Sen. Padilla claps back after JD Vance calls him ‘Jose': ‘ He knows my name'

Sen. Alex Padilla blasted the Trump administration Saturday, calling it 'petty and unserious' after Vice President JD Vance referred to him as 'Jose' during a news conference in Los Angeles the previous day.
'He knows my name,' Padilla said in an appearance on MSNBC on Saturday morning.
Vance visited Los Angeles on Friday for less than five hours after several weeks of federal immigration raids in the city and surrounding areas, sparking protests and backlash from state and local officials.
Padilla was thrown into the heated nationwide immigration debate when he was dragged to the ground by federal law enforcement officers and briefly detained when he attempted to ask U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a question during a news conference earlier this month.
Vance characterized the move by California's first Latino senator as 'political theater' in his remarks.
'I was hoping Jose Padilla would be here to ask a question, but unfortunately I guess he decided not to show up because there wasn't a theater, and that's all it is,' Vance said.
Vance served alongside Padilla in the Senate and is now the president of the upper chamber of Congress. Vance's press secretary, Taylor Van Kirk, told Politico that the vice president misspoke and 'must have mixed up two people who have broken the law.'
Padilla, in his TV interview, said he broke no laws.
He suggested the misnaming was intentional — and a reflection of the administration's skewed priorities.
'He's the vice president of the United States.' Padilla said. 'You think he'd take the the situation in Los Angeles more seriously.'
Padilla said Vance might instead have taken the opportunity to talk to families or employers affected by raids carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Other California Democrats rallied behind Padilla after the misnaming incident.
'Calling him 'Jose Padilla' is not an accident,' California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a Friday post on the social media platform X.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass highlighted racial undertones in Vance's comments.
'I guess he just looked like anybody to you, but he's not just anybody to us,' she said during a press conference on Friday. 'He is our senator.'

