Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is attempting something few politicians manage to pull off cleanly: convincing the public to forget, or at least forgive, a chapter of left wing politics that many liberals once embraced but now find hard to defend.

As the most recognizable face of democratic socialism in the country, Ocasio-Cortez appears to be asking for a second chance on behalf of candidates who once supported ideas like defunding the police. Her argument is that candidates should be evaluated based on where they stand today, not on positions they held years ago. That pitch, however, could be a hard sell for moderate Democrats and Republicans alike, particularly in swing districts far from safely blue territory.

Laughing as she quoted a fellow politician and friend, she said “Woke 1 was crazy.” She went on to say that judging a candidate today means looking closely at what they’re actually saying now. While she acknowledged that policy debates in the early days of the pandemic were productive given how dire the situation was at the time, she admitted the language used back then isn’t language politicians would reach for today.

Four years later, when she stepped in to replace President Biden atop the ticket, Harris tried to rebrand herself as a more centrist, traditional Democrat. The Trump campaign, however, made sure her earlier positions stayed in the spotlight throughout the race.