Ocasio-Cortez says prospect of Biden run ‘does not particularly animate me’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that while she has not yet decided on an endorsement in the crowded Democratic presidential field, the idea of former Vice President Joe Biden running “does not particularly animate me.”

Ocasio-Cortez told Yahoo News podcast “Skullduggery” that she will support whoever wins the nomination, but said a bid by Biden would be going back, instead of moving forward.

“That does not particularly animate me right now,” Ocasio-Cortez told Skullduggery.

{mosads}“I can understand why people would be excited by that, this idea that we can go back to the good old days with Obama, with Obama’s vice president,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “There’s an emotional element to that, but I don’t want to go back. I want to go forward.”

Biden is seen as likely to jump into the presidential race in coming weeks, and the former vice president continues to lead in most 2020 polls.

Ocasio-Cortez expressed interest in Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), both of whom, like her, represent the party’s more progressive flank.

“I haven’t endorsed anybody, but I’m very supportive of Bernie,” she said.

She also said Warren’s campaign, which has released a series of detailed policy proposals, has been “truly remarkable, truly remarkable and transformational.”

Ocasio-Cortez and Warren went viral on Twitter in late March when they confirmed they met for lunch and had Middle Eastern yogurt spread labneh and iced tea.

Ocasio-Cortez demurred on whether she would want to seek higher office herself at any point.

“I think about it every once in a while, but … this is pretty hard already,” she said.

Ocasio-Cortez has often been tipped as a potential future presidential candidate, but at 29 years old is currently too young to be eligible for the office.