In a highly emotional response to Vice President Kamala Harris's loss to President-elect Donald Trump, CNN commentator Van Jones delivered a heartfelt—and highly dramatic—monologue on election night, attributing Harris’s defeat to deeply rooted issues of sexism and racism in America.
As election workers in battleground states finalized their results, Jones’s commentary took a somber tone, resonating with many who shared his perspective.
Jones, known for his impassioned commentary, expressed empathy for groups he believed would feel the brunt of Harris’s loss. He highlighted the feelings of African American women, implying they had placed high hopes on Harris as a pathbreaker who might symbolize empowerment for them. Jones described Harris’s loss as a collective heartbreak, where dreams of representation and acceptance in America were shattered.
He spoke directly to the emotional stakes, lamenting how these women—often familiar with the experience of being marginalized—would have to confront yet another disappointment in their struggle for equality and dignity.
"Tonight, they’re trading in a lot of hope for a lot of hurt,” he said, attempting to capture the emotional reality he believed these women would face the following morning.
But Jones didn't stop there. Expanding his remarks, he spoke about others he felt might be negatively impacted by the election outcome.
He pointed to families with transgender children, undocumented workers, and vulnerable immigrant communities, painting a vivid picture of communities he felt had been let down. By his account, these individuals would face the day after the election with intensified fear and uncertainty.
Jones concluded with a somber appeal, urging viewers to consider the emotional toll of the election on those who he believed were already vulnerable. This dramatic monologue seemed crafted to resonate with CNN’s audience, using vivid language to stir empathy and reflection about the wider impacts of the election beyond the political sphere.