"... and 'Ron DeSanctimonious' is certainly an improvement on recent head-scratchers like Letitia 'Peekaboo' James, Mitch 'Broken Old Crow' McConnell, and Elaine 'Coco' Chao. But 'DeSanctimonious' feels a little too workshopped … possibly because it was literally workshopped. The New York Times reports: 'Mr. Trump has been privately testing derisive nicknames for Mr. DeSantis with his friends and advisers....' Trump settled on the new nickname on Friday, according to the Times, after DeSantis’s wife tweeted a laughably over-the-top video that suggests the governor was literally sent by God to bullyteens, harass migrants, and protect children from life-saving vaccines.... ... [S]anctimony generally isn’t the top term that springs to mind when one thinks of DeSantis (that’s more Pence’s vibe). Plus the moniker doesn’t feel authentically Trump; when he tweeted an attack on 'Sanctimonious James Comey' back in March 2018, it set off a Twitter debate over whether the then-president actually came up with the SAT-word insult himself."
One thing Trump did was cause most people to talk about Trump. Here was this very creative, well-produced ad, released on the eve of the election and Trump diverted the attention from DeSantis to himself. And with just one word — "sanctimonious."
And the ad isn't sanctimonious. It's playful and funny (and serious at the same time). It's a spoof of something you either know or don't know:
I suspect the DeSantis people thought this ad would freak some people out — What's the matter, isn't God a regular part of your life? — and would amaze, entertain, and inspire others. This is the best political ad ever, some fans might think.
But Trump just had to go and step on it. The 2022 elections must be about him. And the 2024 election season has already begun. It had to begin even before the polls could close in 2022. Because: Trump.
I did not make the connection to Paul Harvey when I first saw the ad, and I regarded it as inexplicably over the top and nearly Obama-like in its reverence and, well, sanctimony for its subject, Gov. DeSantis.
I do now remember the Paul Harvey farmer thing, and I hope the DeSantis people make it publicly clear that it's at least a half-parody of the earlier piece. It is very off-putting otherwise.
I wonder how many people today remember how influential Paul Harvey was, at least to middle-America. Nixon knew he was cooked when he lost Paul Harvey.
One of the reasons that Twitter worked so well for Trump is that he could throw out these lines and, if they failed, drop them and move on. What worked got expanded upon, what didn't was yesterday's news and soon forgotten. "Ron DeSanctimonious" will be forgotten in a day or two, and no one will care about it eighteen months from now during primary season.
I think the press eats up Sanctimonious more than regular people. The crowd certainly didn't react. I don't care and I'd rather have DeSantis as president than Trump.
Trump will continue to have a great many admirers and few friends or allies. It's why, if he becomes president again, he will have a great deal of difficulty putting together a solid, trusted cabinet.
Yes, I thought it was a lame nickname and that Trump didn't do himself any service saying it, but I don't see how she can take any pride in drawing a paycheck for such obvious observations.
What “life saving vaccines for children” is Desantis against in the NYT’s misinformative formulation? The data is overwhelming. Children were never at risk for COVID but are at huge risk of heart trouble and other side effects from our fascist government pushing these novel mRNA vaccines on kids. Is this what the Times is twisting around to attempt to dunk on Desantis? What crap propaganda.
I know we'll be getting into this, but Trump, being Trump, just cannot let this midterm play out without being a large part of it. And frankly, if the Republicans do come in with a giant wave of wins, a lot of it will be because of Trump's power.
But I'm not ready for another 4-5 years of listening to him or watching him. I do believe we can get a lot of things done without going Trump. DeSantis is extremely productive and in ways that many don't even see coming. Trump will find him to be a very tough competitor. He's not Marco or Jeb. He's pretty brilliant. Not nearly as showy as Trump, not nearly as dynamic a speaker (but then...who is?). But he's a doer, productive, a fighter, very smart, and very focused. He'll get things done and will appeal to a lot of people. I don't know if he'll draw the votes Trump did. Hell...no incumbent ever has drawn what Trump did last election. But I do believe DeSantis would whip any Democrat they put up there. And DeSantis would draw more independents this time around. I'm utterly convinced of that.
And in the end, Trump is about Trump. Yes...every politician is about themselves, but no one reaches the heights of it like Trump does. On the other hand, I cannot see any other candidate in the country who could get people lining up 4 days in advance to be up front for one of his rallies. For better or worse, we'll never see the likes of Trump again.
My choice would be DeSantis. Hell...I would have strongly considered Tom Cotton, but he's not running. However if Trump is put up as the candidate, I'd vote for him again.
PS- one other thing. I had not seen that DeSantis 'God made a fighter' ad before. I just watched it, after I had already posted a comment. It reminds me of what I've seen of DeSantis since he's been in office. His team is slick, smart, solid. They are very good- all around. And in a national campaign, they would be formidable.
I don’t get “playful and funny” from the DeSantis ad. And if they’re banking on people remembering the God Made a Farmer ad (great ad IMO, but almost 10 years old), yeah, no. I remember it but I used to work in advertising. People who create ads are, in my experience, more impressed with the advertising oeuvre, unreasonably confident of its memorability, than the rest of the world. To most people seeing it, who won’t know anything about God Made a Farmer, it won’t come off as playful fun, more, what’s the word, sanctimonious.
