I have been aware of a growing controversy surrounding Van Jones, President Obama’s “green jobs czar” for a week or so, mostly because of a student asking me about him and then because of the Blogospheric reaction to his use of a derogatory remark in a months-old video.1 Beyond that remark, Jones signed a petition that questioned whether President Bush knew about the 9/11 attack and allowed it to happen as a pretext for war–placing him in “truther” territory.2 (Update: See Charles Johnson on the Truther issue, as he notes that Jones’ connection may be far moore tenuous than some are suggesting). He has a history of numerous controversial statements and had become the target, specifically, of Glenn Beck.3
All of this has now culminated in his resignation, via the NYT: White House Adviser on ‘Green Jobs’ Resigns.
In regards to the derogatory remark (a minor event, but in many ways the proximate cause of his resignation): in the video, Jones referred to the fact the Reps were a**h***s, and he could be one as well.4 Now, I recognize that calling the opposition obscene names is, by definition, inflammatory. However, the opposition acting as if they have never heard (or used) such language amuses me.5 Given that off the cuff I can recall President Bush referring to a NYT’s reporter (caught, unknowingly, on an open mic) by the same word and VP Cheney telling a Democratic Senator to go f*** himself on the floor of the Senate, can we really take all these hurt feeling seriously? Do any of us actually think that such language is only rarely deployed in political circles? Really?
Beyond even those issues, Jones has said enough controversial things, it would seem, that appointing him was a very bad political move in the first place..
Sphere: Related Content- I was somewhat behind the curve on this story, given, well, pesky real life responsibilities and the simple fact that the “green jobs czar” wasn’t high on my list of priorities of things to keep up with. [↩]
- Those who seek the “truth” about 9/11, and who assume said truth has something to do with US complicity. [↩]
- Partially, it would seem, because before joining the administration, Jones headed an organization that had targeted Beck for boycott: see here for some details. [↩]
- Via HuffPo, here’s the interchange in question:
QUESTIONER: When [President George W. Bush] was in office, [Republicans] had a majority; it wasn’t 60, it wasn’t more than 60, but they pushed through all of these bills,” the questioner began. “But when we have, you know, 58, we seem to not be able to move things as progressively as many of us here would want, as Obama wants. I know that he has a strong interest in bipartisanship, but when no Republicans are voting with him, … how were they Republicans able to push things through when they had less than 60 senators, but somehow we cant?
JONES: Well the answer to that is, they’re assholes.
QUESTIONER: I was afraid that was the answer.
JONES: As a technical, political kind of term. And Barack Obama is not an asshole. Now, I will say this: I can be an asshole, and some of us who are not Barack Hussein Obama, are going to have to start getting a little bit uppity.
[↩]
- And this is always the reaction by the aggrieved party. [↩]
September 6th, 2024 at 11:00 am
[...] –Political sciencist Steven Taylor says that Jone’s appointment was a bad political move in the first place. He addresses conservative outrage over a comment Jones made about Republicans: In regards to the derogatory remark (a minor event, but in many ways the proximate cause of his resignation): in the video, Jones referred to the fact the Reps were a**h***s, and he could be one as well.4 Now, I recognize that calling the opposition obscene names is, by definition, inflammatory. However, the opposition acting as if they have never heard (or used) such language amuses me.5 Given that off the cuff I can recall President Bush referring to a NYT’s reporter (caught, unknowingly, on an open mic) by the same word and VP Cheney telling a Democratic Senator to go f*** himself on the floor of the Senate, can we really take all these hurt feeling seriously? Do any of us actually think that such language is only rarely deployed in political circles? Really? [...]
September 6th, 2024 at 1:16 pm
From the definition in footnote 2, I find that I am most likely a Truther, and therefore I hereby withdraw from any consideration for any future position of trust with the US government, even if said position has to do with my area of professional expertise, and not with foreign policy or national security.
September 6th, 2024 at 1:32 pm
I couldn’t care less that Van Jones called Republicans —holes! Some are. What I care about are all the other things that came out about him. He spelled out his agenda in his own words on video! Look it up, listen to him. And Valerie what’s her name (the Obama family BFF) said on video that they had had their eye on him since his Oakland days. So the president didn’t need to vet Jones. He already knew who Jones was and everything he has and still stands for!
September 6th, 2024 at 2:02 pm
A couple of thoughts:
1> There’s a reason there’s a vetting process for people who are going to be carrying the president’s message to the nation — bad history tramples the message. The reason that there’s been a multiplying of ‘Czars’ under this administration is that too many of the early appointments had embarrassing issues in their backgrounds. Like any administrative challenge it seems like a huge imposition at the time, but this one does have value. Obviously the value of vetting was not top of mind when the various Czars were appointed.
