Van Jones: "The Republican party (is) just kind of going off the rails"

[Turborama]

Van Jones gave the Republicans both barrels on Piers Morgan last night...

JONES: Look, I just think this has got to be just a terrible day for Romney. I mean, look at today. Today is the Republican party just kind of going off the rails. You have Mr. Empty Chair making his big debut. You have Donald Trump coming back out with his sort of Birtherism 2.0 remix. Sarah Palin comes out and says the president is shucking and jiving, wink wink, nod, nod. And then you have Mourdock come out and confirms that there's a big strain inside the Republican party that apparently thinks the government should force women to bear the children of their rapists.

So the Republican party has a brand problem already. I'm sure Mitt Romney was hoping he could be able to kind of keep pointing to his phony five point plan, but at this point it's coming apart. And the true character of some of the extreme elements in this party, and just some of the whacky elements of this party, are rushing to the fore. It is not good timing for Mitt Romney.

=snip=

This is not a theological argument that we are having here. We're having an argument about social policy, and whether we want to live in a country where the government can force women to bear the children of their rapists. Now you think that's an extreme position. But it's actually the position of Paul Ryan. You have Paul Ryan with the exact same position.

This particular candidate, Mr. Mourdock, is the only person for whom Romney has cut an ad. He's -- 5,000 dollars has been given by Paul Ryan personally to this man. This man represents a big strain in the party.

My concern, if I'm a voter, if I'm a working mom some place, if I'm a father like I am, if this is the kind of person that Romney is associating himself with, he's cutting ads for, he's picked Paul Ryan, who has these extreme views, as his running mate, who will he pick to put on the Supreme Court? I do not want to live in a country, as a man, where a woman can enforced to have the child of her rapist, and the government enforce that. But apparently Mitt Romney has the opposite view. I think that is bad social policy. It's not a theological argument. It's social policy.

=snip=

But this is a bigger issue because it goes to the judgement of Romney. Some senator saying something crazy, you can say, well, who cares. Well, another one did it? OK, who cares. But what you are seeing now is pattern inside the party. Romney has not withdrawn his support for this person. They're running ads right. The only person who Romney has cut an ad for is this man. And those ads are running today. It goes to Romney's judgement. It goes to who will he be as president. What are his sensitivities? Who is he going to care about? Who is he going to put on the Supreme Court? Who is he going to put in positions of power? He is associating himself with people who think this way.

Full conversation: http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1210/24/pmt.01.html

[randome]

1. Oh, yes.

What he said: no one is in charge of the GOP so the 'whacky elements' fill the void.

The GOP is falling apart.

[myrna minx]

2. Thank you Mr Jones. K&R

[Turborama]

3. Just found a clip on youtube

It's the only one I can find and it's been uploaded by a wingnut who appears to think the Teahadette on there was righteous.

I can't verify how much of what Van said is in it as I'm on my phone with a crappy connection:

[WorseBeforeBetter]

4. Kicking, because I dig Van. (n/t)

[Turborama]

7. Cheers, fellow Van fan!

[flamingdem]

5. ciao traitors!

[SoapBox]

6. "Kind of"?

Sheesh, I would say they've already taken the express route to hell.

p.s...love Van Jones.