Sunday morning hot air

Talking about Van Jones 14

The resignation of President Obama’s green jobs adviser was touched on during several of the TV networks’ Sunday morning political gabfests. Here are the relevant excerpts:

NBC’s “Meet the Press”

HOST DAVID GREGORY: Another domestic matter—Van Jones, who has been an advisor to the White House on environmental policy, resigned overnight because of some inflammatory comments he has made, over time, including a petition he signed that blamed the government for the 9/11 attacks. Was this an issue that got to the president? Did he personally order that he be fired?

OBAMA ADVISER DAVID AXELROD: Absolutely not. This was Van Jones’s own decision. You know, he is internationally known as an advocate for green jobs, and that’s the basis on which he was hired. He said in his statement that he didn’t want his comments to become a distraction from the issue, which is so important to the future of our economy and communities around the country. And I commend him for making that decision.

MR. GREGORY: Was he the victim of a smear campaign, as he alleges?

MR. AXELROD: Well, look, this is a—you know, the political environment is rough, and so, you know, these things get magnified.

But the bottom line is that he showed his commitment to the cause of creating green jobs in this country by removing himself as an issue, and I think that took a great deal of commitment on his part.

MR. GREGORY: But was the president offended by what he said?

MR. AXELROD: I haven’t spoken to the president about this. As you know, this thing has bubbled up in the last few days and, frankly, my conversation with the president has mostly been about health care, which is where our focus should be right now.

MR. GREGORY: Do you find what he said objectionable?

MR. AXELROD: Well, I haven’t read all of his comments, either, David. Again, I’m focused on how well we get health security for our all Americans; how we get this economy moving in the right direction. We’ve pulled back from the abyss of a potential collapse, and now we have to build for the future and get people back to work. I think those are the things that we should be focused on, and that’s what I am focused on.

Fox News Sunday

HOWARD DEAN: Well, I was just going to say this guy’s Yale-educated lawyer. He’s a best-selling author about his specialty. I think he was brought down. I think it’s too bad.

Washington’s a tough place that way, and I think it’s a loss for the country.

HOST CHRIS WALLACE: Governor, how about the fact that he had made a series of statements and had signed this petition in 2004 indicating—suggesting that the government might have some role or some complicity in 9/11?

DR. DEAN: Well, he was told by the people waving those clipboards around that he was signing something else, so I think that’s too bad.

Look, all of us campaigning for office have had people throw clipboards in front of our face and ask us to sign, and he learned the hard way you ought not to do that.

But I don’t think he really thinks the government had anything to do with causing 9/11.

MR. WALLACE: Senator Alexander, your reaction to the Jones resignation?

SEN. LAMAR ALEXANDER: Well, I don’t think he’s the issue. I think the czars are the issue. We have about two dozen so-called czars—the pay czar, the car czar, all these czars in the White House.

And that really is an affront to the Constitution, because the Constitution was set up to say that the president is the executive, but the people who manage the government the secretaries, the Cabinet members, of which I was one, have to be approved by the Congress and have to report to the Congress.

So when you take all these people and make policy close to the president and the White House to people who don’t go to the Congress and aren’t approved by the Congress, you’re just adding fuel to the fire by those who think Washington is taking over everything.

ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos”

HOST GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Does the president believe that he is the victim of a smear campaign or does the president think that Jones actions and words merit resignation?

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY ROBERT GIBBS: Well what Van Jones decided was that the agenda of this president was bigger than any one individual. The president thanks Van Jones for his service in the first eight months helping to coordinate renewable energy jobs and lay the foundation for our future economic problem…The president accepted his resignation, but Van Jones as he said in his statement he was going to get in the way of the President.

STEPHANOPOULOS:  So the president doesn’t endorse in any way the things that Van Jones said before but the president doesnt want him to go?

GIBBS: He doesn’t but he thanks him for his service.

Related Stories

Advertisement
Advertisement

  1. bluegreenproject Posted 11:17 am
    06 Sep 2009

    Wow, they really threw him under the bus. Won't they stand up to anything? This is a real loss for the country.

