HURRICANE IDALIA: MAKE OR BREAK FOR DESANTIS
How the Public Perceives his Response Will Either Give his Sagging Campaign New Life Or Euthanize it.
Image Courtesy Tampa Bay Times
The next few days are make or break for the struggling Presidential campaign of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. He went into the debate perceived by most Americans as an angry Trump wannabe who couldn’t shoot straight, and by Trump supporters as someone who gave White Christian Nationalism a bad name. DeSantis’ obsessions with bathroom usage, Disney and Bud Light struck even many in MAGA World as over-the-top and deranged. His poll numbers have sunk into Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie territory, and his last publicized appearance was being booed by justifiably angry African-Americans in Jacksonville, directing their fury at the man most responsible for the rise of armed racist violence in this state.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addresses his state on its readiness for Hurricane Idalia. Courtesy Tampa Bay Times
A Well-Received Response to Hurricane Idalia Could Restore DeSantis to Undisputed #2
Today the Governor announced the state’s readiness for Idalia, and while his demeanor leaves much to be desired, the words were reassuring. If the state is able to give adequate evacuation notice, provide for those displaced, restore power, coordinate with the federal government to maximize resources, and hopefully present more uplifting messages than usual, DeSantis is going to see a noticeable rise in his poll numbers. He may still trail Trump by a large margin, but he will own second place once again.
Second place in the GOP race may not be too bad a place. My decades of criminal law experience and my observations of the judges in DC and Atlanta cause to me conclude that by late Spring, Trump will be a convicted felon either in prison or on his way. (Or maybe a deal to avoid prison, including never seeking any office.)
But the Governor Cannot Afford Any Mistakes or Mishaps, Not a Single One!
All it would take is one credible report of a locale that was not given proper notice to evacuate, resulting in loss of life, and DeSantis will go the way of Miami Mayor Francisco Suarez, who just today gave up the ghost on his quixotic campaign. (He didn’t even qualify for the first debate.)
There is still some debate whether residents of Lee County were afforded adequate notice to evacuate last year before Ian hit them like a jackhammer on steroids. The talk occurred after the election, so we really cannot gauge its impact. If something like that happened now, we’d see it play out in real time on the campaign trail.
Another problem could be unreasonable delays in the state getting relief to people. DeSantis may try to blame the feds, but at the end of the day, he is the one people see as in charge and he rises or falls on Idalia.
Let’s Not Forget DeSantis Won People Over With the Hurricane Ian Response Last Year
Note: I’m a very active Democrat, and head a local caucus, sit on the state caucus board, and make no claims of being impartial. I consider DeSantis to be a racist, an antisemite, and a fascist. His refusal to condemn Nazis, his destruction of Black congressional districts, his reference to “financed prosecutors,” his constant attacks on Jewish and Black prosecutors, his blaming immigrants for spreading COVID, his illegal attempts at censorship and thought control, all of these are factors in my evaluation of this most horrible human being.
So from my perspective, I expect a governor to be able to do the job they sought, and no matter how well he performs, I’d never vote for him or any other Republican for any office! (Well, under certain cirumctances, I might vote for Liz Cheney or Adam Kinzinger. )
The facts are the facts, whichever way they go. We can have strong opinions and still be objective and accurate.
We can debate whether it was justified, but there’s no doubt that Governor DeSantis won massive kudos and praise for the response to Hurricane Ian a year ago. This undoubtedly played role in his 19 point victory over the hapless Democratic candidate, former Republican Charlie Crist, who became a Democratic Congressman and then went on to lose the governorship once again. (He lost to Rick Scott in 2014 when he tried the first time to regain his old office as a Democrat.)
We are shortly going to find out if the battering and pounding DeSantis has been taking from all sides will impact his already fragile ego even more, or cause this exceptionally withdrawn and distant persona to become even more disconnected from other human beings. If he does a good job with Hurricane Idalia and looks like a normal person, he is going to breathe new life into his campaign.