I don’t get “playful and funny” from the DeSantis ad. And if they’re banking on people remembering the God Made a Farmer ad (great ad IMO, but almost 10 years old), yeah, no. I remember it but I used to work in advertising. People who create ads are, in my experience, more impressed with the advertising oeuvre, unreasonably confident of its memorability, than the rest of the world. To most people, who won’t know anything about God Made a Farmer, it won’t seem like playful fun; more, what’s the word, sanctimonious.
Trump will lose in 2024. The left are genuinely terrified of DeSantis. Trump's immature name-calling is a gift to the left. Trump is on the team who screwed him over.
A good nickname should have a kernel of truth to it. That's why DeSanctimonious fails. He doesn't seem steeped in sanctimony to me. (Disclaimer: I don't live in FL, and don't pay attention).
btw - WAtch as the left ditch their lawsuits and assaults on Trump - and begin to treat him like they did before the 2016 election. The left want Trump in 2024 - they know the recipe.
I was thrilled when Trump beat Hillary. But I'd be thrilled if a dead toad beat Hillary.
"...and Trump diverted the attention from DeSantis to himself."
But not in a good way. I hope Trump drops out. His time is past. He offers nothing but revenge and dishonor for himself going forward. I can appreciate his past service while being entirely sick of him.
And never forget that he lost the House of Representatives in 2018, he lost the presidency in 2020, and he lost the Senate in 2021. Ultimately, he is a loser.
1) why even read this nonsense. Per the MSM: EVERYTHING TRUMP DOES IS WRONG. That's what the MSM has been reporting about Trump 24/7/365 for 7 years now. Trump's ALWAYS WRONG, IMMORAL, or LYING.
We don't have a press, we have American Pravda instead of pushing the USSR communist party line, it pushes the DNC party line.
2) Desanticimonous is a good nickname. And God, the same republican/moderate clowns who attacked Trump in 2016, sat on their hands and were OK with Hillary winnning, and then carped at Trump for 4 years, and went hysterical on Jan 6th are doing what now?
Oh, attacking and carping and whining about Trump. Just Shut up Never trumpers losers! Go Join the D's. Or just admit you love losing. Because attacking Trump helps the Left and D's. oh, trump gave DeSantis a nickname. Boo hoo.
God makes us all and God gives us our leaders, good and bad (Romans 13:1), but God does not make all of our leaders willing or able to fight for our best interests. That is the point of the ad.
The godless might find it offensive. But then they find so much offensive, even the inoffensive.
Trump set an important standard by calling out the Dems and their media pimps. The latter are worth a good twenty points or more in elections with their biased coverage.
There are more appealing candidates ready to pick up the mantel. DeSantis, Vance and Kari Lake among them. It would be a blessing if Trump stepped aside, although it is not certain that any of the others can afford the attorneys' fees to defend against corrupt Democrat lawfare.
btw - WAtch as the left ditch their lawsuits and assaults on Trump - and begin to treat him like they did before the 2016 election. The left want Trump in 2024 - they know the recipe.
I was thrilled when Trump beat Hillary. But I'd be thrilled if a dead toad beat Hillary.
These people just cannot see themselves.
All of the big corporate money is supporting Desantis.
The entire GOPe is supporting Desantis. The immigration amnesty endless wars free trade with China wing of the GOPe is giving Ron Desantis more money than any governor has raised in history.
Bush, McCarthy, McConnell, O'Dea. The GOPe failure crew is supporting Desantis.
Meanwhile Trump has been in many states giving rallies for dozens of candidates tirelessly working for the Republican voters.
And McConnell pulled money from many of these candidates and is paying for ads attacking them.
A good nickname should have a kernel of truth to it. That's why DeSanctimonious fails. He doesn't seem steeped in sanctimony to me. (Disclaimer: I don't live in FL, and don't pay attention).
Desantis just ran an ad where he claimed god put him on earth on the 8th day.
I think the ad was over the top. But, for sure, it would have been MSNBC guest bait. Trump neutered that so the the ad will reach those who like it but not be fodder for the Democrats.
Trump often uses his "attacks" to control the news cycle. Chris Bedford told a story of an early Republican congressional effort that they just didn't have the votes and lost, not once, but also on the 2nd vote. McConnell and (who was the House speaker?) had not prepared their comms teams for the fail. They communications people were expecting a blood bath, but then Trump went after Joe and Mika and "reporters" never even asked about the fail. All being disgusted that Trump would bring up Joe and Mika's sordid past and present. But the news cycle was not about the Republican total fail.
And no, it's not 4-D chess, it's just that Trump knows good television and how to make it.
PS- one other thing. I had not seen that DeSantis 'God made a fighter' ad before. I just watched it, after I had already posted a comment. It reminds me of what I've seen of DeSantis since he's been in office. His team is slick, smart, solid. They are very good- all around. And in a national campaign, they would be formidable.
That's a great ad.
His team is team GOPe. The same guys that ran the Ted Cruz campaign. It will end the same way the 2016 primary did.
The ad works on you because you are a political junkie. This ad is going to connect with about 5% of the population at best.
The average plumber watching a football game is going to see a guy claiming God put him on earth on the 8th day and go get a beer from the fridge.
The average hispanic framer is going to say "WTF?"
These actual voters are going to see Desanctimonious all over this ad.
Achilles -- it isn't just how many votes you attract FOR yourself. It's also how many people show up to vote AGAINST you.
