Clueless Joe: 'Who's Van Jones?'

Is he playing dumb or does this just come naturally?

Tuesday morning on AM Tampa Bay on 970 WFLA, Vice President Joe Biden was asked by Jack Harris about the Occupy Wall Street Movement. The VP said "I really don't know about the Van Jones group, except what I read in the press." The group is currently protesting in New York City against the social and economic inequality, corporate greed and the influence of corporate money and lobbyists on government.

Later in his response in talking about the frustration seen in the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street Group, Biden said "you have on the one end Van Jones' guys, whoever he is, talking about Wall Street." Jack Harris and Tedd Webb stopped him to tell him he had previously been "Green Czar" in the administration. The VP responded, "Oh is that... alright"

All those Communists look alike to Joe.

Listen here:

Gillibrand to Appear With Disgraced 9/11 Truther

I guess Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's puppet master Chuckie Schumer has let her stray off course. Do they not realize having someone facing a tough re-election appearing with the radioactive Van Jones isn't exactly the image you want New Yorkers to see?

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand will make a joint appearance at a forum next month with controversial lawyer Van Jones, who left the Obama administration last year amid outrage over his past remarks about 9/11.

The Agenda Project is sponsoring the event at the Harvard Club in Midtown, and is expected to focus on jobs as the talking point.

Late last year, Jones stepped down from his post as a White House environmental adviser amid revelations about his efforts to suggest that the government had a role in the Sept. 11 attacks.

According to the Washington Post, Jones will be speaking about the Obama jobs agenda. Funny, but I thought the White House gave him the boot?

Instapundit links. Thanks!

Craven Media Whore Puts Best Spin on Van Jones Resignation

Leave it to this dunce to try and put a good spin on Communist Truther Van Jones' exit from the White House.

Thank you, Glenn Beck. By helping force the resignation of Van Jones, you have done a great service to your country. But in the exact opposite way than what you intended.

Your vile and vicious smear campaign has helped reverse one of the worst examples of miscasting since John Wayne took on the role of Genghis Khan in The Conqueror.

Don't get me wrong: Van Jones was the best person for the job he just gave up. But the job was not the best use of Van Jones.

Contrary to the media caricature, the real Van Jones is a thoughtful leader who knows how to use words to move people to action. To stick him behind a desk, working out the details of tax credits for green jobs -- incredibly important though the job is -- was never the best use of his unique and abundant skills.

This is not an attempt to put a positive spin on an ugly episode. I've actually been feeling this way ever since Van told me he was taking this job.

Of course she provides no evidence she really thought this way, but hey, the left never had any shame in making things up as they go along to fit their needs.

Read the rest of the drivel if you can stomach it. The way he's painted, it's a wonder this thug Jones isn't already on Mount Rushmore.

One other thing: She claims there is a media caricature of Jones. Yet until he resigned there was virtually no media reporting on Jones, so how exactly was this caricature created?

Morristown Tea Party Draws Thousands

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the festivities down in Morristown, NJ, although it appears thousands showed up and had a good time.

Today's tea-party protest on the Green erupted in cheers when one speaker said he was thankful his son will not see President Obama's back-to-school speech in class.

Radio talk show host Steve Malzberg, who assailed Obama as "a Marxist ... who fundamentally despises everything that's great about America," predicted the president will use his speech to encourage students to "give back" rather than pursue personal wealth.

"How do you give back until you get," said Malzberg, who lives in Fair Lawn and did not name the school declining to show the speech.

Amid accusations from Obama's critics that his speech Tuesday will advance a partisan agenda, the White House today released the text in which the president exhorts children merely to work hard and stay in school.

The thousands at today's three-hour rally starting at 11 a.m. -- Morristown police did not provide a crowd estimate -- indicated they already had made their minds up about the speech, Obama and his 7-month-old administration.

Many brought signs calling him a socialist; a few accused him of treason.

Speakers assailed Obama over his health care plan and his former environmental adviser, Van Jones, who resigned last weekend following the disclosure that he once signed a petition suggesting a possible government role in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

FOX News business analyst Charles Payne, an invited speaker, explained the nationwide protests named after the Tea Party leading up to the Revolutionary War by saying, "I think a lot of people are not ready to see this country turned upside down."

No confrontations were observed with a handful of counter-protesters, including Dan Grant of Montville, who walked around the Green holding a campaign sign from Ted Kennedy's unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1980. His wife, Patti, held a Clinton/Gore sign from 1996.

Geez, we're here in very blue New Jersey and all the left can drum up are a couple of people with dated signs?

The Star-Ledger estimates the crowd at 2,000. More photos at that link. If anyone locally attended feel free to send a link.

Van Tossed Under the Bus

Can't say we didn't see this one coming. I was a bit premature, however.

The Washington Post says the resignation of Obama's Communist Truther pal comes after weeks of controversy. Hmm. Then why did most of the media ignore this controversy?

White House environmental adviser Van Jones resigned Saturday after weeks of controversy stemming from his past activism.

"On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me," Jones, special adviser for green jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said in a statement announcing his resignation just after midnight Saturday. "They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide."

