The fact that CNN commentator Van Jones appeared at CPAC and even extended some credit to President Donald Trump and Republicans for their accomplishments on the issue of criminal justice reform was just too much for #Resistance Twitter.
.@VanJones68 gives credit to President @realDonaldTrump for helping with poverty, addiction, and criminal justice.#CPAC2019 #WhatMakesAmericaGreat pic.twitter.com/G1Ra9EhxWB
— CPAC 2019 (@CPAC) February 28, 2019
Vox journalist Aaron Rupar sparked the social media criticism by posting several clips of Jones’ appearance with CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp discussing the issue, with The Daily Caller’s Saagar Enjeti moderating.
.@VanJones68 what are you doing? pic.twitter.com/WzymiPEmyG
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 28, 2019
Then, Rupar gave Jones a face-palm for saying that left and right “need each other.”
VAN JONES: “I’ve never seen a bird fly with only a left wing… we need each other.” ????♂️????♂️????♂️ pic.twitter.com/L7xOIGRWyc
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 28, 2019
While the vocally liberal Jones seemed to get a warm welcome among the conservative CPAC attendees, his attendance and willingness to give credit to conservatives and work with them on key issues apparently didn’t sit well with members of his own ideology. Many critics either responded to Rupar or posted their own negative analysis.
Political Advocacy Group Bros4America called Jones a “sellout.”
Sellout. pic.twitter.com/DVhHjYCBOw
— Bros4America (@Bros4America) February 28, 2019
“Honestly, what the hell is Van Jones endgame here? This is completely embarrassing and laughable on its face,” wrote liberal journalist Erick Fernandez. (RELATED: CNN’s Van Jones Praises Trump’s Prison Reform Plans, Takes Jab At Obama)
Honestly, what the hell is Van Jones endgame here? This is completely embarrassing and laughable on its face. https://t.co/mmzzPZLX7i
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) February 28, 2019
Van Jones going to CPAC to praise conservatives on criminal justice reform is like going to a Koch Industries board meeting to applaud their environmental contributions.
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) February 28, 2019
Van Jones proving for umpteenth time what Ive known at least since I interviewed him at D Convention in ’12, when he got mad at me for saying too many nice things about guest b4 him, making him recite his entire resume to me b4 we started. Van Jones is about Van Jones
— Cliff Schecter (@cliffschecter) February 28, 2019
I’ve never been more proud to be blocked by Van Jones than today. https://t.co/27UZ4LNWsC
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) February 28, 2019
Van Jones isn’t necessary. https://t.co/fVpnYbCW8E
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) February 28, 2019
Van Jones is turning into the Candace Owens of Kanye’s.
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) February 28, 2019
Man, Van Jones kind of sucks
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) February 28, 2019
van jones praises trump on cnn, goes to the white house and hangs out with jared and ivanka, goes to cpac to hail conservatives. i mean… pic.twitter.com/1OtCetzrXL
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) February 28, 2019
van jones is a cautionary tale about what a little fame and money can do to you. he does this kind of bs actively, nobody’s forcing or blackmailing him. he likes it. and its gross and disgusting.
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) February 28, 2019
I mean, Van Jones has many redeeming qualities & is well-intentioned but right now there is an existential threat to our planet and those metaphorical birds and the ‘right wing’ is in denial about it and trying to thwart attempts to deal with it. There is no ‘bothsides’-ism here.
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) February 28, 2019
WTF is Van Jones doing at CPAC and why is he spouting this factually incorrect garbage?
— Miranda Yaver (@mirandayaver) February 28, 2019
BLM been out in the streets getting tear gassed and tackled but Van Jones thinks it’s a great idea to go to CPAC of all places to credit CONSERVATIVES for criminal justice reform?
— Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell) February 28, 2019
i’m so old that i remember when van jones was a radical leftist forced to resign from the obama white house https://t.co/6raNeD5njT
— Joel D. Anderson (@byjoelanderson) February 28, 2019
i regret to inform you that van jones lives in a butt https://t.co/M6IJHN5KQT
— Bill Hanstock (@sundownmotel) February 28, 2019