Now, it might be true that Trump would attract more raw votes in 2024 than DeSantis or Cotton or Noem or whomever, but you can put money in the bank he'll also draw more people out to vote against him.
That's why we have Biden now -- not because so many people loved Biden, but because they hated and feared Trump. Irrationally so, but voters are often irrational.
I thought the ad was cringeworthy. Maybe directed at religious blacks but cringeworthy.
I like DeSantis but this was not his best. Ultimately, I would like to see Trump as president and DeSantis as VP. If Cruz had not carried on his antipathy too far he would have been a better VP than Pence.
I expect egos will get in the way but I would like to see both of them. That is assuming Trump's age does not become an issue.
DeSantis, shortly, followed the advice of self-acclaimed, certified subject matter experts. Trump, too, until he hired new staff in a climate of change.
Trump appeared at a campaign rally yesterday for/with Little Marco. All was forgiven, apparently.
Trump just made it clear who was Alpha.
Trump was a better candidate than Rubio in every way.
People are missing what the "Desanctimonious" comment was. Desantis is barely out there. His few forays to help other candidates have been helping people like O'Dea in Colorado.
Desantis pulled out of the Zeldin fundraiser because his donors told him to. Desantis will fight for anyone as long as his donors allow him to. Desantis will give pretty answers at press conferences.
But Desantis is a career politician and he works inside the government system. He puts out smarmy disingenuous ads where he shits strawberry ice cream. Desantis uses the word fighter repeatedly over and over. He is compensating.
Desantis will start wars and he will help his donors get cheap imports from China. There will be an amnesty worked in there too.
Just like the other candidates like him who hired the same campaign managers and had the same donors. Desantis is acting like Romney 2.0.
Achilles -- it isn't just how many votes you attract FOR yourself. It's also how many people show up to vote AGAINST you.
Now, it might be true that Trump would attract more raw votes in 2024 than DeSantis or Cotton or Noem or whomever, but you can put money in the bank he'll also draw more people out to vote against him.
That's why we have Biden now -- not because so many people loved Biden, but because they hated and feared Trump. Irrationally so, but voters are often irrational.
That's a take.
Better make sure we nominate a good corporate toady then.
I like DeSantis but this was not his best. Ultimately, I would like to see Trump as president and DeSantis as VP. If Cruz had not carried on his antipathy too far he would have been a better VP than Pence.
Cruz would have been better than Pence. But the problem was the GOPe still had hecklers veto in 2016 and Cruz was not acceptable to them.
Now there are a few clingers and groupies on the NRO cruise team but there is no need to appease that traitorous band of shitheads. They are losing primaries all over the country and will be gone soon.
Kari Lake is better than Desantis in every possible way as a VP candidate. She is telegenic and more accomplished and connects to voters. Desantis is acting compromised and paid for.
Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker: "5:19 - that's where I am. I've had enough."
What you've had enough of or not had enough of is entirely irrelevant.
The numbers are what the numbers are, and I doubt Paul Ryan and Mike McCarthy continuing to butter up DeSantis and paint a rosy picture for him along with the Wall Street/Hedge Funders/Chamber of Commerce types cash is going to be able to overcome the "facts on the ground".
DeSantis and his team are clearly well aware of the information that has leaked out, about which we will be hearing much more in the next few days and weeks, regarding this behind the scenes manuevering between DeSantis and the establishment GOPe-ers and funders, and they are wisely beginning to try and mitigate the damage.
Did you catch Tucker Carlson last night? If you didn't, pull it up. DeSantis was on and properly hit on all the winning positions he has delivered as Gov of Florida, and did it smoothly, but he made sure to start including additional little bullet point/notes/one-liners to send a message that "hey, I'm not really a GOPe-er or being handled by them!!!!".
You can judge the effectiveness of that effort for yourself by listening.
- When DeSantis spoke about avoiding business/school shutdowns the dems wanted, he made sure to specifically call out the pain that would have been felt by "blue collar people".
- DeSantis then effectively hit on crime and values with a good Disney reference and the sexualization of kiddos in school (pushback against the "Don't Say Gay" lie) tossed in to drive home the message. Good stuff there.
- And then he went back to "latinos" and "blue collar people" again and how he was "standing up for them" (latinos and blue collar people) Good stuff there.
- And then the pièce de résistance, DeSantis really drove home solid positions on immigration (with strong Latino support) and ended with this revealing statement: "...but clearly, the Republican establishment view that you need open borders and amnesty to appeal to hispanic voters in the United States is dead wrong, it was wrong then and its clearly to have been proven to be wrong now."
Why is that statement revealing? Because the word about the pussyfooting about with McCarthy, Ryan and the open borders republican establishment crowd is now out, as mentioned above, and DeSantis HAS to tamp that down hard, right now, or it all goes off the rails immediately.
To DeSantis' credit, unlike Scott Walker and some others who were also given some good advice regarding policies the populist/America First/dem party switchers wanted in 2016 but rejected that for DC beltway stupidity, DeSantis is voicing, strongly, the messages that base wants to hear with some demonstrated performance as Gov to back it up.
But soon DeSantis will have to explain why so many who oppose those policies at the Federal level are such strong funders and supporters of his. That's where it will become make or break.
Personally, I think a comment that "hey, I'm not a billionaire and I need all the support I can get from all quarters to make a run, but I'm still me. I'm not joining them, they are joining me" is probably a decent initial approach.
lonejustice: "It always has to be about Trump. Always."