A historic fight for clean energy? What the hell is this maniac babbling about?

He continued: "I have been inundated with calls -- from across the political spectrum -- urging me to 'stay and fight.' But I came here to fight for others, not for myself. I cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past. We need all hands on deck, fighting for the future."

Across the political spectrum? What, from the far left to the hardline Communist?

More fallout here.

Glenn Beck - 1 Obamabots - 0

The first thing I heard this morning when I woke up was that Barry O's so-called Green Czar, Van Jones has resigned. We have heard a lot of about Van Jones in the last week, but actually this man was first brought to our attention by Glenn Beck on his show on the Fox News network.

What has been under reported is the connection between Van Jones and an organization called the Color of Change. Van Jones was one of the founders of that organization and that is the very same organization which is leading the advertiser boycott of the Glenn Beck show.

Van Jones (Co-founder, inactive)

While Van hasn't been active in the work of ColorOfChange in recent years, we are proud of where his work has led him. After helping ColorOfChange get started in 2005, Van moved on to other pursuits. In 2007, he founded and served as the executive director of Green For All, an organization dedicated to creating opportunities for low-income communities connected to the greater effort of addressing climate change. Van now serves as Special Advisor for Green Jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

It would seem to me that those companies who pulled their advertising now have some explaining to do.

You can just add this guy to a long list of people that Barack has handpicked as friends and confidants, who so many in the media have chosen to ignore and certainly raise a lot of questions about the real character of the man chosen to lead this nation.

I used to listen to Glenn on the radio and I certainly watched him when he had his show on Headline News, but it seems since moving to Fox a lot of the humor is gone from personality, which is what attracted me to him, so I don't watch or listen as much anymore. In fact I think the first show of his I ever heard was on the radio dealt with his trials and tribulations with the Connecticut drivers license bureau. It had me cracking up so bad at the office that I had to quit listening.

Here's hoping Glenn can find that rodeo clown again.

Radical Right-Winger Bob Beckel Says Van Jones Has To Go

Oh, Bob Beckel isn't one of those rabid, frothing, evil right-wingers out on a witch-hunt to get Van Jones? Well, he's on Fox News, so I guess that immediately disqualifies him in certain circles.

Transcript via NewsBusters.

VALERIE JARRETT, OBAMA AIDE: We were so delighted to be able to recruit him into the White House. We've been watching him.

ROSEN: That Valerie Jarrett, one of the president's closest aides, expressed such enthusiasm for Jones less than a month ago, suggests Mr. Obama was also aware of Jones' hiring. Yet congressional Republicans have begun calling for Jones to resign and for hearings. And by week's end, such sentiments were not confined to the GOP.

BOB BECKEL, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: My guess is that the resignation letter is being written as we speak.

ROSEN: As an aide to President Carter, Bob Beckel is a White House veteran, and he's urged the current president to drop the ax soon.

BECKEL: Obama has been accused during the campaign of associating with people who were radical, whether it be Bill Ayers or Reverend Wright. He has to do with Jones what he did with Wright, which is to cut his relationship off.

ROSEN: A White House official told FOX NEWS today what is obvious by now, that Van Jones, quote, "wasn't fully vetted prior to his appointment."

But Valerie Jarrett's statement last month that "we've been following him for as long as he has been active out in Oakland" suggests that Jones' views and style, Bret, have long been known to the president and to his advisors.

Emphasis mine.

It's gotten so bad even the rather liberal New York Daily News says it's time for Jones to go.

Here's the mea-kinda-culpa Jones put out yesterday: "If I have offended anyone with statements I made in the past, I apologize. As for the petition that was circulated today, I do not agree with this statement and it certainly does not reflect my views now or ever."

Wait: Did he sign it or not? If he doesn't agree with the views and did sign it, what could possibly have possessed him?

It was troubling enough that the White House was prepared to give an environmental volunteering effort a massive megaphone on Sept. 11, which should be reserved for a solemn remembrance of lives taken by terrorist thugs. It was more troubling when it turned out Jones gave credence to 9/11 lies.

And it is still more troubling that the man can now only muster a half-hearted, nondenial denial.

We're Jonesing for a real reckoning. If it doesn't come from the green-jobs guru, it'll have to come from his boss.

Obama's been in hiding the past several days and in some respects we should be thankful since his ubiquitous presence in every facet of our lives has grown to be more than tedious. But it's time to man up, Barry, and send yet another extremist pal of yours packing.

Van Jones, meet Reverend Wright and Bill Ayers. Although I'm assuming you're all well-acquainted.

Hot Air links. Thanks!

Kook Left: Exposing Van Jones is a 'Racist Witch Hunt'

You knew it couldn't be long until the far left kook fringe rallied around one of their own. I just love the smell of radical left fear in the morning. These people are almost parodies of themselves. Check out how hysterical they are.

Join us at StandWithVan.com to show your unwavering support for White House green jobs advisor Van Jones.

Like sharks in the water, a right-wing lynch mob led by notorious race-baiter Glenn Beck is now circling around White House green jobs advisor Van Jones.

