Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Clarifies Her Nomination of Bernie Sanders at DNC Was 'Procedural'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez explained that her remarks were a convention formality, and she supports Joe Biden, who will formally accept the Democratic nomination on Thursday

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Photo: DNCC/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is clarifying that her nomination of Sen. Bernie Sanders at the Democratic National Convention was purely procedural.

On Tuesday, the congressperson, 30, appeared during the political party's broadcast during a 90-second, pre-recorded address, in which she spoke for Sanders, 78, in a roll call nomination speech as a formality, since he earned some delegates before dropping out of the presidential race.

When some misconstrued her presentation as going against Joe Biden (who will formally accept the Democratic nomination on Thursday), Ocasio-Cortez cleared up any confusion and assured she's behind Biden, 77, heading into the Nov. 3 election.

"If you were confused, no worries! Convention rules require roll call & nominations for every candidate that passes the delegate threshold. I was asked to 2nd the nom for Sen. Sanders for roll call. I extend my deepest congratulations to @JoeBiden - let’s go win in November," she explained on Twitter.

In another post, Ocasio-Cortez congratulated Biden, adding, "I deeply look forward to fighting for our future together and reclaiming our democracy in November." She also explained that the speech was "procedural" and "routine."

During her remarks, Ocasio-Cortez spoke of a "mass people’s movement working to establish 21st-century social, economic and human rights."

"Good evening, bienvenidos, and thank you to everyone here today endeavoring toward a better, more just future for our country and our world, in fidelity and gratitude to a mass people’s movement working to establish 21st-century social, economic and human rights, including guaranteed health care, higher education, living wages and labor rights for all people in the United States," she began.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories

"A movement striving to recognize and repair the wounds of racial injustice, colonization, misogyny and homophobia. And to propose and build reimagined systems of immigration and foreign policy that turn away from the violence and xenophobia of our past," she continued. "A movement that realizes the unsustainable brutality of an economy that rewards explosive inequalities of wealth for the few, at the expense of long-term stability for the many. And who organized a historic, grass roots campaign to reclaim our democracy."

"In a time when millions of people in the United States are looking for deep systemic solutions to our crisis of mass evictions, unemployment and lack of health care, en el espíritu del pueblo, and out of a love for all people, I hereby second the nomination of Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont for president of the United States of America," she concluded.

RELATED VIDEO: Donald Trump Reacts to Michelle Obama's Speech Denouncing Him: 'Your Husband' Is Reason I Got Elected

After battling with Biden for months over the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, Sanders pledged his support to the former vice president on Monday at the DNC, underscoring the contest between Biden and Donald Trump.

Sanders used his speech at the virtual event to call on his progressive supporters to join him in voting for Biden, who has been criticized by the party's left for being too moderate.

"My friends, I say to you and to everyone who supported other candidates in this primary and to those who may have voted for Donald Trump in the last election: The future of our democracy is at stake," he said. "The future of our economy is at stake. The future of our planet is at stake. We must come together to defeat Donald Trump and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president."