Van Jones Resigns!

[kiaer.ts]

Exposed to the light of day, Obama's "Green Czar" the communist agitator Van Jones, who was the focus of day one of Glenn Beck's record breaking expose on FOX News, has resigned.

On the weekend.

In the middle of the night.

Now, when will his now-former-boss do the same?

[kiaer.ts]

If you don't know who Van Jones is, watch the expose by the man who brought him down, Glenn Beck.

Here is part one, day one, of his five day expose on the leftist agenda behind the Obama Administration.

You should watch the entire show, but skip to the third part of day one (six minutes in) if you want to go straight to who Van Jones really is.

Edited September 6, 2009 by Ted Keer

[Barbara Branden]

Obama would have done himself a favor if he'd fired Jones rather than let him resign -- but the hypocrisy might have been too evident even for Obama.

Barbara

[Chris Grieb]

I'm glad he's gone but he shouldn't have been hired. I suspect he we start kicking over rocks in the Obama administration we don't know what will crawl out.

Edited September 6, 2009 by Chris Grieb

[BaalChatzaf]

Let's hear a big cheer for a free (or reasonably free) press!

Jone's claimed he was "smeared". Smeared by the truth?

Ba'al Chatzaf

[galtgulch]

Let's hear a big cheer for a free (or reasonably free) press!

Jone's claimed he was "smeared". Smeared by the truth?

Ba'al Chatzaf

Et al,

I am eager to see how the media, beyond Glenn Beck, treat this resignation. Curious to see if they do what they can to keep Obama himself free of the tarnish of Communism or whether they just focus on Jones himself.

www.campaignforliberty.com 212,905 and doubling so far last year several times in the course of that time. Perhaps on our way to several million by a year from now. Imagine a vast contingent of citizens enlightened by the likes of the Austrian school economists, educated into the vision of those who wrote the Constitution, many of whom shall have read one of the books their hero, Ron Paul, recommeded in his best seller: The Revolution: A Manifesto, Atlas Shrugged. I keep encouraging them to read Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal and The Virtue of Selfishness as well.

gulch

[Selene]

Let's hear a big cheer for a free (or reasonably free) press!

Jone's claimed he was "smeared". Smeared by the truth?

Ba'al Chatzaf

Et al,

I am eager to see how the media, beyond Glenn Beck, treat this resignation. Curious to see if they do what they can to keep Obama himself free of the tarnish of Communism or whether they just focus on Jones himself.

www.campaignforliberty.com 212,905 and doubling so far last year several times in the course of that time. Perhaps on our way to several million by a year from now. Imagine a vast contingent of citizens enlightened by the likes of the Austrian school economists, educated into the vision of those who wrote the Constitution, many of whom shall have read one of the books their hero, Ron Paul, recommeded in his best seller: The Revolution: A Manifesto, Atlas Shrugged. I keep encouraging them to read Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal and The Virtue of Selfishness as well.

gulch

Gulch and folks: Below was the coverage prior to the marxist roach scooted out of town in the dark of night. Next one in my radar is Cass Sunshine who is a front runner for the next Supreme Court opening which should be real soon since the really old dude is going with one law clerk for the Fall calendar which is tantamount to announcing that he is winding down to retiring.

Cass is a wonderful intellectual who maintains that rats, or entities that can feel pain are entitled to legal protections. In the case of rats, he argues that federal lawsuits should be brought to prevent the rats from being exterminated or removed from properties. Ayn must imperiously saying ..."Zee, I told you so!"

As of 9-05-09:

"From a Nexis search a few moments ago:

Total words about the Van Jones controversy in the New York Times: 0.

Total words about the Van Jones controversy in the Washington Post: 0.

Total words about the Van Jones controversy on NBC Nightly News: 0.

Total words about the Van Jones controversy on ABC World News: 0.

Total words about the Van Jones controversy on CBS Evening News: 0.

