It was an emotional morning for CNN news commentator Van Jones.
On Saturday, Nov. 7, former Vice President Joe Biden was elected the 46th President of the United States. After receiving more votes than any Presidential candidate in history, due in part to a record in-person turnout on election day and mail-in voting due to the coronavirus pandemic, he defeated former reality show host and current President Donald Trump in a historic win that also saw the election of the first Black and South Asian American woman vice president, Kamala Harris.
In a conversation with Anderson Cooper over the long-awaited results on CNN, Van broke down in tears while discussing his reaction to the news, which comes days after the commencement of the election on Nov. 3.
“It’s easier to be a parent this morning. It’s easier to be a dad. It’s easier to tell your kids that character matters. It matters. Telling the truth matters. Being a good person matters,” Van said, getting choked up. “And it’s easier for a lot of people. If you’re a Muslim in this country, you don’t have to worry about if the President doesn’t want you here. If you’re an immigrant you don’t have to worry if the President is going to be happy to have babies snatched away, or send Dreamers back for no reason. This is vindication for a lot of people who have really suffered.”
Van also echoed the words of George Floyd, a Black man whose murder by a police officer in May sparked hundreds of protests around the United States and the world.