Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) almost walked out of an interview when pressed about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) joining him in the Senate.
On ABC’s “This Week,” co-anchor Jonathan Karl was in the middle of asking Sanders about Ocasio-Cortez when he popped the question.
“Would you like to see her join you in the Senate?” Karl asked.
“I — right now we have, as I said, just a whole lot of people in the Congress. OK, Jonathan, thanks,” Sanders replied.
As the senator got out of his chair, Karl exclaimed, “Wait! I got one more — I got one more. This is an important one.”
Sanders, who had moved off-camera, indicated that he did not like the question about Ocasio-Cortez potentially becoming a member of the upper chamber.
“No, you want to do nonsense? Do nonsense,” Sanders said.
After Karl responded in the negative, the senator added, “I don’t want to talk about inside-the-Beltway stuff. I got 32,000 people —”
Karl cut in to assert that he was asking Sanders about Ocasio-Cortez because the pair had just appeared together for a rally in Denver.
Sanders, who emphasized that he did not “want to talk about this,” returned to his seat when Karl assured him that the next question would be about his future.
The tense exchange comes as the Democratic Party grapples with low approval ratings and a crisis of confidence in Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
CNN reported Ocasio-Cortez was being urged to consider a primary against Schumer after he refused to mount a blockade against a GOP-backed stopgap bill.
However, Ocasio-Cortez has avoided saying whether she would challenge Schumer.
Moments before the blow-up with Karl, Sanders had called Ocasio-Cortez “extraordinary.”
He added, “I am so impressed by her work in Congress and her — just, she inspires young people all over the country.”
Sanders also chastised Senate Democrats, saying they “did virtually nothing for working people” when in control of the upper chamber.
“I have to say that. I’m a member of the Democratic caucus as an independent, so I’m not going to lie to you and tell you otherwise,” he added.
There was criticism for President Donald Trump, too, but Sanders had some positive things to say when asked if the commander in chief has done anything right.
“Yeah. I mean, I think cracking down on fentanyl, making sure our borders are stronger,” he replied.
Sanders went on to insist that “nobody thinks illegal immigration is appropriate” and said he wants “comprehensive immigration reform.”