If you were to receive all your news from any one of these outlets, or even all of them together, and you heard about some sort of controversy involving President Obama's Special Adviser for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, your response would be, "Huh?" If you heard that that adviser, Van Jones, had apologized for a number of remarks and positions in the recent past, your response would be, "What?" And if you were in the Obama White House monitoring the Jones situation, you would be hoping that the news organizations listed above continue to hold the line -- otherwise, Jones, who is quite well thought of in Obama circles, would be history.

9/5/09 UPDATE: The New York Times, ABC and NBC hold the line

After the Jones controversy reached a boiling point on Friday, the Washington Post published a story, "White House Says Little on Embattled Jones," on page A-3 of its Saturday edition. But the New York Times remained silent on the story.

Likewise, on Friday night the "CBS Evening News" reported the Jones matter, but ABC's "World News" and "NBC Nightly News" again failed to report the story."

Disgraceful.

Adam

[DavidMcK]

I opened my IE browser this morning (Sunday the 6th) and MSNBC has a story (the second headline) about Van Jones. I've found the media are not as biased as conservatives think they are, though they obviously are not libertarians or Objectivist. They are at their worst at reporting economic news; you see the 'broken glass' fallacy almost every night, and you don't see things like the recent rise of teenage unemployment to 25% due to min. wage laws; the list is nearly endless.

[Chris Grieb]

I opened my IE browser this morning (Sunday the 6th) and MSNBC has a story (the second headline) about Van Jones. I've found the media are not as biased as conservatives think they are, though they obviously are not libertarians or Objectivist. They are at their worst at reporting economic news; you see the 'broken glass' fallacy almost every night, and you don't see things like the recent rise of teenage unemployment to 25% due to min. wage laws; the list is nearly endless.

The MSM did a disgraceful job of covering Van Jones. What is being hidden about the other czars. One wonders when the MSM will notice that what Obama is doing is unconstitutional?

Good point about teenage unemployment.

I continue to believe that the figures for unemployment are much higher then being reported.

[kiaer.ts]

The press is all in "there's nothing to see here" mode. Two weeks ago there was no news about this guy whatsoever.

From <a href="http://www.objectivistliving.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7595&view=findpost&p=78685">another forum</a>:

<i>

From a Nexis search a few moments ago:

Total words about the Van Jones controversy in the New York Times: 0.

Total words about the Van Jones controversy in the Washington Post: 0.

Total words about the Van Jones controversy on NBC Nightly News: 0.

Total words about the Van Jones controversy on ABC World News: 0.

Total words about the Van Jones controversy on CBS Evening News: 0.

</i>

From AP:

<i>

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's adviser Van Jones has resigned amid controversy over past inflammatory statements, the White House said early Sunday.

Jones, an administration official specializing in environmentally friendly "green jobs" with the White House Council on Environmental Quality was linked to efforts suggesting a government role in the 2001 terror attacks and to derogatory comments about Republicans.

</i>

Bullshit. Jones is a black nationalist and self-described communist with an arrest record for street protests, and a law degree from Yale. He has no expertise dealing with business or science to allow him in any way to be called an expert on "green jobs." He describes his own specialty as "community organizing within the federal community." In other words, a <i>coordinator of pull.</i>

<i>

The matter surfaced after news reports of a derogatory comment Jones made in the past about Republicans, and separately, of Jones' name appearing on a petition connected to the events surrounding the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. That 2004 petition had asked for congressional hearings and other investigations into whether high-level government officials had allowed the attacks to occur.

</i>

Bullshit. None of this was news until Beck did an expose on Jones history as a black nationalist, street agitator and avowed Maoist. That he signed a petition is a side matter in his paper trail.

<i>

"On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me," Jones said in his resignation statement. "They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide."

</i>

Bullshit. Beck described the guy as smart, articulate and sexy. The damning statements were statements of fact, factual statements of Jones' employment and associations, and clips of Jones' own words, usually with him speaking them. There was no smear, unless meticulous documentation of facts in the public record and from Jones' own mouth are a smear.

