CNN's Gergen on Van Jones: 'Sad to See a Man of Good Work Get So Little Credit'

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“It's a sad day to see a man of good work get so little credit,” CNN senior political analyst David Gergen regretted about Van Jones on Monday's Anderson Cooper 360, complaining about the coverage of the Obama “green jobs” czar who resigned late Saturday night after his radical views were exposed: “I mean, there's no balance to understanding just how many good things he's done.”

Jones signed a petition which charged Bush administration officials “may indeed have deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen, perhaps as a pretext for war,” described himself as a “communist,” compared George W. Bush to a crack user, called Republicans “assholes” and made other incendiary race-based remarks, but Gergen saw a saint: “As he left Yale Law School, instead of going to a lucrative job, went out and worked with ex-prisoners, tried to create green jobs for them, has been featured in Time magazine, gotten all sorts of award for it.” (Audio: MP3 clip of Gergen)

Being championed in Time magazine is only a badge of honor for liberals. Back in November of 2007, in a profile of Jones, “Bring Eco-Power to the People,” the magazine hailed him as “magnetic” and a “visionary.”

Earlier this year, for the Time 100 issue, actor Leonardo DiCaprio gushed over Jones:

By fusing economic opportunity and social justice with climate change, Van Jones is working to build pathways out of poverty through the creation of green jobs. He is the perfect person to help redefine our country's perception of what it means to be green.

For a complete rundown of Van Jones coverage, or lack thereof, with links to NewsBusters items with his past statements, check: “FNC's Baier Highlights How Mainstream Media Ignored Van Jones.”

CNN senior political analyst David Gergen on the Monday, September 7 Anderson Cooper 360, anchored by Erica Hill: 

I've known Van Jones for a number of years, have seen his good works. As he left Yale Law School, instead of going to a lucrative job, went out and worked with ex-prisoners, tried to create green jobs for them, has been featured in Time magazine, gotten all sorts of award for it.

I was not familiar with some of his past statements. But he's a -- he has done some good works and it's a sad day to see this happen. The White House made -- I don't think forced him out. I think he fell on his own sword, but it also made no effort to keep him. I think they are genuinely concerned that they need to clear the decks for health care and some of these other fights. But I think it's a sad day to see a man of good work get so little credit. I mean, there's no balance to understanding just how many good things he's done.