'That scares the crap out of people': CNN's Van Jones appalled by Trump floating pardons for Capitol rioters

On CNN Friday, analyst Van Jones argued that the political environment has shifted, and Democratic voters are becoming as energized as Republican voters.

One of the new catalysts, he suggested, is former President Donald Trump's indication he could pardon the perpetrators of the January 6 Capitol insurrection.

"You know the conventional wisdom — and know we should always take the conventional wisdom with a grain of salt — if we were talking six weeks ago, it looked like a red wave," said anchor Jim Sciutto. "More recently the generic ballot polling has narrowed between the parties, but we also have seen a handful of special elections which showed Democratic candidates outperforming from as recently as 2020. Where do you read Democrats' chances and Republicans' chances?"

"Coming into Labor Day weekend you start to see the beginnings of what could be a blue wave," said Jones. "I don't think people understand on the Democratic side, how upset and motivated Democrats are. There is a season of shame from the time that the Afghanistan exit was botched. And this whole year of getting nothing done, Democrats had our heads held down. Now, because Biden has been so successful on his legislative agenda and Republicans have been so scary in what they're talking about, taking away women's right to vote, right to choose, attacking the vote and Donald Trump basically saying, if you come to Washington, D.C., and beat people up on my behalf, I will give you a pardon, that scares the crap out of people. That's making people want to stand up and go vote."

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The upshot, Jones argued, is both parties now have a reason to turn out — and the idea of a Republican landslide is less likely.

"So now you have the economy on the one side, which I think motivates the Republicans, but you have the sense of Democracy under threat motivating Democrats. Biden was speaking for tens of millions of people yesterday, last night. I think you're going to see this clash now. It's not just going to be a red wave, there's blue wave fighting back."

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