Former White House adviser Van Jones lands new D.C. gig at liberal think tank

[Blue_Tires]

Van Jones, the environmental justice advocate who relinquished his post as a White House adviser five months ago after coming under fire from conservative activists, is reemerging on the public policy stage to push for green jobs.

In his first interview since stepping down as President Obama's environmental adviser on Sept. 5, Jones said that a green jobs policy represents the best chance of both aiding poor Americans and bridging the political divide.

"When the food fight is over, there's one spot of clean common ground in American politics, and that is the need for us to be leading on energy, clean energy, and for us as a country to be more secure with all those jobs," Jones said Tuesday.

Jones, who has been consulting for companies and nonprofits on environmental issues, will start teaching at Princeton University in June and is rejoining the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, next month. On Friday, he will receive the NAACP's President's Award, for achievement in public service, the organization announced Tuesday.

His job at the White House Council on Environmental Quality sparked an uproar last fall when conservative talk-show host Glenn Beck publicized some of Jones's earlier comments and actions.

Beck attacked Jones for signing a petition in 2004 from the group 911Truth.org that questioned whether officials in President George W. Bush's administration "may indeed have deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen, perhaps as a pretext for war," and for using a crude term to describe Republicans in a speech he gave before joining the administration, both of which Jones apologized for before resigning his post.

"I don't have any bitterness or anger about the situation," Jones said. "The good thing about being an American is you're free to think whatever you want, and you're also free to change your mind. That's my story. . . . God willing, I've got 10 or 20 years, 30 years, three decades more work to do. And it's my hope and belief that people will judge me based on that work."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/23/AR2010022304889.html

good to see a happy ending here...he got a raw fuckin' deal....

[Cha]

1. I love this guy..such grace under fire..

Thank you for the update, Blue Tires~

He is an inspiring man who brings innovation and brilliance to wherever he is.

"Jones, who has been consulting for companies and nonprofits on environmental issues, will start teaching at Princeton University in June and is rejoining the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, next month. On Friday, he will receive the NAACP's President's Award, for achievement in public service, the organization announced Tuesday."

[FrenchieCat]

2. Yeah!

:applause:

Love the guy. Comes from my neck of the woods, and never trashed talked this President, ever.

[Cha]

3. He's the

anti-Tavis.

[FrenchieCat]

4. There you go! Exactly well put!

[Number23]

5. Fantastic. Even though I was still amazed that he let that fool Glenn Beck

take his job away from him.

[Brewman_Jax]

6. Glad to hear

he should never have been left out like that to begin with, much less have to answer for lies by the RW squawk-show hosts.

[SemperEadem]

7. I saw him today on Tavis Smiley's show

what a loss to our country that he was forced to resign and the White House didn't stand firm behind him.

Today, it seems that Desiree Rodgers is resigning also. I'm sure the Saudi-majority pwned fux noise is going to be doing their celebratory dances on their shows tonight.

[Number23]

8. "it seems that Desiree Rodgers is resigning also"

What??! Why???!

[Kind of Blue]

9. As mom would say, "Sometimes your enemies

do you a favor," that in really trying to destroy you is the very act necessary to make you stronger for better opportunities. I think Jones will make a big difference in environmental causes and job creation.

Also, "He will have a one-year joint appointment as a distinguished visiting fellow at Princeton University's Center for African American Studies and Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, where he will teach a seminar on environmental and economic policy."

Priceless.