As noted by John Stephenson of NewsBusters, much of the media has been ignoring the enormous Van Jones controversy. However, Joe Garofoli, the politics writer and blogger for Jones' hometown newspaper, the liberal San Francisco Chronicle, has just written about the toxic effect of Van Jones and who is standing by their Van and who isn't in his Politics blog:
The Bay Area's Van Jones -- the Special Advisor for Green Jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality -- just finished apologizing for calling Republicans "a-holes" when he got something else to start explaining: How his signature got on a 2004 petition asking for an immediate "inquiry into evidence that suggests high-level government officials may have deliberately allowed the September 11th attacks to occur." Van said he didn't carefully review the petition before signing it "certainly does not reflect my views now or ever."
Van Jones doesn't review the petitions he signs? Did he also not read the philosphy of communism to which he professed a belief in during the 1990s?
Bad sign: When asked if Jones still enjoys the confidence of the President Friday, White House flak Robert Gibbs said "he continues to work in this administration."
While Jones' lefty past gets a shrug in many parts of liberal SF, it doesn't in much of the rest of the country. A quick gander at the list of signatures with Jones reveal an All-Star cast of Bay Area lefties: Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin, Global Exchange co-founder Kevin Danaher, Smith and Hawken founder Paul Hawken, Daniel Ellsberg and musician Michael Franti. But Jones didn't work for the White House then.
"Yes. Van Jones and Mayor Newsom are good friends, and the mayor stands by him," Newsom spokesperson Nate Ballard said.
Although you won't read about it in much of the media, there is currently a lot of speculation in the blogosphere about if the White House will soon toss Van under the van. My DUmmie FUnnies "co-conspirator Charles Henrickson has written a parody song on this possibility called "Stand By Your Van" to the tune of Stand By Your Man:
Sometimes it's hard to be Obama
Backin' all the czars at your command
You'll have commies
PR tsunamis
Wipin' out your castles in the sandBut if you love him you won't dump him
Even though he's messin' up your plan
And if they throw stones
Oh, don't let go Jones
'Cause after all he's still your VanStand by your Van
Give him your imprimatur
Don't be a wimp about it
When whites attack your brotherStand by your Van
And show Glenn Beck you back him
Keep backin' Jones--oh, yes you can!
Stand by your Van!
—P.J. Gladnick is a freelance writer and creator of the DUmmie FUnnies blog.
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Comments Policy
Why is it . . .
September 5, 2009 - 09:20 ET by WingletDriver. . . that liberals always get the benefit of the doubt and an infinite number of mulligans when they say or do something unbelievably stupid, but conservative speech is always painted in the most damning light?
Trent Lott
September 5, 2009 - 09:23 ET by P.J. GladnickThink Trent Lott.
Van Jones
September 5, 2009 - 09:33 ET by merlin61This appointment is a disgrace to this country. Where is the vetting of these "czars". We do not live in Russia and don't need "czars". We need to abide by the Constitution and Congress and the Senate need to wake up and demand that all these appointments be vetted and hearings be held on all of them. Needless to say if George Bush did this, he'd be impeached immediately by the liberal press. Its amazing that the media, other than Fox News has ignored any of these czar appointments and have not dug into their political pasts nor their ability to handle what jobs they have been appointed to.
How do we know he wasn't
September 5, 2009 - 11:19 ET by Chris NormanHow do we know he wasn't vetted and his radical credentials were just what obama was looking for. I'd say that the only consternation a the White House is the fact that some outsider decided to take a really good look at the background of these commisars - er - czars.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Chris--
September 5, 2009 - 14:01 ET by Kat Outta the Bag"How do we know he wasn't vetted and his radical credentials were just what obama was looking for."
That's what I'm thinking...
Chris, I agree. Obama knew exactly who Van Jones was
September 5, 2009 - 14:07 ET by R D HelmAfter all, they are two peas in a pod.
-Dave
Even when the government tries to kiss you, it is just a prelude to a good screwing. -Neal Boortz
Background?
September 5, 2009 - 17:17 ET by WingletDriverNot to quibble too much, but this is more than just his background. This is current events.
If Bush had appointed a
September 5, 2009 - 09:47 ET by stancoyleIf Bush had appointed a former KKK member as a Czar, we would still be hearing about it from the MSM. The excuse that he was in the KKK before he was in the adminstration would be so lame that the media would jump all over it. DO YOU THINK THERE IS A DOUBLE STANDARD IN THIS COUNTRY BY THE MSM!!!!!!!
and can you imagine
September 5, 2009 - 09:48 ET by JAJTand can you imagine Senator Byrd (D and former KKK kleagle recruiter) to lead the attack on Bush appointing a KKK. the MSM and Libs would be glorifying Byrd who was a former KKK for attacking Bush for hiring a former KKK- nah, no double standards here...JAJT
Or if Bush had sat in a
September 5, 2009 - 10:00 ET by JerryOr if Bush had sat in a racist church for 20+ years.
Or if Bush had fired Inspector Generals without warning or reason, an act that was in direct violation of the very law he helped enact.
Or if Bush said "I am my brother's keeper" yet had done nothing to help his very own destitute brother who was surviving on $1 a month.
Or if Bush said "We must all tighten our belts" and then flew off on a multi-million dollar date with his wife.
Or if Bush had an aunt who was in the country illegally.
Or if Bush had "buzzed" ground zero, terrifying thousands of citizens.
Or if Condeleza Rice had stolen classified documents from the national archives before the 9/11 commission could get to them.
The list is endless....
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
we now have
September 5, 2009 - 10:26 ET by larry on LIan uphill battle and the enemy has the keys to the country.the enemy is the msm and our members of congress,don't allow them one inch of leeway.the msm rely on viewers and readers let them know your feelings.
September 5, 2009 - 11:12 ET by jessieHThe govt. thinks we all have ADD. Prove them wrong at the election booths in 2010. Jones is a lousy advisor. Cash for Clunkers? Are you serious? Was it Jones's idea? It was a major failure. What about a Cash for Citizens? What about Cash for continuing your small business? Cash for Clunkers. What a joke! Just more waste of money.
Van is a perfect fit for Washington
September 5, 2009 - 13:42 ET by HogTideRebelCatsVan said "he didn't carefully review the petition before signing it".
He is a perfit fit for Washington.
Nobody there carefully reviews Bills before voting on them either.
HT... Precisely...it's
September 5, 2009 - 13:53 ET by bigtimerHT...
Precisely...it's like signing a blank check with no cares.
'Go Green...Recycle Congress'