-about-rep-alexandria-ocasio-cortez/2020/07/25/31037546-ceaa-11ea-91f1-28aca4d833a0_story.html) > Bread for the World announced Yoho’s resignation in a statement on Saturday, saying that his “recent actions and words as reported in the media are not reflective of the ethical standards expected of members of our Board of Directors.” Good on them. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/193 "2020-07-26T00:02:09Z")
A good article IMO. Indeed making it about AOC as viral sensation is itself a symptom of the bigger problem, taking attention from itself. (People just looking at her as “Brand AOC, Progressive Pop Sensation” – both opponents _and_ people supposedly on her side – has been a problem since she won her 2018 primary. We’ve plenty of that right here.) And the way NYT covered it suggests that someone at the Grey Lady has caught on to _“disruptive”_ as a “hip”, “now” buzzword to refer to everyone and everything that is not more of the same-old. Which probably means it’s time to find a different one. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/194 "2020-07-26T00:27:36Z")
The piece in the NYT reads more like an op-ed than an article. It’s not about the insult.It’s about how AOC parlayed the insult into a viral sensation, as though that’s a bad thing. What is left out is that this is how politics is played. If the media aren’t there to cover it, it didn’t happen. If you want change, you have to get the word out. > **[A.O.C. Unleashes a Viral Condemnation of Sexism in Congress (Published 2020)](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/23/us/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-sexism-congress.html)** > > After a Republican lawmaker referred to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez using a sexist vulgarity, she took to the House floor to denounce the abuse faced by women in Congress and across the nation. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/195 "2020-07-26T01:42:23Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > Did you edit this after the first response? I don’t remember seeing the snark. Yeah - sorry. We essentially cross posted. I edited mine right away - and when it posted, I saw you had responded already. Shoulda commented at the time. Again - sorry I didn’t. Don’t remember exactly what I added but I think I realized my post didn’t fully express my negative feelings from you two’s posts. Doubt there is anything significant I can add to this thread. And - no - I don’t make a point of joining in gender threads. For various reasons. Hey - I have a wife and daughters! 😉 No AOC’s speech did not say anything I personally did not previously believe and perceive. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/196 "2020-07-26T03:17:35Z")
Oh, absolutely. The House GOP caucus these days is overwhelmingly made up of super wound up, resentful avatars of toxic masculinity, rage balls of white grievance. All the more so now that they are in the minority, which on the House side makes them almost completely powerless. To have all these diverse women in charge is incredibly frustrating to them. And I’m here for it! ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/197 "2020-07-26T03:52:38Z")
It must have been nice before the party leadership of Newt Gengritch. I hear so many bad things about him. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/198 "2020-07-26T04:03:20Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > In parallel, from the 1860s to the present, conservatism has been about preserving the racial and sexual hierarchy of society. > > All the stuff about fiscal responsibility, federalism, and anything else you can name has never been anything more than pretext for a movement whose sole goal is preservation of the status quo hierarchy. > > […]There are and there never have been any “real” American conservatives distinguishable from what the Republican party stands for now. What can I say, you are entitled to your opinion. I just ask that you be a little more considerate before coming to the conclusion that _nobody_ of a certain political persuasion is sincere. 🙂 ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220/199 "2020-07-26T04:10:59Z")
Given centuries of history, and just the evidence of my lifetime, there’s no doubt left for anyone to benefit from. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-her-brilliant-retort-to-yoho/916220.md?page=9)