The entire federal government and their democratical/GOPe allies continue their 6 year war to directly and corruptly target Trump, his family, his businesses. They mean to destroy him, whether he goes away or not.
I'm sorry if his continuing to fight back against them makes you feel all icky inside.
I voted for Trump 2 times. Probably will not ever again after he crapped on the Nation's best Governor on the eve of an election. He's a self-absorbed Ego-prick.
I am not alone.
Michael K - Trump trashed Cruz over and over - and what did Cruz do as Senator? He was loyal to Trump and to Trump's agenda. Trump is not loyal to anyone but himself and his bootlickers.
DarkHelmet: "I wish Trump spent more time attacking the other side rather than shooting wildly in his own tent."
I'm sorry. You'll have to speak up. I can't hear you over the din from the GOPe-ers who have spent the last 6 months trashing republican candidates publicly.
As well as McConnell FUNDING the ones trashing republican candidates and Rove cutting the commercials to undermine republican candidates.
Is there anything you'd like to share about that? Anything at all? Perhaps a mild criticism of some sort?
One thing Trump did was cause most people to talk about Trump. Here was this very creative, well-produced ad, released on the eve of the election and Trump diverted the attention from DeSantis to himself. And with just one word — "sanctimonious."
I'll push back on this a little.
Trump went from having a huge advantage in the mind of Republicans -- I had long assumed we were stuck with the fucker in 2024 -- to self-immolating. So, yes, he "diverted the attention to himself," but in a highly negative way. It made him look desperate and worried. Nobody else got a nickname! Why does DeSantis get a nickname?
Even as Trump tried to bring the attention back to himself -- I do this shit, too, so I'm familiar with the concept -- he simultaneously elevated DeSantis as part of the conversation.
So now, thanks to this stupid off-hand comment, when people talk about Trump, they talk about DeSantis. (In that SNL skit, the Democrats who wrote that skit were terrified of DeSantis).
Trump is incapable of retiring (apparently) and he plans to run again, thereby seizing all the Nazi and fascist commentary, while DeSantis stands there, like a man who goes to church or something, with just one wife, same wife he's had for a while, and normal Republican who ain't afraid of shit.
It's possible that Iowa could still go Trump. I'm not saying that DeSantis is walking away with it. But Trump's stupid comment elevated DeSantis and diminished Trump. We know who he's afraid of, everybody sees it.
Trump's one big advantage is that he's funny. DeSantis is not funny. But Trump has some negatives and a lot of people are sick of his shit.
(I too have run into this phenomenon before -- humor is destabilizing and upsets the applecart. DeSantis is a pick-up-the-apples-and-let's-get-this-apple-business-on-its-feet kind of guy).
Michael K: "Ultimately, I would like to see Trump as president and DeSantis as VP. If Cruz had not carried on his antipathy too far he would have been a better VP than Pence."
Politics is very strange, and timing plays a big part and windows of opportunity don't stay open for long.
If Trump and DeSantis go to war in the primary I believe Trump will win. Could be ugly. I also believe if that happens the only way DeSantis could redeem himself with the very large Trump base would be to become the VP nominee, assuming Trump would let him, and then fighting like hell for the ticket.
But Trump isn't any usual politician. He isn't Reagan allowing the GOPe-ers to force Bush on him when he really wanted Jack Kemp.
If DeSantis goes to war with Trump, and it looks like he will given what I think I'm seeing and hearing, with the full backing of the GOPe and Wall Streeters, which ain't gonna look that good to the base, and he loses, I think that might be it for DeSantis.
A swing and a miss could become permanent.
By 2028 DeSantis will have been out of office for 2 full years, the Trumpian base members will not have forgotten (the Ted Cruz treatment will be on full display) and the demographics and political migrations over those 4 years will make the republican primary electorate MORE populist/working class/anti-GOPe. The GOPe that were DeSantis' biggest backers.
And I'll leave one other item here: if the GOPe-ers that are cooing into DeSantis' ear, Ryan/McCarthy/Luntz/McConnell et al are aware of and silently acquiescing to what I think the DOJ/FBI are going to pull against Trump, and letting DeSantis stand back at arms length while that happens to take Trump out politically.....
....well. Just imagine the sense of betrayal that will storm across the republican political landscape and I'm not sure any of us knows what would happen then.
And my gut is telling me these GOPe-ers are getting ready to do just that.
Saint Croix: "So now, thanks to this stupid off-hand comment, when people talk about Trump, they talk about DeSantis."
The comment was neither "stupid" (there's activity behind the scenes driving it) and it was not "off-hand". It served a specific purpose.
We'll see if it "works" in the long run or does not.
Those who post on Althouse are not the typical republican primary voter and we are especially not representative of the people who are moving to the republican party, a migration Trump helped accelerate greatly.
If you think Iowa is the only place Trump can beat DeSantis, I'm not sure what to say to you.
I guess a good starting point is to ask if you even know what DeSantis' name recognition is amongst likely 2024 republican primary voters? That's a good first question to get answered.
Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker: "Achilles - you were fine when big corporate money went to fund and support Trump."
LOL
You might just be the very least informed actual republican who posts frequently on blog sites that I've ever witnessed. Truly, your ignorance levels are off the charts.