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Miami Herald

28 minutes ago

• Miami Herald

Florida Democrats look to stop the bleeding during annual political conference

A question loomed over Democratic party leaders and volunteers on Saturday as they pumped hip hop through the speakers at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood: can Florida Democrats find a way to win next election season? Democrats in Florida have faced stinging losses on the ballot, especially over the past six years. Some point to fundraising issues as the cause. Others point to shrinking voter registration numbers. At Leadership Blue, an annual Democratic conference, several elected officials and party leaders agreed on one thing: they have a messaging problem, and President Donald Trump might help them solve it. Democrats mentioned immigration, tariffs and potential cuts to healthcare as issues that have caused division in Florida districts that voted Republican. Deportations in South Florida were central to the discussion, with issues like revoking Temporary Protected Status, instating travel bans and targeting immigrants who have not committed crimes roiling Hispanic communities. 'I think what's happening from the federal government being compounded by the state government, in terms of immigration, gives us an opening,' said Samuel Vilchez Santiago, chairman of the Orange County Democrats. Last year, Trump and Florida Republicans put a message out that they were for the working class, said Santiago, who is Venezuelan-American. He said Hispanic communities in Florida, many of which helped the Republican Party win competitive districts in Miami-Dade County, believed Trump would deliver on promises to lower the cost of living. But Democrats say Trump has failed to deliver, and they plan to take advantage of it. Those unfulfilled promises, combined with growing negative sentiment toward immigration enforcement, may give them an edge during next year's midterms, Santiago said. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who paid a visit to Leadership Blue, felt the same. Beshear, a Democratic governor in a red state, thinks Florida Democrats have a way to portray themselves as people that can bring change. 'What you'll start seeing is people who don't just feel regret, but they feel betrayal,' Beshear said, speaking about Trump's campaign promises. 'Because someone who told them they were focused on them is now telling them their kids have too many toys.' As a whole, though, some admit they could have done better with reaching out this past election cycle. Millie Herrera, a longtime Democrat and part of the party's budget and finance committee, thinks the party could improve in reaching out to every Hispanic community in Florida. Herrera, who is Cuban-American, thinks it's time to organize locally and year-round, rather than just during election season. In her Hialeah community where she runs a small business, she said she often hears Hispanic people say that Trump had promised to only deport criminals. The Democrats knew that wasn't true, she said, but failed to communicate that. This time, she is confident they will do better. 'We have always been for working people,' Herrera said. 'We have always been for immigrant communities. Maybe what we need to concentrate in our message is reminding them who has been there for us.' Present at Leadership Blue and handing out blue jolly ranchers to attendees, David Jolly, the former Republican congressman who announced his run for governor of Florida as a Democrat on June 5, said Florida is ready for a change and ready to build a coalition that leads with democratic values. While previously acknowledging Democrats have failed voters in the past, Jolly is hopeful Florida is ready for a change: A Democrat governor. 'This is a Democratic party that is united, and united to win,' Jolly said. Recent ups and downs Wins have been hard to come by for Florida Democrats. In April, Democrats witnessed defeats in two special elections for Florida congressional seats despite creating a stir by outraising Republican candidates. But even in defeat, Democrats celebrated because they outdid their previous numbers in both districts, viewed as deep-red and won in November by Trump by over 30 points. Josh Weil and Gay Valimont, running to representdistricts on the eastern coast of Florida and Pensacola, respectively, narrowed the gap to under 20 points each in their races. At the time, Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power likened the Democrats' campaigns to 'setting millions of dollars on fire.' But Democrats see it differently. Because they overperformed, Santiago said, it's a sign that grassroots fundraising is the right path for the party. Weil raised around $15 million, with the majority of it coming from donations that were $200 or less. Weil, who launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate last week, said the last couple of years have been tough. As a public school teacher and single father navigating the rising costs of living, he said Floridians are unsatisfied. 'People are really disappointed in what they have right now, particularly in our red districts here in Florida,' Weil said. But becoming competitive again in Florida will be a challenge. Florida Democrats have increasingly lost ground in a state that was once considered purple. Over the past six years, Republicans have won by wider and wider margins in elections for both state and national office. The 2018 midterms were the last to deliver something resembling success for the Florida Democrats. They gained two Congressional seats, seven Florida Legislature seats and one statewide seat — with current party Chairwoman Nikki Fried winning the race for commissioner of agriculture. Since then, Republicans have surged in the state, securing super-majorities in the Florida Legislature, expanding GOP dominance in the Florida congressional delegation and ending the days when Florida was known as the nation's largest swing state. Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis — who likes to compare the Florida Democratic Party to roadkill — both won their most recent races in the state by double digits. In November, Miami-Dade County voted Republican for the first time in a presidential election since 1988. Alongside Miami-Dade, other left-leaning metro areas in the state swung red as well: Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Duval County and Osceola County. Pouring salt on the wound, state Sen. Jason Pizzo, who served as the Senate Democratic leader in the Florida Legislature, told his colleagues earlier this year that he was changing his party affiliation, saying the Democratic Party is 'dead' in Florida. Pizzo now says he'll run for governor as an independent candidate. Still, Fried — who said Pizzo's resignation as party leader was 'one of the best things to happen to the party in years' — said Democrats in Florida are united and the party's message is succinct. She said she wants people to know that the Democrats are not giving up on them. Despite disdain or criticism from former members of the party, Fried said the party embraces a culture of respect where everyone is welcome, feels seen, is listened to and has a say. 'We talk with one voice, and we really have created a coalition in our state that people feel like you don't have to always agree with everybody inside the party,' Fried said. 'That's what the benefit of being a Democrat is — we are a big tent, which means there's going to be different sides of the spectrum.'

Newsweek

an hour ago

• Newsweek

Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls Out AOC Over Iran: 'Pathetic Little Hypocrite'

