No, I’m not Ernie Pyle, reporting from the front in a fox hole. From the comfort of my den, the front I want to report and comment on has yet to reach fever pitch. I’m referring to the political front, the battle to see who the candidates for president will be in 2024.
The imaginary front line runs between Mar-a-Lago and Tallahassee in Florida where a declared candidate, former President Trump, is attempting to provoke Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis into announcing his candidacy.
DeSantis has made appearances in a number of states, including Iowa, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and most recently, Washington DC.
The blog, Red State, mocked the leftist Politico for seemingly writing off DeSantis because he didn’t have a banner day in the nation’s capital, while reminding readers that Politico is a news outlet “for D.C., by D.C.” focused on gossip.
“The left is absolutely terrified of him (DeSantis),” wrote Joe Cunningham in Red State. “They worry that he’s a smarter, more effective Trump.”
Though DeSantis has yet to enter the race, the Trump-aligned super PAC Make America Great Again Inc., fired the first salvos with a $2 million production and TV time purchase.
The first salvo targeted DeSantis’ voting record on Social Security, Medicare and the retirement during his 2013-2018 tenure as Florida’s 6th Congressional District representative. At least one fact-checker claimed it contained half-truths.
Another commercial is based on hearsay that DeSantis was seen on a private plane eating a cup of chocolate pudding with his fingers. In this silly ad, viewers only see the fingers in the cup, then raised to an unidentified mouth, the narration says, “Ron DeSantis loves to stick his fingers where they don’t belong … his dirty fingers all over senior entitlements.”
While you should be aware that the super PAC cannot legally coordinate outside spending with the Trump campaign, its largest donor is Trump’s leadership PAC, Save America, which transferred $60 million between October 3 and November 3, 2023 in accordance with FEC rules.
Until the anti-DeSantis commercials hit the airwaves, there was former President Trump’s November 2022 threat, suggesting that if DeSantis did run, “I could tell you things about him that won’t be very flattering. I know more about him than anybody, other than perhaps his wife, who’s really running his campaign.”
Nicknaming DeSantis “Ron DeSanctimonious” suggests that the former president has not changed his boorish campaign behavior, something that has soured a number of his 2020 supporters.
Although DeSantis has yet to announce his candidacy, the super PAC Never Back Down is spending $1 million of its recent fundraising of $30 million on a commercial soon to appear nationally.
“Across the country men and women willing to fight. Standing up for our children, their education, and a better future,” it states, “pushing back against the woke left and unleashing a next generation economy,” cleverly relating to DeSantis stands in Florida. Fighting for freedom and the words, never back down, are used in the commercial.
In the DeSantis video, entitled “Waco Crickets,” the loud, boisterous crowd at the Trump rally, turned mostly quiet when Trump repeatedly attacks DeSantis.
A recent Wall Street Journal poll of 1,500 registered voters shows Trump’s support rising while DeSantis is struggling. DeSantis’ 14-point advantage in December fell to a 13-point deficit in the poll, that now shows him trailing Trump 51 to 38 percent. As governor, however, DeSantis has a 59 percent approval rating.
It’s early, but In the poll, Trump clearly fares better than DeSantis as a “strong leader,” “stands up for what he believes,” “has an impressive record,” and “cares about people like me.”
DeSantis leads in “has best chance of beating Biden,” and “has the right temperament.”
Much is being made of the Trump’s gaining endorsements from seven of Florida’s GOP congressmen. Eight others have yet to endorse.
It is interesting to note the politicos who have left Trump for DeSantis. Ken Cuccinelli, who served as acting homeland security director in the last two years of the Trump administration, chairs the PAC Never Back Down.
Erin Perrine and Matt Wolking, two members of Trump’s 2020 campaign, now work in the Never Back Down PAC. In addition, Jeff Roe and Chris Wilson, both veteran GOP pollsters, who worked on campaigns of Sen. Ted Cruz have joined the Never Back Down organization.
The small group of others who have announced a run at the presidency, most recently talk show host Larry Elder, who lost his challenge against Governor Newsom in California, have yet to gain double-digit poll rankings.
An Offer to Trump
When the staff at Never Back Down, noted how enthralled Trump was of California’s Democrat Governor Newsom during his Tucker Carlson interview saying, Newson was “always nice to me, said the greatest things,” they offered to help him locate to California.
It was a clever response to Trump’s disparaging remarks about Florida under DeSantis, saying “Florida has become among the worst states.”
Why is it that Trump feels the need to make foolish disparaging remarks. I guess that’s why people say he doesn’t act presidential.
Finally, a Bit of Humor
As a subscriber to Matt Taibbi’s Racket News online, I enjoy reading the transcriptions of his periodic conversations with novelist Walter Kirn.
“Has there ever been less certainty about who the candidates will be in an American presidential election?” Taibbi began.
“Well, you’re usually not this uncertain about the incumbent,” Kirn responded, reminding Taibbi about Lyndon Johnson’s declaration that he would not run again.
They bantered back and forth about Biden saying he’ll “participate” in the election. Will he participate as a candidate is the question?
The conversation turned to Taibbi telling Kirn, “you should run.” “What party would I run for?” he asked, suggesting problems with both parties, while noting he would have difficulty winning his own county in Montana.
“I don’t know,” Taibbi said, “If you run on the “Whatever” ticket, you’d be fine.”
May God continue to bless the United States of America
