Free Republic
Browse · Search
Smoky Backroom
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Van Jones Predicts ‘Horrendous Abuse of Power’ Under Trump
The Wrap ^ | January 15, 2017 | Sharon Waxman

Posted on 01/16/2017 7:24:18 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Less than a week before the inauguration, political commentator Van Jones predicted “a horrendous abuse of power” once Donald Trump takes office as president of the United states.

The CNN commentator spoke on Sunday night at the home of Netflix chief Ted Sarandos about the documentary “13th,” on a panel with filmmaker Ava DuVernay and media mogul Oprah Winfrey.

The film explores the abuses and racial inequities of the prison system, with the title referring to the 13th amendment abolishing slavery.

Asked by Winfrey what he expected of the new administration, Jones said, “I think mostly bad things. Both parties have a challenge. I think the president will prove to be authoritarian… You will see a horrendous abuse of power by this government. I think it’s good to hope for the best but we need to expect and prepare for the very worst.”

He added: “I think Trump is much worse than people understand… I think we’re on the verge of a kleptocracy.”

Jones has emerged as one of the leading voices calling out Trump’s contradictions and conflicts in the post-election media landscape. His comments on election night that the result was a “white-lash” caused a sensation.

The conversation among the three panelists took place before a private audience of several hundred influential Hollywood insiders, including producers, writers, actors and executives — from musician Quincy Jones to actress Frances Fisher to producer Sean Daniels.

The evening aimed to raise the documentary’s profile on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, ahead of the coming Academy Award nominations. Many in the room were Oscar voters.

But the conversation turned mainly around the coming Trump administration, and how people who oppose him should respond. While Jones argued that it was important for the Democratic Party to understand and embrace the disaffected Trump voters suffering from economic stagnation and job loss, DuVernay said she was deeply pained by the idea that so many had voted for a candidate she considers racist, violent and homophobic.

“I don’t have a lot of empathy for someone who can raise their hand for violence,” she said. Trying to “understand” Trump voters is a distraction from her focus on her work, she said.

“The distraction of trying to educate and love this side is what will diminish me,” she said. “How am I going to stay centered ? What will I do? I need to stay focused on my goals. What I’m going to try to do to get through these four years is to get enlarged, and to do that will take all my focus.”

Winfrey mainly asked questions, but the tenor of the conversation made clear yet again that the Hollywood community is dreading the arrival of Donald Trump to the presidency. If Jones is correct, they have ample reason.


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: blacks; boogedyboogedy; oprah; trump; trumptransition; vanjones
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-68 last
To: 2ndDivisionVet

Ie dont govern us the way we have governed you.


61 posted on 01/16/2017 9:50:18 AM PST by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Van, the turd, Jones.


62 posted on 01/16/2017 9:57:49 AM PST by faucetman (Just the facts, ma'am, Just the facts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet; All

Do these morons ever look in the mirror or at the guy they work for when making these statements?


63 posted on 01/16/2017 11:13:56 AM PST by Cobra64 (Common sense isn't common any more.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
horrendous abuse of power

The Left would like to strip DT of all of his power.

64 posted on 01/16/2017 11:18:06 AM PST by windsorknot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tet68

“”What I’m going to try to do to get through these four years is to get enlarged, and to do that will take all my focus.””

I would say she’s spent her entire life so far on that endeavor. Where on earth do people get this exaggerated sense of themselves? She’s worried about us? Give me a break.

I hope Oprah doesn’t decide to “get enlarged” also... Diet commercials notwithstanding, she still doesn’t make it.!

What kind of home does this individual have that hundreds of people can get together there just to pat each other on the back and run down a president elect and the voters who will put him in the WH? They all need to see that video over and over of the REALLY IMPORTANT PEOPLE who said he’s never going to win the presidency!

That’s the difference between THEM and US! We know ourselves without trying to be someone else or to convince someone else we’re somebody! We don’t need to ENLARGE ourselves - whatever the heck that means! Don’t waste your time feeling sorry for us, you imbecile!

I think a big part of their problem is the man going into the WH also knows who he is and will not spend a moment trying to prove he’s someone he’s not! He has a record and doesn’t need an adoring crowd around him to boost him up!


65 posted on 01/16/2017 1:46:47 PM PST by Thank You Rush
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: JBW1949

Rip Van Jones awakes from an 8 year nap.....


LOLOL!! Too funneh :-)


66 posted on 01/16/2017 1:50:22 PM PST by Jane Long (Praise God, from whom ALL blessings f)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Fear mongering or scaremongering is the deliberate use
of fear based tactics including exaggeration and usually repetition
to influence the public in order to achieve a desired outcome.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_mongering


67 posted on 01/16/2017 3:33:43 PM PST by kanawa (The 1st job of a 'community organizer' is to disorganize the community)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

To these people Trump sneezing will render them frantic and very loud about the abuse of power thus demonstrated.


68 posted on 01/17/2017 2:39:15 AM PST by arthurus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-68 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Smoky Backroom
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson