Politics

Van Jones: Democratic Party Has ‘A Problem’ [VIDEO]

Steve Guest Media Reporter
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Democratic strategist Van Jones says the Democratic Party has “a problem” because “this is the whitest field that we have seen since 1992.

Jones, appearing on CNN’s “The Lead” Monday, explained to Jake Tapper that Bernie Sanders could get a boost from Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison. “You know, it might make a difference. Keith Ellison is incredibly well respected, African-American, one of the few Muslims in Congress and he is very outspoken. He’s a leading indicator, a lot of people will take Sanders more seriously because of Keith.”

Jones insisted, “But I think this whole party has a problem. This is the whitest field that we have seen since 1992. There’s no Sharpton, there’s no [inaudible] no non-white people there. And this is a party that has to get not 60 percent, not 70 percent, not 90 percent but 94 percent of the black vote to win. This is a big problem for the whole party.”

Jones said, “The Clintons get the black vote by default, but nobody has made a case yet that they can do better. If Biden gets in he might be able to make that case. But Bernie Sanders has so much room to grow with the black vote he should take the opportunity tomorrow to make his case why a white guy from Vermont should get the support of a party with that much black participation.”

The all white Democratic field sits today as Hillary Clinton, Lincoln Chafee, Lawrence Lessig, Martin O’Malley, Bernie Sanders, and Jim Webb.

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