Corporate America always shunned Trump, and for as many cultural reasons as for political activism and economic reasons. And that was in both 2016 and 2020.
Here's one from 2020, where even CNN gets it right (if CNN is getting it right more often than you, you might want to reevaluate your assessment capabilities)
"Wall Street is shunning Trump. Campaign donations to Biden are five times larger"
You did this the other day as well when you starting blathering on about big Trump corporate donors that have supposedly shifted to DeSantis!
Aside from Trump not having much in the way of big corporate donors, those few big shots who were on his bandwagon never left. So you were simply wrong, but only in every single way.
In a discussion re: the O'Dea campaign in CO, you had no idea McConnell had funded O'Dea at all. You started stamping your feet and demanding proof of that! (once given you never raised it again nor mentioned you were wrong, naturally). You started getting huffy just at the mention of it. And the O'Dea effort is a campaign you claimed to have been watching.
You also thought O'Dea's stated desire to codify Roe at the federal level wasn't that big of a deal!
Amazing.
Of course, O'Dea had already jumped on board the attack Trump wagon months ago and what does HBTPFH have to say about the O'Dea campaign after all that?
If O'Dea loses it will be......wait for it .....wait for it......Trump's fault!
Trump's rise has become the GOPe-ers biggest "Explainer"/Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card that has ever existed in the history of politics. All failures belong to Trump. Failures from decades ago are now Trump's fault. All issues have Trump as the cause.
Listening to the GOPe-ers is like listening to the democraticals swear by the Southern Strategy where all the democraticals Jim Crow and segregation issues suddenly were owned by the republicans. The GOPe-ers sorry history is now owned by Trump, supposedly.
If Trump just goes away all will be right with the world. What a wonderful world that will be!
I suspect that novel theory will be tested thoroughly in the coming years and, when it comes up say a bit short on the "correctness scale", that too will be laid at the feet of Trump.
The danger is that he might be following Paul Ryan's, Mike McCarthy's, Mitch McConnell's, Frank Luntz's and the Wall Street/Hedge Fund globalists advice.
Now there are a few clingers and groupies on the NRO cruise team but there is no need to appease that traitorous band of shitheads. They are losing primaries all over the country and will be gone soon.
Kari Lake is better than Desantis in every possible way as a VP candidate. She is telegenic and more accomplished and connects to voters. Desantis is acting compromised and paid for.
Hey, I was on the 2008 NRO Cruise and even got a photo with Mittens. At that time I really liked Fred Thompson but, alas, it was not to be.
Kari would be a great VP candidate but I want her to stay in AZ.
Also, I'm willing to give DeSantis a pass on the donor thing. Trump is immune to those temptations but DeSantis is more of a politician. I will be watching for signs, if I am still around.
Achilles, Trump will not have the independent vote on the next go- round. Even for those who loved him and loved what he did, enough is enough. That'll be the reaction. He won't reach 75 mil. Before you cut off DeSantis entirely, know that you may end up having to vote for him. And liking it. DeSantis is not Donald Trump. And he is certainly not Ted Cruz (nice try). I'm telling you he's a hybrid. Part establishment, part maverick. He knows what needs to be done and goes to get it done. I'm OK with that as long as I like what he's getting done. With Trump, there's way too much extra-curricular 'entertainment' that I don't have the patience for any longer.
How is Kari Lake more accomplished than Ron DeSantis? In what universe? She'll get there, but she's done nothing yet aside from being a broadcast newsreader. She's sharp, very telegenic, and if they learn how to run an election in Arizona, will probably make a great Governor. Then you can say she's well accomplished.
Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker: "The Idea that Trump owns the base. pffft. We shall see. I hope the base wises up and demands a divorce."
You really do get every single detail wrong, every single time. Your continuing clear confusion and inability to follow a thread is now better understood.
No one said anyone owned "the base". Trump "owns" a very significant chunk of that base. Estimates range from 35% to 60% or maybe even more.
We'll see how those numbers hold up over time and under what conditions.
The Chosen, by the way, is a great TV series. I've seen season 1, I haven't seen 2 yet, and they're starting up season 3.
In the Bible it says "Many are called, few are chosen."
My theory on what this means is that the chosen will suffer horribly in this life. Think of all the saints who have been murdered. 11 of the 12 disciples were murdered (John being the one exception, and they tortured him).
Anyway, lots of us feel like God is calling us to do stuff. Patti Smith talks about her "calling" to be an artist. Lots of people are called. I have no doubt DeSantis feels like God is calling him to do what he's doing.
It's arrogant, however, to insist that God has chosen you. I would be careful saying that. One, if it's true, it's not going to be a happy life for you.
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
My assumption would be is that if the world loves DeSantis, then he was not, in fact, chosen by God. There is only one messiah, buddy, and you are not it.
I guess a good starting point is to ask if you even know what DeSantis' name recognition is amongst likely 2024 republican primary voters? That's a good first question to get answered.
It's way too early. My point was that Trump (oops) elevated DeSantis precisely when many people don't know who he is. And he gave him a nickname. So now many people are googling DeSantis and trying to find out about this guy.
They know who Pence is and they're laughing at him. Pence has no future. (That's why he doesn't get a nickname).
If people google DeSantis, that will find his video. Believe me when I say that video will impress the hell out of a lot of Christians. If you think Trump can get into the White House without conservative Christians voting for him, dude. It's delusional.
