A former adviser to Barack Obama says the excitement at the Republican National Convention is similar to when his boss rocked the political scene in 2008.
Current CNN contributor Van Jones made the remarks Thursday night following comments from Republican strategist and panelist Scott Jennings.
Jennings was excited. Jones said the “spirit” he was emitting was not anomalous.
“This person has this spirit [Jennings] Do you think it was because he was drunk? No, it was because of this,” Jones said.
“The last time I went to a convention where I felt like this was in 2008 with Obama,” he added. “Something is happening.”
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Van Jones, Trump RNC is like Obama in 2008
Given the disaster and damage Obama has caused, it may be hard to remember that in 2008, Barack Obama was actually a great orator who gave incredibly great speeches.
Whatever you think about him, his political talent is undeniable.
He made a name for himself with his “Red States, Blue States” speech at the 2004 DNC convention. The “spirit” and excitement Van Jones refers to were the driving force behind his victory over John McCain.
Now, 16 years later, Jones is getting the same vibe from Trump and the RNC. It’s hard to argue with that, following a rousing speech from wrestler Hulk Hogan, UFC president Dana White and a performance by rocker Kid Rock.
The energy, the momentum, it’s all clearly on Trump’s side right now. The attempt on the former president’s life has raised the fervor to unprecedented levels.
Hogan ended up giving a speech at the Republican National Convention, and after he finished it he wanted to eat a bowl of rusty nails without milk.
Hulk Hogan rips off his shirt while chanting RNC to USA. “What happened last week when you attacked my hero and tried to kill the next president of the United States? Enough is enough!!!!” pic.twitter.com/XK91TCkTgi
— Double Raise (@theblaze) July 19, 2024
RELATED: CNN’s Van Jones Slams Biden Press Conference as ‘Foggy’ and ‘Real Problem’
Strengthen yourself for what’s to come
It seems like Van Jones is finally coming to terms with reality. The energy transition is real. Voters are saying enough. The witch hunts, the violence. It’s time to find a new direction.
Jones, who had denied it just weeks ago, was seen shedding tears after watching President Biden debate Trump.
“That’s not what we wanted from Joe Biden,” he lamented.
Of course, Van Jones has been sounding the alarm far longer than most of his media colleagues. In 2022, after a press conference in which Biden completely lost his way, Jones called the president “foggy” and “meandering,” and even compared him to Ronald Reagan at the end of his life, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
Surprisingly, Jones has also praised Trump in the past, saying he has “done good things” for the black community but “doesn’t get enough credit.”
Earlier this week, Jones contrasted Biden’s response to testing positive for COVID-19 with Trump’s response to nearly dying and then getting back up and fighting.
“Today is a terrible day. When you step back and look at this, the strengths and weaknesses, the bullets didn’t stop Trump. The virus stopped Biden,” he said in a devastating speech to the DNC.
Jennings was excited. Hulk Hogan was excited. The entire RNC was excited. And now Van Jones is feeling it. Hopefully, Trump’s results in November will be similar to Obama’s results in 2008.