<i>

Jones flatly said in an earlier statement that he did not agree with the petition's stand on the 9/11 attacks and that "it certainly does not reflect my views, now or ever."

As for his other comments he made before joining Obama's team, Jones said, "If I have offended anyone with statements I made in the past, I apologize."

Despite his apologies, Republicans demanded Jones quit.

</i>

Bullshit. No one cares about his opportunistic 9-11 nuttiness or the fact that he called Republicans assholes in February. It is his avowed Marxism, his extra-constitutional authority, the fact that he wrote $500 Million of slush money into the stimulus to fund his own organizations and his explicit revolutionary rhetoric that makes him anathema.

"Despite his apologies"? Are you kidding. In other words, ususally one can do unacceptable things, and if one <i>apologizes</i> that makes it all better? And how dare the Republicans be so mean as not to accept his apologies?

<i>

Fox News Channel host Glenn Beck repeatedly denounced Jones after a group the adviser co-founded, ColorofChange.org, led an advertising boycott against Beck's show to protest his claim that Obama is a racist.

James Rucker, the organization's executive director, has said Jones had nothing to do with ColorofChange.org now and didn't even know about the campaign before it started.

Jones, well-known in the environmental movement, was a civil-rights activist in California before shifting his attention to environmental and energy issues. He is known for laying out a broad vision of a green economy.

</i>

Um . . . Bullshit? A civil rights activist? Yeah, like that Maoist Rosa Parks? Beck just told the plain truth about him because of a grudge? There is not one relevant fact in this lying puff piece other than the fact that Van Jones no longer officially works for the White House. Apparently the AP's work for the White House isn't on the books either.

[galtgulch]

Exposed to the light of day, Obama's "Green Czar" the communist agitator Van Jones, who was the focus of day one of Glenn Beck's record breaking expose on FOX News, has resigned.

On the weekend.

In the middle of the night.

Now, when will his now-former-boss do the same?

Ted,

There was not a peep in the Boston Globe either.

www.campaignforliberty.com 213,003

gulch

[Reidy]

The LA Times ran a characteristically snide and bad-willed response, effectively blaming the opposition, including administration officials who declined to support him. Recent antics of old-media outlets like the Times (which is running in bankruptcy), like recent antics of the movie business, refute the notion that businesses are only interested in making money.

An interesting footnone is is that it marks the end of the road for the Obama-administration custom of dismissing what one has said, ordering us to ignore it and barging ahead. It worked for Obama himself with the Rezko, Ayers and Wright revelations, for Holder with the Rich pardon and for Sotomayor in her confirmation hearings, where she said in effect, yes, I made all these stupid, racist, post-modernist remarks, but they don't really count as I'm really an old-fashioned stick-to-the-text conservative. Jones tried to do the same by saying that he hadn't read the petition properly. It didn't work, and it won't work again.

[Chris Grieb]

It going to be interesting if the MSM has more to say about Van Jones and why they didn't cover the story. Let us give thanks for Fox, the Internet, and You Tube.

[Selene]

The LA Times ran a characteristically snide and bad-willed response, effectively blaming the opposition, including administration officials who declined to support him. Recent antics of old-media outlets like the Times (which is running in bankruptcy), like recent antics of the movie business, refute the notion that businesses are only interested in making money.

An interesting footnone is is that it marks the end of the road for the Obama-administration custom of dismissing what one has said, ordering us to ignore it and barging ahead. It worked for Obama himself with the Rezko, Ayers and Wright revelations, for Holder with the Rich pardon and for Sotomayor in her confirmation hearings, where she said in effect, yes, I made all these stupid, racist, post-modernist remarks, but they don't really count as I'm really an old-fashioned stick-to-the-text conservative. Jones tried to do the same by saying that he hadn't read the petition properly. It didn't work, and it won't work again.

Thanks for the link Reidy, it confirms the incredibly disciplined "messaging" that these propaganda idealouges impress into the record.

"On the eve of historic fights for healthcare and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me," he wrote in his resignation letter to the White House. "They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide.

