CNN commentator Van Jones questioned former Vice President Joe Biden’s ability to “go head-to-head” with President Donald Trump or anybody he’s currently facing in the Democratic presidential candidate field.
Speaking with “Anderson Cooper 360” guest host Jim Sciutto during a Friday night panel discussion, Jones referred to Biden’s inability during the first debates to effectively counter Sen. Kamala Harris’ emotionally charged references to Biden’s past comments about busing.
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“I think that case got dinged up a little bit when Kamala Harris went after him, and he really just wasn’t able to answer it on his feet in that moment,” said Jones. “I think he was very honest in saying he was prepared for some of that, but he wasn’t prepared for the more personal and emotional attack that she launched because, frankly, he knows her pretty well and she knows his family pretty well, and I thought that was one of the most telling things. He said ‘listen, I just didn’t expect that.'”
Referencing the former vice president’s interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo during which he compared Trump to a childhood bully he would “smack,” Jones said: “I think when people were watching, when I was watching that I said ‘This guy doesn’t look like, at least tonight, that he’s ready to go head to-head with Donald Trump or really with anybody.'” (RELATED: Support For Joe Biden Plummets 10 Points After Debate)
Jones said Biden would have to “prove himself” to be a “fighter.”
“He does have a history of fighting, but I think he lost some of that electability argument by performing so poorly against Kamala Harris,” Jones concluded.