Former Vice President Joe Biden repeatedly told Americans that once the South Carolina Primary rolled around, his campaign would breathe a new life. He did terrible in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. But he put all his eggs in the South Carolina basket and it proved to pay off when Biden won the state with 48 percent of the vote.
Pundits on both sides of the aisle had doubted his ability to stay in the race after the first three states. One of the people who was the most outspoken about Biden's strategy (or what appeared as a lack of a strategy) was CNN's Van Jones. He repeatedly said the former vice president was toast. He walked back those comments Saturday night after Biden came out victorious.
"Joe Biden stood with the first black president and black voters stood with Joe Biden," the commentator explained. "This is his night. He had a strong strategy a lot of us doubted. I doubted very, very loudly that he could have a firewall where African Americans would stand with him while everyone else ran away from him. He was correct."
According to Jones, Biden "was vindicated" once the final results from the primary showed he took first place in the Palmetto State.
"He proved that loyalty matters. Being there with a community for years and years matters," Jones said. "There are now two candidates who have proven they can put together multi-cultural coalitions. One is Bernie Sanders, with his reliance on the Latino vote and now you have Joe Biden with his reliance on the black vote. Those are the two that meet the threshold of being able to put together a multi-cultural coalition."
The CNN commentator admitted, yet again, that Saturday night's results vindicated the former vice president.
"His strategy was pummeled by everyone, including me. He was right, I was wrong," Jones admitted.
Now the question on all of our minds: will this momentum continue or will this be the only time he actually wins a primary?
This is @JoeBiden's night. He stood with the first Black President, and now Black voters are standing with him.
— Van Jones (@VanJones68) March 1, 2020
Biden had a strategy a lot of us doubted. I doubted it loudly, and I was wrong. He was vindicated tonight. #SouthCarolinaPrimary pic.twitter.com/AimJpNm6Ks