"But I came here to fight for others, not for myself," Jones added. "I cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past."

The red remarks are illustrative of the selective distortion of the issues "clean energy" - anyone happen to have a definition of that floating around anywhere?? Using "historic" is completely false and pandering. Finally, the worst by "o ist " standards was the maudlin martyr victim crap of altruism. I came to fight for "others"...certainly not a lot of "others" that I am aware of, so which "others" does he have in mind? Additionally, it has and always will be all about his pitiful little self.

The blue remark is classic "opponents" of "reform" defined as ???.

The green remark is frankly laughable. The words came directly from his foul mouth. Yes, there were some distortions, but the bulk of his "quotes" were overwhelming proof that he was a marxist, a traitor and someone who should frankly be deported.

Adam

[galtgulch]

Exposed to the light of day, Obama's "Green Czar" the communist agitator Van Jones, who was the focus of day one of Glenn Beck's record breaking expose on FOX News, has resigned.

On the weekend.

In the middle of the night.

Now, when will his now-former-boss do the same?

Ted,

There was not a peep in the Boston Globe either.

www.campaignforliberty.com 213,003

gulch

An article did appear in the Boston Globe today, 7 September, with no mention of Jones' communist past.

www.campaignforliberty.com 213,201

gulch

[Selene]

Gulch: Was that the AP story in the Boston Globe - http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/09/07/controversy_over_past_remarks_leads_obama_adviser_to_resign/?s_campaign=8315

Glenn released this Sunday:

Beck: American People Stood Up to Bring Down Van Jones

Sunday, September 6, 2009 8:43 PM

Fox News host Glenn Beck, who led the charge calling for the resignation of President Barack Obama’s “Green Jobs Czar” Van Jones said Sunday that Jones is only the first of many radicals in the administration who should be facing questions.

“The American people stood up and demanded answers," Beck wrote in a statement. “Instead of providing them, the Administration had Jones resign under cover of darkness. I continue to be amazed by the power of everyday Americans to initiate change in our government through honest questioning, and judging by the other radicals in the administration, I expect that questioning to continue for the foreseeable future."

Jones resigned late Saturday following mounting criticism over his past statements and associations. The tipping point came when it was discovered that he signed a petition in 2004 supporting the "9/11 truther" movement, which believes the Bush administration may have been complicit in the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

“Much of the credit for Jones resigning should go to Fox's Glenn Beck, who as HuffPo's Ryan Grim notes, has his "first scalp,” Politico reported Sunday.

Beck’s victory was being lauded by conservative columnists and grudgingly acknowledged by liberals across the country Sunday.

“Face it, Glenn Beck won a big victory for conservative America with the resignation of Van Jones,” wrote Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist.

“Beck kept up the pressure, and the mainstream media reported on it. As a result, Jones couldn't really muster any effective counter-attack. He had made mistakes, tried to apologize for them but was too late,” Abouhalkah added.

“As scary as this may sound… Glenn Beck might actually have more power than anybody else representing the Republican Party,” the Web site Political Lore.com wrote Sunday. “As the Republican Party seemingly has no leader in their ranks, at least one that can represent the voice of the people. Even though Glenn Beck is an independent, he represents more Republicans than the Republican party.”

“The resignation of Van Jones signals that Glenn Beck’s words do not fall on deaf ears. The view’s of Glenn Beck have been labeled “extreme” from just about everyone on the left. Van Jones views are arguably just as extreme, if not more so,” the article continued.

It was Beck who repeatedly called attention to a series of statements by Jones that suggested Republicans were incompetent and bad in their opposition to Obama’s liberal agenda. Among other things, Jones called GOP members racists and a**holes.

Jones was also the co-founder of ColorOfChange, the African-American activist group that attempted to lead a boycott against Beck. But the boycott had the opposite of the intended effect – many advertisers denied they were boycotting Beck and his grassroots support surged. In the traditionally weak, non-prime time slot at 5 p.m., Beck is now drawing more viewers than CNN and MSNBC combined get in their prime time hours.

