Van Jones Walks Back 'Whitelash' Comments... Sort Of

During an interview with Hugh Hewitt last Friday, Van Jones seemingly walked back his previous description of President-elect Donald Trump’s election win as a “whitelash."

In the early hours of the morning following the election, Jones described white voters’ support for Trump as an anti-black racist repudiation of America’s first black president.

Last Friday, however, Jones anti-black racist and “white supremacists” only composed “probably less than one percent” of Trump’s white supporters.

Below is a partial transcript of Jones’ exchange with Hewitt:

HEWITT: "Van, let me ask you, though, this is the key question. You went to my hometown for The Messy Truth. When you talked to Trump supporters, do you think they’re white supremacists? Do you really believe…you and I sit together in green rooms. We’re friendly. We would be friends if we spent more time together. Do you really believe those people in Trumbull County are white supremacists who voted for Trump?"

JONES: "Let me finish my point. I’m going someplace. I told you both parties had problems they won’t admit, and you just did it. The Democrats will not admit to their elitism and their failure to address the working-class in this country in terms that make sense. The Republicans are the party of colorblind meritocracy. That’s their party."

HEWITT: "That’s true."

JONES: "And that’s beautiful. But they have also created a space for a bunch of bigots to come in the back door, and they won’t admit it."

HEWITT: "That is not true. Van…"

JONES: "Hold on."

HEWITT: "What percentage, what percentage do you believe of the Trump vote is white supremacist? What percentage?"

JONES: "Like outright, we hate black people?"

HEWITT: "Yes."

JONES: "Probably less than 1%."

HEWITT: "Thank you."

JONES: "So, but…"

HEWITT: "It’s way less than 1%."

Despite describing Republicans as “the party of colorblind meritocracy,” Jones said the GOP refused to admit that it had “created a space for a bunch of bigots to come in the back door.”

Describing himself as “a very strong Democrat,” Jones criticized the Democrat Party for obnoxious elitism:

"So the Democrats love to see ourselves as the champion of the working-class and the downtrodden. But the truth is that we also have allowed a home for some of the most elitist, snobbiest, obnoxious, condescending people ever born in our party."

Read the full transcript here, or listen to the audio below:

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