Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tear-down of Ted Yoho was Emmy-worthy, and one of TV's best moments in years

Los Angeles Times

The Democratic U.S. representative from New York's 10-minute takedown of the Republican U.S. representative from Florida on Thursday after he reportedly called her a "f*cking bitch," broke C-SPAN records with about 13 million views on Twitter and counting. The speech was also Emmy-worthy, according to Mary McNamara. "Oh, it’s a rare and beautiful day when the best, most rousing, pointed and important speech is brought to you by C-SPAN," says McNamara. "Remember when The West Wing’s President Bartlet launched a line-by-line tear-down of Leviticus after some conservative talk show host referred to homosexuality as an 'abomination' because that’s what it was called in the Bible? Of course you do. And now you’ll remember the day Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), speaking from the House floor, systematically dismembered Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) for thinking it’s OK to publicly call a woman a 'f— bitch' if she’s doing something you do not want her to do. I certainly do not want to impugn AOC’s sincerity by using the term 'Emmy-worthy' (and with Emmy nominations just days away, she wouldn’t be eligible for this year anyway), but if that scene — and indeed the entire storyline — had been an episode of Madam Secretary, or The West Wing or even Scandal, it would have been a shoo-in for a nod on Tuesday."