DeSantis played Trump. He created a video, and Trump fell for it. He got sucked into making fun of it. And now anybody who mocks DeSantis for his "sanctimonious" video is learning about farmers and dogs and other things God has created.
I think some worldly people think God died on the seventh day and he hasn't done anything since! That's not what Christians believe. If DeSantis is praying for guidance and Trump is paying consultants for guidance, who do you think has the advantage? (Hint: not the billionaire).
mccullough: "Be fun to watch Trump & DeSantis square off.
Trump caved in to Fauci and DeSantis didn’t."
The idea that the 2 situations were remotely similar is ridiculous.
I disagree. Trump wanted to fire Fauci but his admin (Jared) talked him out of it.
DeSantis ignored Fauci and Birx and that was a success.
A lot of what happened in 2020 was Trump hired a campaign manager who spent all the money early in the campaign. McConnell just did the same thing in the Senate races.
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Posts
87 comments:
I don't care if this nickname is workshopped, if Trump's running, whatever. DeSantis comes off as a sanctimonious little prick. Nailed it.
3:50 AM. The MAGA KING has eaten half the moon. We must DeSanctimonious immediately. A passing cloud obscures the ceremony.
And the ad isn't sanctimonious. It's playful and funny (and serious at the same time). It's a spoof of something you either know or don't know...
ha ha ha ha ha ha
Althouse I did not know that! Thank you so much.
And guess what I found?
God Made a Dog.
That's what happens on the ninth day(!)
For those trying to keep track at home...
Day 8: Farmers and Fighters
Day 9: Dogs
It's almost like God is still working or something. Like he rested on Day 7 and now he's back at work.
Beautiful. Althouse nails it again.
I did not make the connection to Paul Harvey when I first saw the ad, and I regarded it as inexplicably over the top and nearly Obama-like in its reverence and, well, sanctimony for its subject, Gov. DeSantis.
I do now remember the Paul Harvey farmer thing, and I hope the DeSantis people make it publicly clear that it's at least a half-parody of the earlier piece. It is very off-putting otherwise.
I wonder how many people today remember how influential Paul Harvey was, at least to middle-America. Nixon knew he was cooked when he lost Paul Harvey.
Trump appeared at a campaign rally yesterday for/with Little Marco. All was forgiven, apparently.
He doesn't know when to stop. Sometimes that's good, sometimes it's bad.
This commercial is a rif on an old (and very good) Paul Harvey bit, titled "God made a farmer".
Iiiiit’s true!…Value…
…gud Day!
I hope this self-inflicted wound is one from which Trump never recovers. Republican voters should shun him for this.
Trump is just honest about making fun of his own side. Imagine what Dems call each other behind their backs.
DeSantis needs to hone his skills as CEO of Disney before he runs for President. Trump 2024.
One of the reasons that Twitter worked so well for Trump is that he could throw out these lines and, if they failed, drop them and move on. What worked got expanded upon, what didn't was yesterday's news and soon forgotten. "Ron DeSanctimonious" will be forgotten in a day or two, and no one will care about it eighteen months from now during primary season.
It always has to be about Trump. Always.
I think the press eats up Sanctimonious more than regular people. The crowd certainly didn't react. I don't care and I'd rather have DeSantis as president than Trump.
They just can't quit him!
Trump will continue to have a great many admirers and few friends or allies. It's why, if he becomes president again, he will have a great deal of difficulty putting together a solid, trusted cabinet.
He hasn’t had a good nickname since “Crooked”. For Biden he went with “Sleepy” instead of the more obvious “Creepy”.
Marjorie Taylor Green tweeted this morning :
I wish Pres Trump announced last night in Ohio, but he chose to put everyone else first.
He’s held 30 rallies in 17 states, hosted 43 telerallies & 52 candidate fundraisers, & endorsed 285 candidates while being politically persecuted.
He’s put everyone else first all along.
Imagine being such a midwit that you think sanctimonious is an “SAT word.”
Keepin It Real. He Fights.
Not my poem, found it on twitter from the user @bellarudd1, but I can’t resist sharing.
Higgledy piggledy
Ron Sanctimonious
Wants to be president
Might as well try
Donald might find that a
Pentasyllabical
Moniker probably
Ngmi
(Ngmi is short for not gonna make it, for those that don’t know.)
Yes, I thought it was a lame nickname and that Trump didn't do himself any service saying it, but I don't see how she can take any pride in drawing a paycheck for such obvious observations.
What “life saving vaccines for children” is Desantis against in the NYT’s misinformative formulation? The data is overwhelming. Children were never at risk for COVID but are at huge risk of heart trouble and other side effects from our fascist government pushing these novel mRNA vaccines on kids. Is this what the Times is twisting around to attempt to dunk on Desantis? What crap propaganda.
Marjorie Taylor Green tweeted this morning :
I wish Pres Trump announced last night in Ohio, but he chose to put everyone else first.
He’s held 30 rallies in 17 states, hosted 43 telerallies & 52 candidate fundraisers, & endorsed 285 candidates while being politically persecuted.
He’s put everyone else first all along.
I know we'll be getting into this, but Trump, being Trump, just cannot let this midterm play out without being a large part of it. And frankly, if the Republicans do come in with a giant wave of wins, a lot of it will be because of Trump's power.
