Van Jones Exit Isn't Right-Wing Win, It's an Obama Surrender

[Better Believe It]

Van Jones Exit Isn't Right-Wing Win, It's an Obama Surrender
by John Nichols
September 6, 2009


The decision of Van Jones to resign as President Obama's "green jobs" czar is not a victory for Republicans who griped about the White House environmental aide's willingness to call them out on their extreme partisanship.

Nor was it a victory for right-wingnuts like Glenn Beck – who waged a bitter campaign against Jones, highlighting his history of activism on behalf of environmental justice, racial reconciliation, global solidarity and an inquiry into events leading up to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

It was an unnecessary and unwise surrender by an Obama administration there is neither ready nor willing to fight "those who spin lies for profit" -- as National Association for the Advancement of Colored People president Ben Jealous described those who smeared Jones.

Jones made a gracious exit from his key position in an administration that was unwilling to stand up for him, issuing a Labor Day weekend statement that said: "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."

Jones said he had been "inundated with calls from across the political spectrum urging me to stay and fight." The NAACP and other groups had initiated campaigns to keep Jones in his position as White House Special Advisor for Green Jobs.

Few doubt that Jones would have stayed on, if the president and his aides had been willing to defend the ablest advocate for green jobs.

Please read the complete article at:

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/469382/van_jones_exit_isn_t_right_wing_win_it_s_an_obama_surrender

[mix]

1. This capitulation is another bad bad sign. nt

[tbyg52]

5. You give in to bullies, they just keep coming back. nt

[nightrain]

2. knr. so many capituations on important issues. I still have not

understood why Obama gave up his pastor, someone so important to him for years!! I mean, really, aren't there any people or policy positions that Obama stands firm on? Like unwavering?!

[tbyg52]

6. >>aren't there any people or policy positions that Obama stands firm on?

From what I've seen so far, no.

[IndianaGreen]

7. Obama is firmly opposed to prosecuting criminals from Bush era

such as John Yoo and others.

We can count on Obama on non-prosecution of war crimes!

[QC]

9. He's very firm on keeping GLBT Americans in a state of second class citizenship.

Surely that counts for something.

[tbyg52]

10. Oops, my bad. You are absolutely correct, and I should have thought of that myself.

:blush:

Edited to add apologies to IndianaGreen as well. :blush: :blush:

[Laelth]

3. Agreed. It reinforces the "Democrats are wimps" meme.

Do you think the Decided would have caved like this? No. He would have said, "Good job, Brownie!" and backed his appointee.

This was a completely unnecessary and useless capitulation.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Irreverend IX]

33. And Rumsfeld took how long to step down?

Rummy stayed in the Bush Admin through years of constant attacks for his Iraq fuckups and only resigned when the Dems took over Congress. It looks like Fox News can knock down cabinet members with a few days' worth of smears.

[quantass]

4. I didnt realize the Republicans still control the White House.

So when are the democrats going to take back the WH?

[Bluenorthwest]

8. When we elect a Democrat to the White House

[msans]

11. don't think so

as i said before:

I think President Obama is brilliant for firing Van Jones, by doing so, he makes Glen Beck the conservative that bested Obama. Rallying all conservatives around beck and away from limbaugh.

This creates a feud between Beck and Limbaugh, Limbaugh then takes Beck Down, so obama has co-opted limbaugh. Limbaugh is a conservative that only cares about money, but Glen is a total nutjob, so rush will want to take him down, Wow
Obama is smart

[Bluenorthwest]

15. As you said before? Not to me you didn't

That is satire is it not? If not, it is the stupidest thing I have ever read. If it is satire, bravo, well done.

[Laelth]

28. Welcome to DU.

:dem:

-Laelth

[dionysus]

31. so you think obama is a republican? can you expand on that?

[LittleBlue]

12. Obama is becoming one of the weakest politicians in recent memory

He fights for nothing and no one. The moment he is faced with criticism, he does one of three things:

1) Throw his staff under the bus
2) Apologize profusely
3) Stay silent and hope it goes away

You'll notice he won't consider the "hit back against right-wing lies" or "go on the offensive". After all, we have bipartisanship to consider. This is the guy who still paid lip service to Grassley after he accused Obama of wanting to pull the plug on grandma.

[freddie mertz]

13. This has become the pattern in this administration

Change we must have been crazy to have once believed in?

It's starting to look that way on so many issues.

[jefferson_dem]

18. "Change we must have been crazy to have once believed in?"

A new twist on an old fave. Well played. Uh huh.

[freddie mertz]

20. It's convoluted, but pretty much sums up my feeling as of today.

PS, I still like the president.

I just wish he'd show some spine sometimes.

