Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez avoids questions about presidential run on CBS's 'The Late Show'
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez avoided answering questions about a 2024 presidential run while on CBS's "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., shirked from questions wondering whether she’s running in the 2024 presidential election.
Doubts are growing among some Democrats over whether President Joe Biden should run for re-election due to his age and low approval with voters over his handling of the crippling economy, among other important issues affecting the country.
"Late Show" host Stephen Colbert brought up those concerns from some in her party to Ocasio-Cortez during a friendly interview on Tuesday evening.
A Washington Post reporter said on ABC that it could be too late for Democrats to message well on the economy. (Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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"You know, there's some speculation as to whether President Biden is going to run in 2024. There's some reports he's a little frustrated that people keep asking, because he keeps on saying ‘yes,’ and people go, 'Are you sure? Are you sure?'" he relayed to Ocasio-Cortez.
The comedian was referencing a New York Times report that said President Biden was annoyed by these questions.
He then asked the progressive Democrat if she was open to running for president.
"You know, I know somebody who is going to turn 35 about a month before the election in 2024, and they represent New York's 14th. Is that job appealing to you at all?" he posed.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on "The Late Show" with Stephen Colbert
Ocasio-Cortez uncomfortably backed away from the suggestion. "I think that--" she began to say as Colbert jumped in to press again.
"Theoretically?" he offered. After seeming to shake her head "no," the New York Democrat insisted she was focused on protecting "democracy" instead.
"Listen, I think that we need to focus on keeping a democracy for anybody to be president in the next couple of years. And that's my central focus is helping the people of this country right now," she told Colbert.
However, the CBS host did not take that answer as a "no."
"So it's possible, it's possible," he offered before joking he was going to "get her in trouble." Ocasio-Cortez dodged the question again, saying, "I don't know about all of that," as she agreed with the host that he was stirring up trouble.
President Biden and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Getty Images)
Earlier this month, the Democratic "Squad" member raised eyebrows for not answering a question from CNN's Dana Bash on whether she'd support President Biden running again in 2024. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," she told Bash in a rambling answer.
Colbert’s network also pushed former 2016 Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton into the 2024 spotlight, earlier in the day.
On "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King pressed Clinton if there were "any scenarios" where she would be willing to run again for president in the next election.
President Biden speaks leaves a meeting with the Senate Democratic Caucus in Washington, on Jan. 13, 2022. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The White House has insisted that President Biden, who turns 80 this year, plans to run again.
On CNN, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre laughed off Don Lemon's questions about the president's stamina to keep governing. "That is not a question that we should be even asking," she told Lemon.