What it means to be successful

 A few days ago I saw a this story about Senator McCaskill commenting on Congressperson Ocasio-Cortez current level of fame. This quote really stuck out to me.

“She's now talked about a lot,” McCaskill said of the 29-year-old. “I’m not sure what she's done yet to generate that kind of enthusiasm, but I wish her well. I hope she hangs the moon.”

"The rhetoric is cheap,” she added. “Getting results is a lot harder."

I am not sure what Senator McCaskill is trying achieve here.  For the people who are backing Congressperson Ocasio-Cortez this is pretty easy.  In the first two years all she needs to do is prove how absurd congress is.  Having an Instagram feed showing the behind the scenes of Congress, clapping back at critics, not mess up, and support people with the same agenda will make her first term a success. 

What makes a Congressperson a success is a strange thing.  You can point at Ocasio-Cortez's voting record.  You can't really point at anything else at first.  I expect she will be outside of the main stream of the democratic party to start with.  You don't expect she will be the driving force drafting any legislation. It is her first term, you don't expect the will be the chairperson on any committees.  You don't expect she needs to bring any pork home to her district. 

For this first term, Congressperson Ocasio-Cortez can really determine results.  It will be harder if she is in Congress when the Democrats hold the presidency.

I know Senator McCaskill is trying to say something, but I don't know who the audience for this is.