CNN Analyst Van Jones Calls GOP Midterm Losses 'Jonestown'

In a studio in New York, CNN political analyst Van Jones compared the Democratic midterm election victories to the 1978 Jonestown mass murder-suicide. He made the remarks on Tuesday night after the results were tallied, describing the Republican defeat as a repudiation of President Donald Trump.

Jones said he was happy with the outcome and called the event comparable to Christmas, a birthday, the Easter bunny, and Halloween combined. He stated that Americans had been hoping for a repudiation of Trumpism and had finally seen it. He noted that some leaders become entrenched in power and that voters were telling them to stop after twenty-four months.

Jones then explained that joining a cult often leads to Jonestown, where followers drink Kool-aid. He said this was the scenario for the Republican Party. He claimed that Republican candidates were failing across the country because they did not stand up to Trump when he was doing things that were wrong. He added that they were violating the law and running over the system, and they are now paying the price.

Jones repeated the phrase, saying it was Jonestown tonight for Republicans. He told them that if they join a cult, at some point they go to Jonestown, and that is where they are tonight. He emphasized that the party members drank the Kool-aid.

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper turned to Republican panelist Scott Jennings, who was seated next to Jones. Cooper joked that Jennings might want to check what was in his glass. Jennings replied that he was sitting right there and could hear everything being said. He noted that he had been present for the entire conversation.

Jennings acknowledged that Republicans were facing major election losses. He said he would not sugarcoat the situation and used the political science term for what was happening. He called it a country a whooping that was occurring across the board. He identified the most immediate issue as the cost of living and gas prices.

Jennings said there were many reasons for the results and that voters could read into various factors. He stated that while some might be jubilant about specific issues, the American people have here and now concerns. He concluded that this is the lesson to take away from the election.