2> Not surprised Jones resigned this weekend. Next week is Obama’s big speech to reinvigorate the health care debate. The last thing he wanted is this bleeding over the health care speech coverage.
3> Radical chic was a big thing among the liberal true believers for several years. Few knew what Che stood for other than he looks good in a beret and wearing his picture gives credibility in some circles. If the only people you associate with are of the same far left mindset you can lose sight of how poorly the radical chic mindset plays ‘in Peoria’. Truthers don’t get much respect from Middle America, nor do supporters of cop killers (Jones was also a “Free Mumia!” devotee). It may seem like a good idea at the time, but it’s hard to explain in the light of day.
4> Politicians and would-be public officials have to go with the working assumption that every public appearance will make it onto Youtube. Speaking one way in front of the radical chic and another before the Rotary Club won’t cut it any more. Obama has had a few minor issues that way, but has largely stayed clear of big issues (not counting a bitter clinger now or then).
September 6th, 2024 at 2:11 pm
MSS: I know that your highest aspiration is a government position!
Beyond that, to expand the footnote: Truthers tend to believe that either the US Gov’t and/or the Mossad are responsible for the attacks directly, or that the government knew full in advance of the attacks and allowed them to happen. This would not include, in my definition/understanding, those who think that the administration overlooked key evidence/intel that might have led to figuring out the attacks.
September 6th, 2024 at 2:35 pm
I love these characterizations of Jones as some sort of crazy Communists.
My only exposure to him is through his book–Green Collar Economy–which is pretty sensible from a policy standpoint: much of the actual work required to minimize environmental externalities is well-positioned to be performed by populations hurt by deindustriialization.
The movement of semi-skilled manufacturing jobs overseas has swollen the labor pool of semi-skilled workers. Through re-training and proper incentive systems, these folks could be the people weatherizing houses, installing alternative energy systems, etc…
It is about the least-commie and most-sensible argument (geared towards a popular audience) on dealing with the realities of our economy that I’ve seen in while.
September 6th, 2024 at 2:54 pm
This signals the launch of the new McCarthyism. Glenn Beck has already instructed his followers on Twitter to dig up information on Cass Sunstein, Mark Lloyd and Carold Browner so they can do the same thing to them.
Whatever Van Jones said or did, here’s the key: the ultimate reason he is gone is because Color of Change led a succesful boycot against Glenn Beck which resulted in Beck losing ALL of his major sponsors. Van Jones founded Color of Change. Which is why Beck has spent the last two weeks demonizing Jones.
Sure, Van Jones signed a Truther petition. But he has disavowed it quickly (as opposed to the numerous Republicans, including Liz Cheney, who rush to embrace every conspiracy theory trotted out from the conservative fringes with no ill effect on their careers) and by most accounts that I can tell he is considered brilliant in his area of expertise. As David Sirota noted, I find it difficult to believe that Van Jones signing that petition is more of a problem than Geithner’s issues. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/taking-the-movement-out-o_b_278411.html
September 6th, 2024 at 3:44 pm
I don’t read it that way. It seems to me that Charles is saying the connection is far MORE tenuous than most are saying. Is this a wrong word issue (less/more) or are you reading it differently?
September 6th, 2024 at 4:28 pm
Buckland,
You are correct–I simply typed the wrong word. Will fix.
Thanks.
September 6th, 2024 at 7:12 pm
LGF has been doing a good job of pushing back on the crazy that is AM radio world.
Again: I find it hypocritical beyond measure that people perfectly content to believe Obama favors infanticide or killing elderly people via death panels; or that he’s not a US citizen - are outraged that Van Jones signed a Truther petition.
Glenn Beck, conspiracy theoriest par excellence (having tied Van Jones into an elaborate, laughable John Birch Society type conspiracy theory about John D. Rockefeller being a secret communist/fascist lover based on Beck’s warped Da Vinci Code style reasoning about the artwork at Rockefeller Plaza) takes the cake for this double standard.
September 6th, 2024 at 7:15 pm
Certainly intellectual consistency/honesty isn’t the hallmark of Beck and friends.
September 6th, 2024 at 7:16 pm
I don’t care about the truther deal really. I object to the things he said on video about using eco capitalism as a small step to changing the whole system and his lies about whites poisoning minority neighborhoods and migrant workers and that black kids don’t kill at school only white kids do that. He is a racist. He hates white people.
September 7th, 2024 at 10:58 am
Luckily summer is now over and Congress can get back to working on the health care bill. I know it won’t go away, but I having Congress back in Washington (and reporters back from vacation) will limit the Glen Beck-ish inspired stories like how many “Czars” there are.
It is time for the serious people to get back to work. (And if you don’t like what they are doing, try putting up a serious arguments in opposition not “death panels” and maybe even an actual plan or two.)