ANALYSIS
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Thank Beck, Internet for Van Jones Uproar
Strategy deflected attention from Jones' Beck boycott
By Drew Nelles
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Posted Sep 6, 09 2:37 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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The mainstream media entirely ignored the controversy over now-former Obama adviser Van Jones, who was slyly forced out by Glenn Beck and his online fans, Politico reports. Beck whipped up a fury over Jones—who once signed a 9/11 conspiracy petition—without mentioning that the green jobs czar was also leading an African-American boycott against the conservative talk show host. The clever plan diverted attention away from the boycott and put the onus on Jones himself.
To those who rely on traditional media, Jones’ resignation appeared to come out of nowhere, but the campaign against him flourished online; this morning, his name was the No. 1 topic on both Google and Twitter. Meanwhile, the successful ouster of Jones has inspired conservatives to take aim at other vulnerable White House advisers, like John Holdren, Cass Sunstein, and Mark Lloyd.