Van Jones, in my book, is a guy who a) knows his stuff and b) can get things done. Just the kind of guy you want in the administration. And as we try to get the Green Jobs thing moving, his role as the green jobs czar will be increasingly important. And Jones tells it like it is. When asked why Republicans were able to pass legislation despite their relatively smaller minorities, Jones answered in a brutally honest fashion:
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. (HuffPo)
Now, if you read this whole quote, you will see that he’s not really using the term in a pejorative sense, after all he goes on to call himself an asshole as well. As I read it, he is essentially saying that the Republicans were hard-nosed and dedicated to their cause. They pushed it through no matter what. Jones is saying that is what is needed, and that he can do the same thing.
Of course, Fox News and the Gang are UP IN ARMS over this. Of course, they don’t look at the whole context, but take away the one line and go play the victim on national TV. Van Jones is a bully, they say, and just plane rude. And a communist, of course!
Steve Poizner, who seems to be growing a little antsy by all the attention that eMeg is getting, thinks that he can tie this all together. A few weeks ago, eMeg commented on Jones and the time that she spent with him on a cruise to the Antarctic for a research/publicity kind of thing. She gave him a few shallow comments, calling him bright, articulate, and passionate.
Poizner is now making it an issue after the leaders of the GOP, aka the radio shock jocks made it an issue. One “Jaz McKay” is having none of this mushy middle:
JAZ MCKAY: Just to do it. I’m just going to. I’m not voting for her. I’m telling you right now. Her position on the 2nd Amendment has already pissed me off to no end. I ain’t voting for her.
JOHN HAWKINS: Come on. Who doesn’t love a Republican who wants to take your guns?
JAZ MCKAY: Who doesn’t love a Republican who goes on global warming cruises with communists, right?
JOHN HAWKINS: And talks about how much she loves them after.
JAZ MCKAY: Ah, just loves them.
Whitman and Poizner have been swapping barbs for a while now over some really petty stuff. But hey, grab a snack, and just enjoy. Jones isn’t going to lose sleep over this, and this will make not one iota of difference in the grand scheme of things. It’s just another distraction from the real issues that face Californians.
Peep the flip for the radio transcript and a video of Whitman talking about Jones.
JAZ MCKAY: She is the eBay chick, right? And she is running for governor. She has more money than Steve Poizner, who’s the only hope the state really has at this point. Here are her comments and I… This is … When was this? March? April? When was this?
JOHN HAWKINS: This was May.
JAZ MCKAY: May? May 6th. There it is-May 6th 2009. Meg Whitman, so called conservative Republican, talking about Van Jones and how much she likes Van Jones.
MEG WHITMAN: There’s a guy over in Oakland. I think his name is Van…
UNKNOWN: Jones
WHITMAN: Jones. And he and I were on a cruise last summer in the arctic for climate change. And I got to know him very well and a lot of the work he’s doing to enfranchise broader communities. I am a big fan of him. He’s done a marvelous job.
UNKNOWN: He’s been appointed to Obama’s–
WHITMAN: So who’s? Is he going to put someone in charge of what he’s doing here in Oakland?
UNKNOWN: He’s going to have to.
unintelligibleWHITMAN: He really is. I’m a huge fan of his. He’s very bright, very articulate, very passionate.
JAZ MCKAY: Huge fan.
WHITMAN: So, I think he is exactly right.
JAZ MCKAY: Meg Whitman, a huge fan. John, this won’t have any effect on her campaign whatsoever, will it?
JOHN HAWKINS: Well, it’s California, Jaz. You’re lucky you’re not getting Arnold back for another term.
JAZ MCKAY: No, you know what? If she ends up… well, if she ends up winning the nomination and Jerry Brown is running against her or Feinstein, you know what? Just to be a little a-hole, I’m going to vote for the Democrat.
JOHN HAWKINS: No.
JAZ MCKAY: Just to do it. I’m just going to. I’m not voting for her. I’m telling you right now. Her position on the 2nd Amendment has already pissed me off to no end. I ain’t voting for her.
JOHN HAWKINS: Come on. Who doesn’t love a Republican who wants to take your guns?
JAZ MCKAY: Who doesn’t love a Republican who goes on global warming cruises with communists, right?
JOHN HAWKINS: And talks about how much she loves them after.
JAZ MCKAY: Ah, just loves them.
It sounded to me like he Van Jones said “ugly”, not uppity. I believe he also said Political Science term, rather than, political kind of term.
is more damaging to him than calling anyone an a-hole. Didn’t George freakin’ Bush call Adam Clymer a “major league asshole from the New York Times” back in 2000? My, the delicate sensibilities of these chaps.
This is rich, he signed on asking for an investigation of 9/11 and bush’s role in allowing it.
Nice.
I am so glad i voted for Obama. fastest. disillusionment. ever.
Man, was I fooled by someone who appeared competent and reasonable and is actually inept and radical.
Should any get this far in reading comments, there are many who can attest as to Van Jones’ arrogance, as can I. Even though he’s on the right side, what he’s going through is exactly what he should be getting.
George Orwell, EB White, and George Carlin would all approve.
Simple, clear words convey ideas best. I don’t see Van Jones as arrogant, just candid and unapologetic. Fine with me.
It’s unbelievably rich to hear the Macaca Party bemoan a lack of civility in language. Go ahead, clutch the pearls, be our guest.