    Permalink

  2. madman dan Posted 12:23 pm
    06 Sep 2009

    Okay so Grist says that Van Jones is not a communist nor did he do time then why does he say he did in his own book? Oh yeah, Beck is also a best selling author, as if that is qualification enough to advise the president.Why is this an attack on Beck when the question should be, "How can an avoed communist be an advisor to our president?" If that doesn't bother you then you should all be happy to know that the revolution is still moving ahead. Just because Jones is gone that will not stop this administration from, "Fundamentally changing" this country.I believe in the Constitution as we have it today and I believe that if you want to "fundementally change" it than you are a threat to our country. This is just what it is and those of you who agree that losing Van Jones is a lose for our country, like Howard Dean said, You should stand up and be honest and not say that you are a patriot, you are tratiors to this great country. If we are as bad as you claim then find another country to take over because there are far more people who love this country and our Constitution and we will not go with out a fight.So GRist should maybe think about some of the FACTS that Beck brings up and answer them instead of attacking him. Van Jones is only the first of many who need to go. All of the czars need to go and yes I didn't like them when Regan or Bush had them. They are UNCONSTITUTIONAL and that is the standard that all of these things need to be measured by.The Constitution is there to limit government power not our freedoms and when someone who is trying to "change the sytem from within" like Jones said he was, then we need to know and we need to throw them it. It is a shame that the president didn't ask for his resignation and to say that all of what Jones said and believed was in this past is just crazy. Obama knew who and what Van Jones is and yet the media is giving this a pass and those on the ;eft are passing it off as something that Beck only talked about. I write a local column for the Mirror here in Pahrump and I have talked it about it as many others and yet the media and you, pretend that it is only the crazys on the right who are bring this up. Everyone who loves this Country and believes in the Constitution should be  bringing this up and be concerned about it.McCarthy took it too far in his day, but here we are with a real communist resigning and the country is not shocked. I am not shocked by this as Obama said clearly that he would "change this Country" and he is changing it away from the Constitution and toward Marxism. Wake up already before you really do become the United Socialist States of America.

    Permalink

  3. randino Posted 4:22 am
    07 Sep 2009

    Troll Alert! Troll Alert! Madman Dan (how appropriate) obviously feels that anyone to the left of him, has Lenin on his night table. He also thinks that we should enforce an ideological standard on who can serve in the public sector. The closer you are to his ideology, the more fit you are to serve. Doesn't matter if the person is brillant in their field, has a personal history of utter integrity and is the best person for the job - if they don't pass ideological muster - out they go. That does not sound like the Constitution, that sounds like the Spanish Inquisition.
    Randy Cunningham

    Permalink

    1. madman dan Posted 8:38 am
      07 Sep 2009

      Okay Cunningham so I am  Troll  because I believe that communism and socialism are antithetical to the Constitution? You can be a Democrat or a Repiublican or a Libertarian, but at least these groups still value The Constitution and that was my point that you missed.If you want to destroy what this country was founded on and become a socialist or communist nation than yes you should not be working in this government and that is that. That is not a far right idea it is an AMERCIAN idea.Now as to "Troll" why is it that you guys have to resort to personal attacks? Is it tthat you cannot debate locacally and win? (Next you'll go after my spelling.)With a name like Cunningham I thought you would have more manners or at least undedr stand the dangers of Communism to a free people and YES HE WAS AN AVOWED COMMUNIST. End of story.

      Permalink

      1. randino Posted 11:38 am
        07 Sep 2009

        If I call a turtle a turtle, I am not calling him out of his name, as they say in the hood.  I call you a troll because you like to hang out at a web site just to give grief to the regulars.  You are a troll. I would be a troll if I visited conservative web sites, just to razz them, but I don't because I have what you don't have - character.  I also have much better things to do with my life.Now, there would be a reason not to call you a troll if, for instance, you were a regular who was making posts on the environment on issues like renewables, climate change (which I am sure you are in denial about) public policy regarding national forests, food issues, or the latest announcement of the EPA.  But I have NEVER seen you post on any of those topics.  You have just shown up on these posts about Van Jones, to give the greens some shit.  Now you whine and cry because I have handed it back to you.  Well, quit hanging out in bars where you are not wanted, and you will not have to worry about getting you butt kicked.  You are the type of person who makes harrassing phone calls, eggs someone's house, or goes to town halls to shout someone down. You are a troll.  And if you think that term is one of disrespect, let me assure you, it is.  randino

        Permalink

    2. madman dan Posted 2:35 pm
      07 Sep 2009

      Sorry to have broken into your private club. I didn't realize that you shunned different views. You have already decided who I am by one comment and I did the same to you. (To some degree) As for Town Halls I actually set one up here in Pahrump and there was no "shouting down" becuase we wanted differnet points of view. (Check out Nevada Town Hall on youtube)I am not a regular on web-sites bolgs like these becuase I too have better things to do. I was checking into stories about Van Jones' resignation and this site came up. It didn't state "Progressives only" or I would have known not to bother becuase, as I now gather, there is no intellegent discussion here unless it fits into your ideas.Yes Beck is an entertainer and yet no one has taken on his accusations; only attacks on him personally. I guess that is the only answer they can give.So I am off to find a site where people are not afraid to see different points of view.Thank you educating me on the meaning of Troll in Bolg terms. 