On the surface, their complaint centers around Jones' background and statements he previously made as an activist. Specifically, conservative blogs and media outlets have seized on a harshly-worded petition Beck signed in 2004 demanding further investigations into the 9/11 attacks [Oops, you mean Jones, don't you?--ed.]. Jones has clarified since then, saying of the petition that "it certainly does not reflect my views, now or ever." But this is little more than the right-wing manufactured faux-outrage du jour. Beck began aggressively going after Jones in the wake of a campaign targeting Beck's advertisers -- organized by Color of Change -- an advocacy organization Jones founded prior to taking a position in the administration.

Here's a sampling of the left-wing hysteria signing on to this poorly-drafted drivel.

Brad Johnson at The Wonk Room writes:

White House green jobs advisor Van Jones is under attack from Fox News as an “avowed radical revolutionary communist” and from ABC News as a “truther” with a “history of incendiary and provocative remarks.” In an attempt to assassinate the character of Van Jones, the right-wing media are distorting his past political activism and cherry-picking Jones’s critiques of the pollution and injustice that still haunt this nation. However, Jones’s true record is one of turning away from anger and finding hope, abandoning division and seeking consensus.

Yeah, by calling Republicans assholes. No anger or division there, nosiree.

David Roberts at Grist writes:

This is all about bitch-slap politics. If Jones drops out, think Beck or the right-wing slime industry will stop? Think they won’t keep going after Carol Browner, John Holdren, and the rest—twisting and attacking every word and gesture from the Obama administration? “Uncovering” people as wildly caricatured leftists? Faux-populist fear merchants are like sharks; they have to keep moving, keep eating. There’s no sating them. Letting Beck bag Jones would be like chum in the water.

Go get him, Captain Beck!

Adam Siegel at Get Energy Smart Now writes:

Fox’s Beck has turned his attention from President Barack Obama to increasingly vitriolic and deceptive attacks on a White House staff member, Van Jones, who has responsibilities related to Green Jobs. Beck’s attacks are deceptive and despicable, on multiple levels, and demean not just Jones, but American democracy and the very concept of moving forward toward a more prosperous
America, for both the nation and its citizens.

So now Jones is just some lowly White House staff member. By the way, I'm still waiting to find out specifically what these green jobs are and if a single one has been created. Nobody seems to care about Jones' performance, just whether he can stick it to the man.

Sarah Robinson at Blog For Our Future writes:
But we know this for sure: If Beck succeeds in damaging Jones and Color of Change -- a decision that's largely in the hands President Obama -- you can count on this being the start of a fast and furious conservative witch hunt aimed at picking off every other progressive leader. What they'll learn is that this kind of minor smear is all it takes to turn liberals against each other -- and we'll effectively be in the position of letting the craziest people on the right wing decide for us who our leaders will be.

Meanwhile, more reaction is still percolating of the largely non-kook variety.

Stunner! Obama Hack Van Jones Also a Mumia Supporter

I haven't mentioned this guy the past couple of days as others have been all over it, led by Jim Hoft. It says volumes about Barack Obama that he'd appoint an avowed Communist with apparent links to 9/11 Truther movements, even though the White House is treading extremely thin ice inexplicably sticking by this guy.

The White House would not say whether the White House's green-jobs czar, who has been linked to Sept. 11 conspiracy theorists, continues to enjoy the confidence of the president, but an official said he is still a part of the administration.

Van Jones, the president's special adviser for green jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), has come under fire this week for using an obscenity to describe Republicans and for signing a petition to get Congress to investigate whether the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, were an inside government job.

Most of the media is ignoring the story, naturally, but there comes a time when critical mass will be reached, and probably much sooner than later.

The pathetic aspect of this is the obvious non-vetting of Jones or the likelihood Jones was vetted and Obama found nothing offensive about this man. Apparently the tech-savvy wizards at the White House are too incompetent to run a simple search, as many are now in the process of doing.

Now we find Jones also has a thing for the cop-killing darling of the left, Mumia Abu Jamal. This is from 10 years ago, obviously pre-dating Jones' later hook-up with other radicals in the Truther movement.

Supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a death row inmate convicted for the 1981 shooting death of a Philadelphia police officer, said the protest was called after the Supreme Court on Monday rejected claims that Abu-Jamal, a former radio journalist and Black Panther, did not receive a fair trial.

``We knew there was another event going on, but the timing of the court decision is what dictated when the protest was held,'' said Van Jones, a San Francisco civil rights lawyer who helped coordinate the protest march.

Via Gabe Malor.

So let the White House play cute and try to minimize the likely Jones association with the wacked-out Truthers. Have at it.

Let's MoveOn: Why is Obama appointing supporters of cop killers?

Linked at Instapundit and Hot Air. Thanks!

Ed Morrissey notes:

One would think that the Obama administration would hasten to distance itself from both Truthers and supporters of cop-killers. I imagine James Crowley may be having an ironic laugh at this today.

Commenter Martin says:

After the Professor Gates/Officer Crowley incident, this is JUST what President Obama needed to mend fences with all the police officers he insulted.

Update: The resignation watch is officially on. I'll take 9 pm tonight.