But I'm not ready for another 4-5 years of listening to him or watching him. I do believe we can get a lot of things done without going Trump. DeSantis is extremely productive and in ways that many don't even see coming. Trump will find him to be a very tough competitor. He's not Marco or Jeb. He's pretty brilliant. Not nearly as showy as Trump, not nearly as dynamic a speaker (but then...who is?). But he's a doer, productive, a fighter, very smart, and very focused. He'll get things done and will appeal to a lot of people. I don't know if he'll draw the votes Trump did. Hell...no incumbent ever has drawn what Trump did last election. But I do believe DeSantis would whip any Democrat they put up there. And DeSantis would draw more independents this time around. I'm utterly convinced of that.
And in the end, Trump is about Trump. Yes...every politician is about themselves, but no one reaches the heights of it like Trump does. On the other hand, I cannot see any other candidate in the country who could get people lining up 4 days in advance to be up front for one of his rallies. For better or worse, we'll never see the likes of Trump again.
My choice would be DeSantis. Hell...I would have strongly considered Tom Cotton, but he's not running. However if Trump is put up as the candidate, I'd vote for him again.
I certainly put great stock in what NY Magazine thinks of Trump.
Great stock.
"And the ad isn't sanctimonious. It's playful and funny (and serious at the same time). It's a spoof of something you either know or don't know:"
I've been hearing that this ad is wince inducing, but I agree with Althouse's take.
PS- one other thing. I had not seen that DeSantis 'God made a fighter' ad before. I just watched it, after I had already posted a comment. It reminds me of what I've seen of DeSantis since he's been in office. His team is slick, smart, solid. They are very good- all around. And in a national campaign, they would be formidable.
That's a great ad.
I don’t get “playful and funny” from the DeSantis ad. And if they’re banking on people remembering the God Made a Farmer ad (great ad IMO, but almost 10 years old), yeah, no. I remember it but I used to work in advertising. People who create ads are, in my experience, more impressed with the advertising oeuvre, unreasonably confident of its memorability, than the rest of the world. To most people seeing it, who won’t know anything about God Made a Farmer, it won’t come off as playful fun, more, what’s the word, sanctimonious.
I don’t get “playful and funny” from the DeSantis ad. And if they’re banking on people remembering the God Made a Farmer ad (great ad IMO, but almost 10 years old), yeah, no. I remember it but I used to work in advertising. People who create ads are, in my experience, more impressed with the advertising oeuvre, unreasonably confident of its memorability, than the rest of the world. To most people, who won’t know anything about God Made a Farmer, it won’t seem like playful fun; more, what’s the word, sanctimonious.
Trump is an immature little man. I want him to go away.
I want a a fighter - not an ego-maniac.
Trump will lose in 2024.
The left are genuinely terrified of DeSantis.
Trump's immature name-calling is a gift to the left. Trump is on the team who screwed him over.
Agree with Temujin here. Also Tom Cotton is very impressive. Pompeo is also impressive. Without Trump - the GOP rises.
5:19 - that's where I am. I've had enough.
A good nickname should have a kernel of truth to it. That's why DeSanctimonious fails. He doesn't seem steeped in sanctimony to me. (Disclaimer: I don't live in FL, and don't pay attention).
Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker said...
Agree with Temujin here. Also Tom Cotton is very impressive. Pompeo is also impressive. Without Trump - the GOP rises.
GOP with Trump - 75 million votes.
GOP without Trump - 65 million votes.
You just can't handle the truth.
btw - WAtch as the left ditch their lawsuits and assaults on Trump - and begin to treat him like they did before the 2016 election. The left want Trump in 2024 - they know the recipe.
I was thrilled when Trump beat Hillary. But I'd be thrilled if a dead toad beat Hillary.
"...and Trump diverted the attention from DeSantis to himself."
But not in a good way. I hope Trump drops out. His time is past. He offers nothing but revenge and dishonor for himself going forward. I can appreciate his past service while being entirely sick of him.
And never forget that he lost the House of Representatives in 2018, he lost the presidency in 2020, and he lost the Senate in 2021. Ultimately, he is a loser.
Desanctimonious was a shot in the foot.
Really dumb-sounding and inappropriate as far as the timing...
1) why even read this nonsense. Per the MSM: EVERYTHING TRUMP DOES IS WRONG. That's what the MSM has been reporting about Trump 24/7/365 for 7 years now. Trump's ALWAYS WRONG, IMMORAL, or LYING.
We don't have a press, we have American Pravda instead of pushing the USSR communist party line, it pushes the DNC party line.
2) Desanticimonous is a good nickname. And God, the same republican/moderate clowns who attacked Trump in 2016, sat on their hands and were OK with Hillary winnning, and then carped at Trump for 4 years, and went hysterical on Jan 6th are doing what now?
Oh, attacking and carping and whining about Trump. Just Shut up Never trumpers losers! Go Join the D's. Or just admit you love losing. Because attacking Trump helps the Left and D's. oh, trump gave DeSantis a nickname. Boo hoo.
"GOP with Trump - 75 million votes.
"GOP without Trump - 65 million votes.
"You just can't handle the truth."
Demmies with Trump: 81 million votes.
That right there is the problem.
God makes us all and God gives us our leaders, good and bad (Romans 13:1), but God does not make all of our leaders willing or able to fight for our best interests. That is the point of the ad.
The godless might find it offensive. But then they find so much offensive, even the inoffensive.
