'This was a whitelash against a changing country': CNN commentator gives sobering account of Donald Trump's win
The GOP nominee's raucous campaign has been considered by many as a vehicle to subjugate people of color, women, and immigrants as outsiders, and the notion that Trump's movement could ultimately be validated with a presidential victory prompted a sobering testimony from CNN commentator and former Obama Administration official Van Jones.
"There's another side to this. People have talked about a miracle. I'm hearing about a nightmare," he said.
Jones expressed concern about the example Trump's campaign, and the voters who cosigned it, would set for America:
"It's hard to be a parent tonight for a lot of us," Jones said Tuesday night. "You tell your kids, don't be a bully. You tell your kids don't be a bigot. You tell your kids do your homework. and be prepared. And then you have this outcome, and you have people putting children to bed tonight, and they're afraid of breakfast."
Speaking about Muslim friends and immigrant families who are worried over whether they should leave the country, Jones said they are "terrified" about what's next.
He acknowledged that even though the election was about more than just race - Trump spent years casting doubt on President Barack Obama's citizenship - the magnitude of Trump's victory is indicative of a hard truth:
"This was a whitelash against a changing country. It was a whitelash against a black president in part. And that's the part where the pain comes," Jones said.
Jones added that an important next step for Trump will be to "reassure people that he's going to be the president of all of those people he offended, and brushed aside. ... I know it's not just about race, there's more going on than that - but race is here, too, and we've got to talk about it."