It’s safe to say, AOC’s high-profile trip to the Munich Security Conference did not land exactly how she’d hoped.
She set out to issue a stark warning to the global elite: wealth inequality is fueling the rise of right-wing authoritarianism, and liberal democracies will not survive unless they start delivering material gains for working people.
In fact, she did hammer home this urgent message across two MSC panels, a dynamic event in Berlin, and strategy sessions with European policymakers.
But that’s not what broke through. The forum in Munich was treated more like an event in Milan – a presidential figure skating contest – and AOC’s unsteady performance was judged harshly; critics dunked on her viral stumble and debated whether she’d ever reach the podium, drowning out the whole ~stopping fascism~ thing.
Understandably exasperated, AOC dialed NYT’s Kellen Browning in a last-ditch effort to recenter the narrative.
“This reporter came up to me and was like, ‘Is Munich the new New Hampshire?’ And I cannot say enough how out of touch and missing the point, genuinely, that is. Global democracies are on fire the world over, and established parties are falling to right-wing populist movements.”
I honestly… kinda loved this move? I mean, it’s definitely not *advisable* to keep digging in such situations; it felt raw – wayward, even. I got a few “so not ready for primetime” texts. But I think part of her magic is that she legitimately hates this shit, and people can feel that. She does not dream of being “primetime” – she dreams of taxing the rich and paying workers.
Here are some additional takeaways:
On both substance and politics, I fully buy the narrative AOC went to Munich to pitch. I wish more Dems would root their domestic and foreign policy in big-tent economic populism, and be visibly angry about democracies’ failures to deliver for working people.
Hindsight is 20/20 – and I’m sure there were logistical challenges – but a big speech on the eve of the forum would’ve been a much more effective way to deliver this vision than trying to land on moderated panels.
Everyone is pinning her miscues on foreign policy inexperience, but I think it’s partly just a lack of reps on this level in general; she’s done very little media over the last year. She had a similarly nervous showing in a healthcare-focused CNN town hall during the 2025 shutdown – shaky moments mixed with flashes of brilliance. She’ll get way get better in these formats with a bit more practice.
It was evident how much more comfortable folks like ELISSA SLOTKIN, RUBEN GALLEGO, & CHRIS MURPHY appeared on this stage.
AOC’s main gaffe was a hummina hummina answer on whether we should deploy troops to defend Taiwan if China makes a move. She tried to articulate the longstanding US policy of ‘strategic ambiguity’ – basically, a policy of never answering that question (though Biden enjoyed saying yes & making the State Dept. clean it up) – and kinda got there eventually, as inelegant as it was. There are, in fact, worse ways to bungle the fraught issue…
A Four-Act Play: On Monday, the WSJ Ed Board mocked AOC’s Taiwan answer, contrasting her with Mr. Trump, who “understands deterrence at an instinctual level.” On Tuesday, in a stunning walkback of US policy, Trump suggested he was giving Xi a say on our (legally obligated!) defensive weapon sales to Taiwan. On Wednesday, WSJ scooped that a major arms deal was indeed in limbo – and then the WSJ Ed Board begged Mr. Trump not to let Xi bully him. [End scene.]
Fox News & co. have had a field day (well, field week) with AOC’s missteps, but that was frankly preordained for this global debut… If she brokered world peace and turned water into Trump Wine, the right would call her a stupid bartender. Their AOC Derangement Syndrome is def way creepier than the left’s TDS, but similarly, it often redounds to her political & attentional benefit.
Among progressives, AOC earned plenty of enthusiastic support for her vision and moral clarity. But there was some criticism, too – for the lack of conviction conveyed by her wobblier answers, and more interestingly, in certain pockets of the populist left, for her broad embrace of conventional American-led internationalism.
It’s worth watching the full Berlin event, but I wanted to pull out two answers (cued up here & here) she gave about coalitional politics – and the imperative for the left & center to work together even as they infuriate one another – that I found particularly illuminating, both vis-a-vis her own evolution and as a lesson the entire party should heed. (Spoiler: We absolutely will not.)
It was hardly a perfect global debut. It was also an important trip, a valuable learning experience, and an affirmation of her unique star power. If she ultimately chooses to run, I still believe she has the clearest path to the nomination of any Democrat – and also believe she spends the least time thinking about it.
Quick Hits
GAVIN NEWSOM’s book tour begins this weekend & he’s tacked on some notable events – a fundraiser for GA-Gov candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms in Atlanta on Sunday… two stops w/local Dems in rural SC on Monday… He just had SC kingmaker Jim Clyburn on his podcast, and Nancy Pelosi can’t stop gassing him up. Starting to think this guy might run for president!
PETE BUTTIGIEG begins a 3-day swing through New Hampshire today, and will hit Nevada next week to campaign for Sandra Jauregui, whom he just endorsed for Lt. Governor.
A new UNH poll shows BUTTIGIEG topping the NH field at 20%, AOC & NEWSOM each at 15%, and MARK KELLY surging to 10% alongside KAMALA – evidence of his recent boom translating into real support.
ANDY BESHEAR joined the ever-growing list of 2028ers with books coming out this year. Go And Do Likewise – which promises to reclaim faith as a force for good in public life – is due out Sept. 22.
MARK KELLY told the BBC he will “seriously consider” a 2028 bid, and CORY BOOKER told Jaime Harrison he has “not dismissed the idea of running for president again.”
WES MOORE’s 2026 continues to be eventful. This week, he signed a bill ending local law enforcement partnerships with ICE, hosted Hakeem Jeffries to ratchets up redistricting pressure, skated through a nationally televised CBS town hall, and is currently locked in an insane fight with Donald Trump about the Potomac sewage spill. (Potomac Sewage Spill – good band name.)
JB PRITZKER – in Wednesday's State of the State address – proposed a 2-year pause on tax breaks for data centers, a ‘Social Media Platform Fee’ that will raise $200M/yr for K-12 education, and a statewide zoning law to lower housing costs & streamline construction.
RO KHANNA & Thomas Massie will force a vote on a war powers resolution as Trump careens toward military strikes on Iran. Cuz who doesn’t love a good ol’ fashioned regime change war in the Middle East with no day-after plan.
RUBEN GALLEGO introduced legislation to require employers to pay workers time-and-a-half for working on federal holidays.
A couple more good reads:
Highlights from the Big, Beautiful Tracker
JON OSSOFF on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
WES MOORE’s CBS ‘Things That Matter’ Town Hall
CORY BOOKER on At Our Table with Jaime Harrison
JB PRITZKER on Vox’s Today, Explained
RO KHANNA on Organized Money with Matt Stoller & David Dayen
Time Capsule
Here’s a 2008 feature on Notre Dame senior MALLORY MCMORROW – now a rising Democratic star running for Michigan’s open Senate seat – winning the national Mazda Design Competition. ZOOM ZOOM!
