Van Jones on Biden’s ‘Dumb’ Vow to Kill Coal Plants: You Need Coal for Green Energy 

On Monday’s broadcast of “CNN This Morning,” CNN Political Commentator and former Obama administration official Van Jones reacted to President Joe Biden’s vow to shut down coal plants, which received strong pushback from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) by pointing out that coal from West Virginia is the kind of coal that you need to produce steel, and you need steel for things like solar panels, wind turbines, and electric cars and is the coal “you need for the green revolution.”

Jones stated that the comment is an “unforced error.” He continued, “I don’t know why Biden said that. And the thing that people aren’t thinking about is the kind of coal that comes out of West Virginia is metallurgical coal. In other words, it’s a coal that melts steel. What do you need steel for? The solar panel arrays. What do you need steel for? Wind turbines. What do you need steel for? Electric cars. So, Joe Manchin’s coal is coal you need for the green revolution. Say that and don’t say dumb stuff.”

He added, “I just hate when you do dumb stuff at the end, but I love this President. I love what he’s done that’s smart. And he has done smart stuff. We should brag on him for the smart stuff Biden has done.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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