THE JONES LAD - AT 10:44 A.M. ET:  At last report, Van Jones, the self-declared Communist on the president's payroll, still had his job.  The controversy over this "green jobs czar" is building, as Fox reports:

The White House brushed aside mounting questions about controversial green jobs czar Van Jones on Friday, even as congressional Republicans demanded Jones's resignation and some prominent Democrats urged the president to fire the outspoken aide if he has not resigned before next week's Joint Session of Congress.

Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana became the first lawmaker to call for the resignation of President Obama's "green jobs" adviser over new revelations about his past affiliations and statements.

Pence said Obama should get rid of Van Jones, 40, if the adviser is unwilling to resign.

"His extremist views and coarse rhetoric have no place in this administration or the public debate," Pence said in a written statement released Friday.

COMMENT:  The fact that Jones was hired in the first place, and survived the vetting process, is disgraceful enough.  He's just another version of Bill Ayers or the Rev. Wright.  The fact that he's still there is even more disgraceful.

If Jones is still on the payroll Tuesday, when Congress returns and gets ready for a presidential address before a joint session, Republicans should be in an uproar.  Make it a major issue.  Tie it to other, radical things this president has done.  This is not a "distraction."  It tells us what the real views of this crowd are. 

We still don't have anyone in place in charge of dispensing foreign aid because the Obama vetting process is so notoriously slow.  Even Hillary Clinton complained about that.  But Jones went right through.

September 5, 2009