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Van Jones Praises DeSantis’, Says He ‘Learned A Lot From Donald Trump’

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OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.


CNN commentator Van Jones, a former Obama administration official, had some stunning praise for Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

It happened on Wednesday during an appearance on CNN after Gov. DeSantis responded to word that Elon Musk said that he was thinking of him for president in 2024 by saying he was happy to have the support of the “African-American.”

“The most interesting rivalry is shaping up on the right when it comes to a potential 2024 race between former President Trump and current governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis. Ron DeSantis just had an interesting moment where billionaire Elon Musk talked about potentially supporting him for president, and this is how DeSantis responded,” host Brianna Keilar said before playing the video clip of the governor.

“That might have gone over the head of some people. But he was, is from South Africa,” she said.

“Yeah. People, again, people assume that everybody from Africa is Black. Elon Musk is a white South African who came to United States. So he’s, he’s kind of teasing. But what he’s really doing is keeping that story in the news cycle. This guy is very, very smart about keeping us talking about him, DeSantis. And when the richest guy in the world says something about you and then you say something funny, it keeps his name in the news cycle. This guy’s learned a lot from Donald Trump,” Van Jones said.

“It’s exactly what I thought when I saw that, right? There. Very interesting. Van Jones, great to have you here,” cohost John Berman said.

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DeSantis had a fantastic response to support he received from Elon Musk, who said he was leaning toward him for president in the next presidential election.

“I’m focused on 2022, but with Elon Musk, what I would say is, you know I welcome support from African-Americans,” the governor said at a press conference. “What can I say?”

Musk was born in South Africa, but the designation “African-American” tends to be reserved for those who are black.

The governor’s quip was met with furiousness from many Democrats and progressives.

“If said before that @GovRonDeSantis is a humorless, more openly fascist version of Trump. Here he is displaying the former quality in that for him, “humor” means mocking Black Americans with his own, idiotic and offensive version of replacement theory. Black Floridians take note,” MSNBC host Joy Reid said.

“Is there a joke somewhere in here? I don’t get it,” ABC Daytime talk show “The View” cohost and CNN contributor Ana Navarro said.

“And we thought we couldn’t do worse than Donald Trump. They are saying the ‘racist part out loud’ and laughing about it. No more white sheets—-it’s all out in the open now,” ABC contributor Yvette Simpson said.

“Elon Musk is not a leader. He’s just another Republican billionaire who supports white supremacy and authoritarianism because he doesn’t want his workers to unionize or to pay his fair share in taxes,” New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman said. “The GOP just tried to end democracy and now he’s supporting them.”

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“The billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX revealed his preferred candidate for the White House in 2024 on Wednesday when asked whom he was ‘leaning towards’ by a Silicon Valley Tesla owners club on Twitter,” The Washington Examiner reported.

“DeSantis,” Musk responded after noting that it was yet to be determined if he would cast a ballot for a GOP candidate in 2024.

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Musk’s support for DeSantis comes amid a tweeted claim that he cast a ballot for his first Republican political candidate — Rep.-elect Mayra Flores, who won the formerly deep-blue 34th Congressional District in South Texas Tuesday night, becoming the first GOP candidate to do so in 150 years.

In the same tweet, he also predicted huge GOP victories during the November midterms.

“I voted for Mayra Flores – first time I ever voted Republican. Massive red wave in 2022,” he said.

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