Van Jones stopped by “The View” on Thursday to discuss tolerance and engagement with supporters of President Donald Trump. His “all about the kumbayah” messaging didn’t sit well with some co-hosts, however.
As Jones talked of his voter outreach efforts in red states, co-host Joy Behar criticized him for playing nice with conservative voters responsible for getting Trump in the White House.
“I was raised right by my mama and my daddy who said, ‘Don’t let bad people make you be a bad person back,’” Jones replied. “I’m not going to become what I’m fighting. I think it’s a big danger, and this is a character test for everybody in this country.”
The political talk show host acknowledged the “negative vibration” put out by the president, but warned critics against exhibiting the same nasty behavior toward Trump and his loyal followers.
“There can’t blue wave without blue work,” he added, urging the importance of registering more voters before the next election.
Co-host Sunny Hostin offered her two cents on the matter and argued Jones was being too soft on Trump supporters who’ve supported this disaster of a presidency. She argued Dems could “do the work” by “speaking truth to power” and calling out Trump.
“Van, aren’t people complicit when they are looking the other way at the bigotry, at the misogyny, and the messages coming out of this White House?” Hostin asked. “… Perhaps they got a tax refund and that tells me because you got a tax refund, you don’t care about what’s happening to my community, my children, to the country. That makes you complicit, in my mind.”
Jones acknowledged Hostin’s point but didn’t back down from his approach.
“My argument is hard to make in public,” he admitted. “You can make it over a long dinner.”
Watch more in the clip below.