Even before the attempted boycott, Beck mentioned Jones twice on his radio show and twice on television. The boycott started after Beck called Obama "a racist" on Fox & Friends, but the comment occurred in the context of the racial controversy surrounding the arrest of Obama friend Henry Louis Gates by a white Cambridge police officer.

Beck mentioned Jones on 14 episodes, according to the Washington Independent's Dave Weigel, while also railing against him on "The O'Reilly Factor."

Beck also succeeded in keeping the national debate focused on the far left tendencies embodied in many of Obama’s policies and nominees, Politico pointed out. Now Obama is going into a key health reform speech before Congress on Wednesday with the taint of the Van Jones scandal marring his agenda.

“Between Cambridge cops; whether administration officials are or are not for the public option; right wing mobbing at town halls; and the back to school welcome contretemps, the White House has been forced to play defense and loose-ball control over [the summer],” former Clinton White House aide Chris Lehane told Politico. He noted that a “very important week” could have been consumed by “ a discussion related to an obscure staffer who no one has ever really heard of.”

But even before his resignation, critics said the controversy surrounding Jones was indicative of the fundamental problem with the administration's reliance on such advisers.

Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., the first lawmaker to call for Jones' resignation, told Fox News that in light of the controversy Obama should suspend the appointment of additional "czars" until Congress has a chance to examine the background and responsibilities of such individuals, as well as determine the constitutionality of such appointments.

Now that Jones is out of the way, Republicans are turning their fire on czars in general.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, the third-ranking Republican in the Senate, called the czars "an affront to the Constitution" since they are not approved by Congress.

"I don't think (Jones is) the issue. I think the czars are the issue," Alexander, R-Tenn., said on "FOX News Sunday." "We have about two dozen so-called czars -- the pay czar, the car czar, all these czars in the White House."

Republican strategist Ed Rollins said the administration needs to focus on bringing people on board who are competent and not controversial.

"(Jones) got out of there, but the more fundamental thing is there are 31 czars in that White House," he said

Adam

[Selene]

I can't vouch for the singing, but it is sadly hilarious.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=NWT7pTcNzb8

[Alfonso Jones]

I am very happy that Van Jones had to resign.

Unfortunately, the PROCESS which led to his appointment seems to be unchanged. And Van Jones is likely to continue to have White House access, just without the formal title and position he had before.

I wonder if those appointing "czars" have ever thought about what, historically, a czar was?

Regards,

Bill P

[Selene]

I am very happy that Van Jones had to resign.

Unfortunately, the PROCESS which led to his appointment seems to be unchanged. And Van Jones is likely to continue to have White House access, just without the formal title and position he had before.

I wonder if those appointing "czars" have ever thought about what, historically, a czar was?

Regards,

Bill P

Bill:

Well good to see you are still alive,

What did you hear or are you hearing about what is going on in Western China or the Big C as I like to call our future enemy?

Adam

[Alfonso Jones]

I am very happy that Van Jones had to resign.

Unfortunately, the PROCESS which led to his appointment seems to be unchanged. And Van Jones is likely to continue to have White House access, just without the formal title and position he had before.

I wonder if those appointing "czars" have ever thought about what, historically, a czar was?

Regards,

Bill P

Bill:

Well good to see you are still alive,

Adam

Thanks. I've been incredibly busy - - - I do a full-time teaching load between 11 August and 1 December this year, with the other dimensions of my academic position also in full bloom. So I have been very scarce at OL, to say the least.

Regards,

Bill P

[Chris Grieb]

I am very happy that Van Jones had to resign.

Unfortunately, the PROCESS which led to his appointment seems to be unchanged. And Van Jones is likely to continue to have White House access, just without the formal title and position he had before.

I wonder if those appointing "czars" have ever thought about what, historically, a czar was?

Regards,

Bill P

Bill P; Good to see you back.

I don't think Van Jones has White House access. The statement after Jones resigned suggested the White House wants as little to do with him as possible.