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<\/div>Sen. Bernie Sanders wasted little time in defending Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday after former Vice President Joe Biden portrayed her politics as potentially too far to the left to win a national election.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud to be working with @AOC and so many other Democrats to pass Medicare for All, debt free college and a Green New Deal,\u201d Sanders tweeted in response to a new Biden\u00a0interview with CNN<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sanders added: \u201cThis is the agenda America needs \u2014 and that will energize voters to defeat Donald Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n During the interview, Biden noted that more moderate Democrats had won in swing districts across the country, helping return control of the U.S. House of Representatives back to the party in 2018.<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s what this election is about. I\u2019m happy to debate that issue and all those issues with my friends because guess what, look who won the races. Look who won last time out,\u201d Biden told CNN.<\/p>\n He pointed out that Ocasio-Cortez \u201cwon a primary\u201d \u2014 an apparent reference to\u00a0her upset win<\/a>\u00a0last year against a longtime Democratic incumbent in a very liberal district.<\/p>\n \u201cBy the way, I think Ocasio-Cortez is a brilliant, bright woman, but she won a primary,\u201d he continued. \u201cIn the general election fights, who won? Mainstream Democrats who are very progressive on social issues and very strong on education and health care.\u201d<\/p>\n At the core of the debate is the perennial question for Democrats over how liberal is too liberal when it comes to picking a presidential nominee. Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, runs to the left of Biden, who made no apologies on Friday for a centrist platform.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, it\u2019s center-left, that\u2019s where I am. Where it\u2019s not is way left,\u201d Biden told CNN.<\/p>\n In April, Ocasio-Cortez told Yahoo News\u2019s podcast \u201cSkullduggery\u201d that Biden\u2019s candidacy \u201cdoes not particularly animate me<\/a>\u00a0right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Ocasio-Cortez has yet to endorse a candidate for the Democratic nomination, but\u00a0appears to be looking at<\/a>\u00a0Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. While she has also vowed to support whichever Democrat ultimately wins the nomination, in May the Green New Deal co-sponsor blasted Biden for reportedly seeking to find \u201cmiddle ground\u201d when addressing the problem of\u00a0climate change.<\/a><\/p>\n This is a dealbreaker.<\/p>\n There is no \u201cmiddle ground\u201d w\/ climate denial & delay.<\/p>\n Blaming \u201cblue collar\u201d Americans as the main opponents to bold climate policy is gas lobbyist 101.<\/p>\n We\u2019re not going to solve the climate crisis w\/ this lack of leadership. Our kids\u2019 lives are at stake. https:\/\/t.co\/KvrBmaJd75<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 10, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n