Van Jones rebuts the Trump camp's 'Al Gore did it first!' defense of Trump's election results ambivalence


A primary defense by Donald Trump's supporters to Trump's refusal at Wednesday night's debate to say he will respect the outcome of the election is that Al Gore demanded a recount in Florida in 2000. Bill Bennett made that case on Fox News, and Jeffrey Lord made a similar point on CNN Wednesday night. Hillary Clinton supporter Van Jones was having none of it, and he was not having it using a colorful analogy.
"You know, this is a really sad night, I'm just gonna say it," Jones said. "This is a very sad night for the country. You can't polish this turd. I'm sorry, you cannot." "Technically, you can't polish any turd," Anderson Cooper cut in, getting a laugh. Jones chuckled too, but he was just getting started. "I'm going to be very clear about this: Al Gore respected the Constitution, respected the process, respected every voter, went to our Supreme Court, asked for a resolution on his own terms — as did George W. Bush — and when the election results were certified, he told his party and his base to stand down and accept this, even though a lot of us were very, very upset."
Donald Trump's actions are different, he added. "What you just got now was the nominee of a major party, for the first time in our history, signaling to the American people that he has so little faith in our institutions, he has so little faith in our people, he has so little faith in our courts, he has so little faith in the Republican governors, the Republican secretaries of state across this country that he will not stand in front of his own country, in front of his own nation and say that he respects the process and the outcome," Jones said. "That is an outrage, an appalling lack of patriotism." He went on to question Trump's patriotism over his praise of Vladimir Putin, and you can watch below. Peter Weber
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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