On Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Cuomo Primetime,” CNN Political Commentator and former Obama administration official Van Jones stated that President Joe Biden is doing good things, but he made claims about furthering his agenda, “then he steps on a rake and then he slips on a banana peel and then he falls down the stairs with some marbles and now people are looking at him in a negative light.” And people aren’t seeing “strong Joe Biden leadership that I think people were expecting,” and “the honeymoon’s over.” Jones also said that “right now, the Democratic Party is looking over the edge of a cliff,” and if this time next year, “cases are up, gas prices are up, you still can’t pull the legislative win, we’re in very deep trouble.”
Jones said, “I think that right now, the honeymoon’s over. There was a moment where it’s like, goodbye, Trump, hello, vaccines. We’re so glad to see you, Joe Biden. That’s kind of how this year started. And then he actually got stuff done. Don’t forget, you got 200 million Americans who are vaccinated right now. You got $1 trillion that he was able to move out into the economy with the rescue plan. He’s dealing with the coup attempt well. His Department of Justice is going after voter suppression. He’s doing a lot of good stuff. The problem is that he put himself in a position where he made big, bold claims about the rest of the agenda. … And then he steps on a rake and then he slips on a banana peel and then he falls down the stairs with some marbles and now people are looking at him in a negative light.”
He continued, “Now, can they recover? Yes, they can recover. If, at the — this time next year, if gas prices have come down, if cases are going down, jobs going up, you’re going to be in a different situation. But right now, the Democratic Party is looking over the edge of a cliff, and there’s a lot of fear and concern. And you’re not seeing that strong Joe Biden leadership that I think people were expecting, to get stuff done, to get the next round of stuff done.”
Jones further stated that another major legislative win for Biden “has to happen. Again, the gas prices this time next year have to be going back down, jobs have to be going back up. He can get there, but right now, you’ve got a major problem. Because the victory that he promised us this summer has been held up, and it’s his own party holding it up because of our internal divisions.” And Biden’s “not getting credit for the great stuff that he’s done. Because he promised more and hasn’t delivered yet. And so, I’m worried. At the same time, I do fundamentally think that we’re going to be in a better place with regard to COVID this time next year. … If you’d stop with Delta, if you don’t wind up with an Omega variant, I think this time next year, cases are down, the gas prices are down, jobs are up, and he’s got some real legislative wins. But if any of those four go the wrong way, if cases are up, gas prices are up, you still can’t pull the legislative win, we’re in very deep trouble.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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