[jefferson_dem]

22. Point taken.

Keep fighting the good fight, freddie. :hi:

[kenny blankenship]

14. As I see someone like Van Jones hounded from office, I wonder

what stands between the RW Crazies decreeing, on the one hand, that someone like Jones can't contribute to public service because he's disqualified by these astronomically remote associations --and them going on to demand that someone like me can't be allowed to vote because I've posted on Democratic Underground.

McCarthy style witch hunting should always be countered.

[tabatha]

16. No, it is none of the above.

It is classy and pragmatic.

[Better Believe It]

21. Right. Real classy. Real smart. Real progressive. Obama's playing chess .... on a checkerboard

That's won't work.

Perhaps Obama just wasn't ready to be president and never learned how to take on bullys and right-wingnuts.

As the writer pointed out:

"President Obama and his aides let the right spin a fantasy about a man who led the highly-regarded Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and was recently listed as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential player's of 2009.

In so doing, they allowed Glenn Beck to define the administration.

This won't make the Obama presidency stronger; nor will it position the president to work more effectively with Congress on issues such as health care reform – let alone "green jobs" initiatives.

The right now knows they can make this administration blink. And they will keep poking and prodding White House aides and appointees until Obama and his inner circle push back.

That's how Washington works.

Republican strategists and the echo chamber in the media understand this.

Unfortunately, the president and his aides do not."

[tabatha]

23. I happen to disagree.

Obama needs no distractions to get health care done.

If we lived in a sane society, I can understand those who disagree.
But we do not.

And he was confronted with the bullies and wingnuts last year, and he won.

[tabatha]

25. Actually, it had nothing to do with Obama.

"The resignation of Obama administration figure Van Jones, following controversies over a petition he had signed and his comments about Republicans, did not come at the request of the president, the White House senior adviser said Sunday.
Van Jones attends the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, in August.

Van Jones attends the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, in August.

"Absolutely not -- this was Van Jones' own decision," David Axelrod told NBC's "Meet the Press" when asked if the president had ordered the resignation."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/06/obama.adviser.resigns/index.html

[Jennicut]

27. I wonder why Van Jones decided not to stay and fight then?

Maybe it was too stressful and hard on his family. :shrug:

[Better Believe It]

39. You have to know that the President will back you 100% and not leave you twisting in the wind

[Peregrine Took]

17. I love John Nichols. This article is spot on.

[nightrain]

19. I am often reminded of this post a month ago about Obama's

character and how Obama seems to abhor conflict and actual airing of grievances and working through to reconciliation. The author criticizes Obama for skipping the hard stuff.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-bromwich/character-of-barack-obama_b_251186.html


So far, I think that author is correct, and we suffer as a result.

[rockymountaindem]

24. That was a good article

I agree that Obama is too quick to compromise for the sake of compromise.

[nightrain]

29. yes, thanks... It's important for the hard work of the airing of grievances

and the stating of the "demands" to be done prior to any reconciliation (/compromising/capitulation).

So many missed opportunities since January... I am deeply distressed particularly about how Obama has handled healthcare reform and escalated the war in Afghanistan.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

26. It's defusing a non-issue before the RW can make a fuss about it.

No doubt if Jones didn't resign you'd be whining about that.

[Better Believe It]

30. Should President Obama take a public option off the table so the RW can't make a fuss about it?

How about taking everything off the table that the right-wing might fuss about?

That's the ticket!

[IndianaGreen]

32. FDR, Truman, and LBJ never asked the GOP for permission

We didn't elect the GOP!

[Hippo_Tron]

34. It's called cutting your losses

Van Jones served at the pleasure of the President. Sometimes the President is best served when people who generate controversy resign.

[watercolors]

35. You are so right! He became a distration

that would have gone on and on, best stop it for the sake of on going needless controversy and more unessary ridicule of Obama's admisistration. I give him Kudos for resigning!

[asdjrocky]

36. Beck beat the crap out of Obama on this.

And Obama never even lifted a glove. Very, very disappointing.

[Thrill]

42. Yeah thats what the President should be doing

worrying about a talk show host. Get Real. Obama didn't ask for his resignation

[phleshdef]

37. No one forced or even asked Van Jones to resign.

He had the option to stay. He didn't. Stupid, stupid article.

[Politicub]

38. His resignation is so weird - Obama's environmental policy isn't all that controversial

Well, it is with businesses, but not with the general public.

Is this a case of big business calling for his head?

[SpartanDem]

40. I swear some people just want to fight for the sake of fighting

Jones truther ties reflected badly Obama. Yet, people would rather have Obama spending time defending Jones views just they so they can say he's giving the finger to Beck.

[Thrill]

41. I call bullshit on this one. My guess is Van Jones quit so people would stop digging in his shit

There is plenty of things to bash Obama about. This ain't one

[joeycola]

43. But it is now.