DeSantis Could Be the Only GOP Candidate with Recent Success On Their Resume
If Ron DeSantis comes through Hurricane Idalia looking like a leader, he’ll be unique among the current crop of contenders, none of who would have recent experience to match.
Since Trump was thrown out by the voters almost three years ago, he’s spent all his time defending criminal and civil cases, plotting revenge, and grifting tens of millions from his moronic cult followers.
Chris Christie has been out of office since 2017 and has spent most of the time since explaining why he really wasn’t a Trumpie even when we all know he was.
Nikki Haley could have run as a moderate, compromising pragmatist, a CPA, someone who understands diplomacy and foreign affairs, a former governor, a woman, and a minority. That all went out the window when she raised her hand to say she would support Trump even if he were a convicted felon.
Vivek Ramaswamy is between a nerd hopped up on speed and a raving lunatic. Nothing he says makes sense, and none of his alleged facts are true. He’s either a pathological liar or delusional. He thinks climate change is a hoax, Trump won the election, 9/11 was an inside job. Get the net!
Mike Pence did the right thing on January 6, 2021, and while it was indeed his Constitutional duty, and we expected it from him, he stood his ground all the way through, even when the fascist mob screamed “Hang Mike Pence.” For that, let’s agree he is entitled to be called a genuine American hero
It’s his ideas and his past cowardice that preclude him from ever being President.
Pence was a far right wing backbencher, best known for his staunch opposition to women’s’ rights, LBGTQ+ rights, and his support for a balanced budget. It was generally agreed by people on both sides that brains were not his long suit. He went on to be a spectacularly unsuccessful governor of his home state of Indiana, and accepted Trump’s offer to join he ticket. The thinking was that whether Trump won or lost, Pence would eventually run for President.
No one bothered to reflect on the fact that he lacks leadership skills and is too extreme in every view to preside over this nation. (Not to mention even Republicans called his performance as governor incompetent. He almost cost the state the Indianapolis 500 due to his anti-LBGTQ+ obsessions.)
That was before his old followers wanted to hang him. Now he is essentially a man without a party. Most Republicans disagree with his assessment that Trump lost the election and there was nothing the Vice President could do to change that fact. Since today’s GOP cultists don’t care a whit about any of that stuff, Pence is wasting his time seeking the nomination.
Forget About Burgum, Hutchinson and Scott. Most Viewers Probably Don’t Remember They Were Even On Stage.
What can we say? I’m sure all three are nice enough fellows, and certainly not criminals or racists. They seem sane, though Scott’s insistence that there’s no systemic racism anywhere in America is either a disingenuous dodge by a politician caught between a rock and hard place, or is just sheer delusion.
But as DeSantis is learning, it’s almost impossible to compensate for a charisma deficiency.
Someone Ought to Tell the Deluded Among the Eight That None of Them Will Get the VP Nod Either
The Republican Party has thus far refused to openly recognize and discuss the distinct and clear probability of Trump being incarcerated or otherwise out the game by late Spring, and this is reflected in the poor quality of the challengers, if we can even call them such. (Vivek Ramaswamy and Tim Scott have called Trump the best President in their lifetimes, and Mike Pence and Nikki Haley brag about ho much they accomplished working in his great administration? Why are they bothering to run against him, especially if they’ll support him even if convicted?)
They may be dreaming of a Vice Presidential nomination. Trump’s not picking anyone from a jail cell.
The only ones among the eight to break with Trump, call him what he is and declare him unfit for office are Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson, and neither has the slightest chance of being nominated for President or Vice President.
Happy to Report that I’m Safe in a Flood-Free Area of Tampa, is a relatively New House With Every Desired Hurricane Resistance Built In.
But not everyone in Florida is as fortunate, so let’s do more than just pray for anyone who is adversely impacted; let’s make sure our state and federal governments work together-as they did last year-to ease the pain and burden on our fellow Floridians.
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