CNN commentator Van Jones seemingly suggested Wednesday that Republicans have a “cheaper patriotism” while Democrats have a “deeper” and more “muscular” devotion to their country.
“I feel like there’s a distinction between what I would call a cheaper patriotism and a deeper patriotism. This is a deeper patriotism here, it‘s not just the rah-rah stuff,” Jones said on CNN reacting to night three of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
“They are asserting that the value of freedom is not just the freedom to not pay your taxes or the freedom to say get off my lawn, it‘s the freedom to live a full life,” he continued, “and to be able to live a full life, we need each other, we need smart government.”
“I haven‘t seen so many ‘USA, USA’ [chants]…there is a muscular patriotism associated with Kamala Harris. There’s a musculature to what she’s saying. She wants to fight, she’s not afraid. She wants to fight for this. [She says] ;I believe in this country, I believe in this particular vision of freedom and I am going to fight for it.’ And I think that’s a very interesting new combination that I haven’t seen before.”
Jones sang a different tune Wednesday than he did a month ago at the Republican National Convention, where he described feeling a palpable “spirit” and unique enthusiasm in the room that was reminiscent of former President Obama’s first nomination in 2008.
“The last time I was at a convention that felt like this was Obama 2008. There’s something happening,” he said at the time.
On Wednesday, the CNN commentator praised the energy at the DNC, crediting Democrats for putting the “party back in the Democrat Party” by highlighting a younger generation of leaders and supporters at the convention.
“They have a very different feel because the new generation is taking the scene,” he said.
He also appeared to get emotional on air Tuesday night reacting to former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama’s speeches, calling them a “masterful act of leadership.”
“It was a sacred task. They took it on well. I didn‘t realize I had been in a spiritual desert until they created that oasis on that stage. I didn’t know how much I missed them,” he said at the time. “I missed that.”
“Biden transferred the machinery of the party to Kamala Harris,” Jones continued. “The Obamas renewed the magic of the movement. That’s what they were transferring. They did it beautifully. They did it powerfully. Obama used nostalgia in a beautiful way.”
