Longtime CNN political commentator and Democrat, Van Jones, rebuked far-left activists Saturday, warning that their positions on Hamas, prisons and immigration are regressive and threatened to steer the Democratic Party in the wrong direction as socialist-backed candidates celebrated recent primary victories.
“Yes, we want our Democratic Party to be a big tent. But we don’t need ‘party poopers. So STOP pooping in the punch bowl — and telling us the turds are ice cubes,” Jones said on X, in reference to his Substack post.
Jones accused some Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) activists of promoting positions involving Hamas, policing, prisons and immigration that he considered outside the progressive movement.
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“But some people in groups like the DSA are pushing an agenda FAR outside those ideals. Supporting Hamas is not progressive. ‘No police, no prisons, no borders’ is not progressive. Celebrating the murder of Israeli civilians is not progressive. These ideas are REGRESSIVE,” Jones said.
Jones, a self-proclaimed progressive Democrat, outlined the policies he considered central to that political identity.
“I’m a strong Democrat, with a winning bipartisan track record. I’m rooted in progressive ideals and policies: criminal justice reform, Green New Deal, Medicare for All, free education, clean air and water. These are ideas I have fought for my entire adult life,” Jones said.
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The ex-administration advisor to former President Barack Obama also rejected the argument that the far-left was merely advocating the type of social democracy practiced in Nordic countries.
“Some defend the far left by claiming they only want Nordic-style social democracy. If that were true, I might applaud them,” Jones said. “I want those policies, too! But what does universal healthcare have to do with Hamas? With abolishing all law enforcement? With erasing all borders? With treating every wealthy person as a villain? Ideas matter. And these are terrible ideas.”
The DSA’s recently released Workers Deserve More program called for shifting police funding to public services as a step toward abolishing police and prisons. The program also advocated abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ending immigration detention and deportations, legalizing migration and granting amnesty to immigrants regardless of status.
The platform’s foreign policy section called for ending all U.S. military and economic assistance to Israel and establishing a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Jones’ criticism came after Democratic socialist Melat Kiros defeated 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado’s Democratic primary. In New York, DSA-backed candidates Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier won congressional primaries, while several candidates endorsed by the organization captured state legislative nominations.
Jones acknowledged the organization’s electoral momentum in an earlier Substack post.
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“The Democratic Socialists of America are winning elections — and sending waves of joy and terror through the Democratic Party. A little historical context might be useful,” Jones said.
Jones warned Saturday that mainstream Democrats frustrated with both Republicans and their own party’s establishment could overlook proposals he opposed.
“Right now, extremists are trying to sneak backwards proposals into our party, hoping mainstream Democrats are too frustrated with MAGA and the Democratic Party establishment to notice. But we see you,” Jones said.