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has called out Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, for her criticism of President Donald Trump's attack on Iran. Greene wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Ocasio-Cortez, who had said Saturday's attack was "absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment," was a "pathetic little hypocrite." Newsweek reached out to representatives for Greene and Ocasio-Cortez via email outside of regular working hours for comment. Why It Matters The conflict between Israel and Iran has escalated dramatically over the past few days. Israel initially struck Tehran and other cities in "Operation Rising Lion," a campaign it said was designed to preempt a planned Iranian attack and disrupt its nuclear capabilities, which Iran has said are for peaceful purposes. Iran has since retaliated, though Israeli defense systems, bolstered by U.S. military technology, have largely intercepted incoming missile fire,. The U.S. is Israel's closest ally and provides billions of dollars in military aid annually. Trump announced military action on Iran on Truth Social on Saturday evening and said that the U.S. has attacked sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, speaks at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 2025. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, speaks at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 2025. OLIVER CONTRERAS/AFP via Getty Images What To Know There has been a mixed response to the attacks on both sides of the political spectrum. Democrats have either criticized the president for pulling the U.S. into another conflict or praised him for the military move. Republicans and MAGA have also been split in their response, with a recent YouGov poll showing that only 23 percent of Republicans say the U.S. should be involved in the conflict, putting politicians like Greene in a tough spot. Ocasio-Cortez branded the decision to attack Iran "disastrous," and said it was "a grave violation," of both the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. Greene wrote in response that Ocasio-Cortez was a "hypocrite." "YOU fully supported our military and IC running the proxy war against Russia in Ukraine," she wrote, adding "You don't get to play anti-war and moral outrage anymore." The U.S. provided support to Ukraine under former President Joe Biden. Americans have long been divided down partisan lines over aid to Ukraine. A Pew Research Center poll in February 2025 found that Republicans were more likely than Democrats to say that the U.S. was giving Ukraine too much support, by 47 to 14 percent. And support for U.S. involvement in Iran is also fractured, with MAGA specifically being divided on the issue. Greene has long been a vocal supporter of Trump and a MAGA enthusiast, but has positioned herself away from the president on this issue and spoken out against U.S. involvement in the conflict. On Saturday, Greene wrote on X "Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war," adding, "This is not our fight. Peace is the answer," in a post viewed over 10 million times as of reporting. Earlier in the week, she had written on X "Americans want cheap gas, groceries, bills and housing" and not a foreign war. A recent YouGov poll found that among all respondents, only 16 percent supported U.S. involvement in the conflict between Iran and Israel, with 60 percent opposed. What People Are Saying Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene previously told Newsweek: "It's no surprise that a majority of Republicans oppose U.S. intervention in Israel's war with Iran…In November, voters cast their ballots to end the forever wars. I'm not surprised one bit. Americans want our government focused on solving our problems here at home, and we have many to solve." President Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social: "Congratulations to our great American warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!" Senator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, wrote on X: "As I've long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS. Iran is the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I'm grateful for and salute the finest military in the world." Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, said in a statement shared on X: "President Trump sending U.S. troops to bomb Iran without the consent of Congress is a blatant violation of our Constitution. The American people do not want another forever war." What's Next Iran's leadership under Supreme Leader Ali Ayatollah Khamenei will decide whether to retaliate for the U.S. strikes or whether to continue with negotiations. Reactions of global powers Russia and China, which are close to Iran, will also be critical.

Yahoo

2 hours ago

• Yahoo

Mark Cuban Turned Down the Offer When Asked to Submit to be Kamala Harris' Vice President in 2024 Presidential Election: ‘I'm Not Very Good as the Number Two Person'

During a recent appearance on 'The Bulwark' podcast, Mark Cuban revealed he was invited to submit himself for consideration to become former Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate in the 2024 presidential election. However, the 'Shark Tank' star, an outward supporter of the Harris campaign, turned the offer down. Interviewer Tim Miller opened the segment by prefacing that he had heard rumors at MSNBC that Cuban was tapped to join Harris on the campaign trail. More from Variety Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert Mock Trump for Complaining on Juneteenth About 'Too Many Non-Working Holidays': 'Juneteenth Is a Day of Joy - So Donald Trump Doesn't Like It' Trump Is 'Flouting the Law' in Delaying Enforcement of TikTok Ban, a Top Senate Democrat Says Trump Says David Ellison Is 'Great, He'll Do a Great Job' Running Merged Skydance-Paramount, as FCC Deal Approval Is Still Pending 'There was some green room gossip at MSNBC,' Miller said. 'I wouldn't tell you this if it wasn't pretty good. Somebody I kind of trust said that they asked you to send in VP vetting papers and you said, 'No, the list would be too long.' Is that true?' Cuban confirmed the rumors to be true and elaborated on his decision to bow out of the race. 'The second part of that, my response was I'm not very good as the number two person,' Cuban explained. 'And so if the last thing we need is me telling Kamala, you know, the president that, 'No, that's a dumb idea.' Right? And I'm not real good at shaking hands and kissing babies.' Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was the one ultimately selected to run alongside Harris. There was speculation that her runner-up choices would've been Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, former governor of North Carolina Roy Cooper or Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Donald Trump, who went on to win the 2024 election, selected JD Vance as his vice president. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar