Van Jones gives Trump credit for attending WHCA dinner before blasting his speech as mean and small

CNN commentator Van Jones offered words of unlikely praise to President Trump during Trump’s attendance at the rescheduled White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) Dinner.During the network’s coverage of the event, anchor John Berman noted to viewers that the journalists’ awards would be handed out before Trump took to the podium to deliver his speech, a schedule change that was not in effect April 25 when the dinner was originally planned.“The president was going to speak first, then the awards.So, he could have left, in theory, if he wanted to,” Berman said before tossing to Jones.“This time, he’s going to have to sit through and watch awards being given to reporters who report on him, maybe in ways he doesn’t like.

One wonders how he might feel about that.”Jones replied by pointing out that Trump should receive recognition for remaining to watch journalists who often provide coverage that disagrees with his administration.“You really do have to give President Trump credit tonight,” Jones said.“I mean, we were saying he was going to basically do his thing and run away.“He’s not running away,” Jones added.

“He’s going to be there.And maybe someone will have the courage to speak up [against him].

Maybe they won’t.But he’s putting himself in harm’s way in that regard.”The dinner was rescheduled from its original April 25 date after a gunman stormed the security perimeter and fired a shot in an attempt to assassinate the president.After Trump’s remarks at the event, in which he poked fun at members of the press while candidly addressing his relationship with the media, Jones offered a harsh rebuke to the president’s comments.“I think the worst thing you can say is that it just wasn’t funny at all,” Jones said.

“It just wasn’t funny.It was mean and small.

But you can be mean and small and funny.This was mean and small and not funny.”Jones went on to criticize Trump’s topic choice at the annual g...