Ocasio-Cortez is finding a new model for how to work in public

The level of attention surrounding Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is, by any measure, extraordinary, bordering on Kardashian-grade. This goes for both the positive and the negative attention, each of which can feel more like a self-serving projection than an accurate representation of who Ocasio-Cortez is or what she’s doing.

The congresswoman has become a handy and versatile symbol — the representative. For the leftward and younger wings of the Democratic Party, she serves as a figurehead and a hero; for conservative media outlets, as reliable outrage bait. Everyone seems willing to let her be a lightning rod — including, notably, Ocasio-Cortez herself.

It’s not