Tag: Acting

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fired back Sunday at liberal Hollywood writer-director Aaron Sorkin after he claimed that the new Democrats in Congress should “stop acting like young people.” Sorkin, creator of “The West Wing,” talked about politics and the current state of America during an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. The average age of Congress’s new freshman class is 49, making it the youngest class in the past three cycles. Sorkin noted the Democrats have gotten too progressive. “I think there’s great opportunity here, now more than ever, for Democrats to be the non-stupid party,” he said. “When people complain about low turnout in some demos, it’s not because communities are apathetic, it’s bc they don’t see you fighting for them,” Ocasio-Cortez added. “If we don’t show up for people, why should you feel entitled to their vote?” She spent the next hour on Twitter, tweeting in response. “Men have ‘gravitas,’ women get ‘likeable,’” she said, bringing up identity politics. She added: “If you notice, on the right they’ll flatly call people blanket terms, and even make things up. And I don’t mean trolls - I mean their biggest commentators + TV figures.” Members of the historic freshman class of House Democrats — together — helped flip the House from Republican control in November’s elections. The celebrity-studded group includes a record number of women, a new crop of veterans and diversity never before seen in Congress.

Donald Trump is nominating the acting veterans affairs secretary, Robert Wilkie, to lead the beleaguered department permanently. “He doesn’t know this yet – that we’re going to be putting his name up for nomination to be secretary of the veterans administration,” Trump said. Wilkie, 56, oversaw a new Pentagon policy aimed at stemming harassment in the military after an online nude-photo sharing scandal rocked the Marine Corps. He was confirmed unanimously as Pentagon undersecretary by the Senate. As acting VA secretary, Wilkie has sought to rebuild morale at an agency beset with turmoil and rebellion over Trump’s push to expand private care. The VA faces problems demanding immediate attention, including a budget shortfall in its private-sector Veterans Choice program. The House is slated to vote on a wide-ranging bill next week that would give veterans more freedom to see doctors outside the VA health system, a major step towards fulfilling Trump’s promise to expand private care for veterans. Jackson’s nomination to replace Shulkin surprised veterans’ groups. While Jackson was well-liked in Washington and drew praise from Obama administration officials he had treated, even many Republicans were skeptical of his ability to lead the VA. After Jackson withdrew, White House officials said Trump planned to interview and vet his next nominee more thoroughly. Wilkie has experience shepherding two defense secretaries through Senate confirmation.