Van Jones Calls the Election Results a ‘White-Lash Against a Changing Country’ in a Standout CNN Appearance

As news commentators grappled last night with reporting on an election that seemed to defy recent polling results, CNN’s Van Jones spoke powerfully to the perspectives of many women, people of color, and others trying to make sense of Donald Trump’s victory. “People have talked about a miracle,� Jones said. “I’m hearing about a nightmare.� Jones acknowledged many of the prevailing narratives, for instance, that the election was a “rebellion against elites,� but emphasized how much of Trump’s rise was fueled by racist and xenophobic rhetoric. “This was a white-lash,� Jones said. “This was a white-lash against a changing country. It was a white-lash against a black president in part. And that’s the part where the pain comes.