      Permalink

      1. randino Posted 4:30 pm
        07 Sep 2009

        Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Troll.Randy Cunningham

        Permalink

  4. Chris Pratt Posted 8:08 am
    07 Sep 2009

    I am confrussed, is Van Jones being foced to step down because there are some people on the right who accused him of being  a communist, bashing republicans, signing a petition that makes some outrageous claims or because he is a Czar.  It is hard to come to the mans defense when there are so many people jumping in with so many different accusations.  So far none of them are sticking to the wall and I personally think he was one of Obama's best choices of people to help him with the environmental issuses.

    Permalink

    1. madman dan Posted 8:47 am
      07 Sep 2009

      Chris it is confusing to me too, because the man is a Communist and not until he was found to have been a 911 truther did he resign. I guess that being a Communist was a big enough thing, but being a Truther was.Yes he is a Communist and he did not recant that belief. It is clear when you listen to his speeches even from a few months ago he still wants to, "chnage the whole system" and there is always this "social justice" idea they push.Freedom means that you might fail not that everyone will catch thier happiness. We are told that we have a chnace in this country to pursue our happiness.It is scary to me that so many people give so little thought to the fact that our Constitution is under attack and it is coming from our own elected officals. We do not need appointted officals working to bring us down when we already have the congress doing a great job.I wanted Van Jones to be fired, but our President, The "Constitutional Scholar" (yeah right) didn't have the grapes for the task and let another of his communist friends be thrown under the bus.Here is what "sticks"; he was a Communist and that is enough reason not to be an advisor to the President of the Greatest Country in the world.

      Permalink

      1. amazingdrx Posted 10:25 am
        07 Sep 2009

        Well dan, Obama is speaking in a few minutes.  Will he go on to brainwash american kids tomorow?  How can real americans let this happen?   Do you want to see poor Glenn Beck cry?Way to let your country down.

        Permalink

      2. gonzone Posted 12:06 pm
        09 Sep 2009

        "It is scary to me that so many people give so little thought to the
        fact that our Constitution is under attack and it is coming from our
        own elected officals." Care to explain? Or is this just you vomiting all over the comments section? Is it someone who does not agree with your politics they become a threat to the Constitution? Which part fo the Constitution please?Can you tell me why a political party of, yes, even Communists, is a threat? Did you pee your pants?

        Permalink

  5. Clifford Wells's avatar

    Clifford Wells Posted 12:18 pm
    07 Sep 2009

    Gosh all this angst and bathos, sturm and drang.  So somebody in the admistration gets popped for making inappropriate comments - I want to know if the man was doing a good job of propmoting "green jobs."  Screw Glenn Beck, as I don't take him as a serious persion - he is an entertainer, for goodness sake.  He is chits and giggles.  The job performace of Van Jones has nothing to do with this incident.Gosh, are they going to pull my FBI files to see if I was in the SDS and went to the Bobby Seale riots in New Haven now?  Well I was but I've grown up since those wild days.  Who cares besides some Kool-Aid drinking conservative ho?The outcome is not only bad for Obama, which is unfortunate, but for the progress of green jobs in America.  Nationally, one of every 9 or 10 people are out of work, and one out of every 5 or 6 people are under-employed.  Hey today is Labor Day and labor is doing worse than at anytime since WWII.  We need all the help we can get - I mean, don't we need help abating greenhouse gasses too? We need to get beyond this and stop playing around, folks.

    Permalink

  6. spaceshaper's avatar

    spaceshaper Posted 3:35 pm
    07 Sep 2009

    Pahrump? Never heard of it. Google -  hmmm. http://tinyurl.com/4websn

    Permalink

  7. davescott Posted 6:37 pm
    08 Sep 2009

    GREGORY: Was this an issue that got to the president? Did he personally order that he be fired?OBAMA ADVISER DAVID AXELROD: Absolutely not. This was Van Jones’s own decision. Why, after the ringing endorsement Gibbs gave him on Friday -- going out of his way to point out that, well, Jones still works here and all -- havent fired his Commie radical butt yet no sirree -- I was frankly suprised he didnt stay and fight it out

    Permalink

Add a Comment

You are not logged in. Thus, you cannot post a comment. If you have an account, log in. If you don't have an account, well, by all means go make one! Meet you back here in five.

Hello, Visitor!    Why not register?

Viewed
More
Commented
More
Advertisement