Trump set an important standard by calling out the Dems and their media pimps. The latter are worth a good twenty points or more in elections with their biased coverage.
There are more appealing candidates ready to pick up the mantel. DeSantis, Vance and Kari Lake among them. It would be a blessing if Trump stepped aside, although it is not certain that any of the others can afford the attorneys' fees to defend against corrupt Democrat lawfare.
Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker said...
btw - WAtch as the left ditch their lawsuits and assaults on Trump - and begin to treat him like they did before the 2016 election. The left want Trump in 2024 - they know the recipe.
I was thrilled when Trump beat Hillary. But I'd be thrilled if a dead toad beat Hillary.
These people just cannot see themselves.
All of the big corporate money is supporting Desantis.
The entire GOPe is supporting Desantis. The immigration amnesty endless wars free trade with China wing of the GOPe is giving Ron Desantis more money than any governor has raised in history.
Bush, McCarthy, McConnell, O'Dea. The GOPe failure crew is supporting Desantis.
Meanwhile Trump has been in many states giving rallies for dozens of candidates tirelessly working for the Republican voters.
And McConnell pulled money from many of these candidates and is paying for ads attacking them.
Trump is a better person than you are.
He is doing way more good.
Go look in the mirror and answer some questions.
MadisonMan said...
A good nickname should have a kernel of truth to it. That's why DeSanctimonious fails. He doesn't seem steeped in sanctimony to me. (Disclaimer: I don't live in FL, and don't pay attention).
Desantis just ran an ad where he claimed god put him on earth on the 8th day.
So...
I think the ad was over the top. But, for sure, it would have been MSNBC guest bait. Trump neutered that so the the ad will reach those who like it but not be fodder for the Democrats.
Trump often uses his "attacks" to control the news cycle. Chris Bedford told a story of an early Republican congressional effort that they just didn't have the votes and lost, not once, but also on the 2nd vote. McConnell and (who was the House speaker?) had not prepared their comms teams for the fail. They communications people were expecting a blood bath, but then Trump went after Joe and Mika and "reporters" never even asked about the fail. All being disgusted that Trump would bring up Joe and Mika's sordid past and present. But the news cycle was not about the Republican total fail.
And no, it's not 4-D chess, it's just that Trump knows good television and how to make it.
Temujin said...
PS- one other thing. I had not seen that DeSantis 'God made a fighter' ad before. I just watched it, after I had already posted a comment. It reminds me of what I've seen of DeSantis since he's been in office. His team is slick, smart, solid. They are very good- all around. And in a national campaign, they would be formidable.
That's a great ad.
His team is team GOPe. The same guys that ran the Ted Cruz campaign. It will end the same way the 2016 primary did.
The ad works on you because you are a political junkie. This ad is going to connect with about 5% of the population at best.
The average plumber watching a football game is going to see a guy claiming God put him on earth on the 8th day and go get a beer from the fridge.
The average hispanic framer is going to say "WTF?"
These actual voters are going to see Desanctimonious all over this ad.
That ad is nauseating.
This DeSantis ad is a riff on Paul Harvey's famous radio piece So God made a Farmer.
Achilles -- it isn't just how many votes you attract FOR yourself. It's also how many people show up to vote AGAINST you.
Now, it might be true that Trump would attract more raw votes in 2024 than DeSantis or Cotton or Noem or whomever, but you can put money in the bank he'll also draw more people out to vote against him.
That's why we have Biden now -- not because so many people loved Biden, but because they hated and feared Trump. Irrationally so, but voters are often irrational.
I wish Trump spent more time attacking the other side rather than shooting wildly in his own tent.
I thought the ad was cringeworthy. Maybe directed at religious blacks but cringeworthy.
I like DeSantis but this was not his best. Ultimately, I would like to see Trump as president and DeSantis as VP. If Cruz had not carried on his antipathy too far he would have been a better VP than Pence.
I expect egos will get in the way but I would like to see both of them. That is assuming Trump's age does not become an issue.
DeSantis, shortly, followed the advice of self-acclaimed, certified subject matter experts. Trump, too, until he hired new staff in a climate of change.
Wilbur said...
Trump appeared at a campaign rally yesterday for/with Little Marco. All was forgiven, apparently.
Trump just made it clear who was Alpha.
Trump was a better candidate than Rubio in every way.
People are missing what the "Desanctimonious" comment was. Desantis is barely out there. His few forays to help other candidates have been helping people like O'Dea in Colorado.
Desantis pulled out of the Zeldin fundraiser because his donors told him to. Desantis will fight for anyone as long as his donors allow him to. Desantis will give pretty answers at press conferences.
But Desantis is a career politician and he works inside the government system. He puts out smarmy disingenuous ads where he shits strawberry ice cream. Desantis uses the word fighter repeatedly over and over. He is compensating.
Desantis will start wars and he will help his donors get cheap imports from China. There will be an amnesty worked in there too.
Just like the other candidates like him who hired the same campaign managers and had the same donors. Desantis is acting like Romney 2.0.
His ads are "Severely Conservative."
DarkHelmet said...
Achilles -- it isn't just how many votes you attract FOR yourself. It's also how many people show up to vote AGAINST you.
Now, it might be true that Trump would attract more raw votes in 2024 than DeSantis or Cotton or Noem or whomever, but you can put money in the bank he'll also draw more people out to vote against him.
That's why we have Biden now -- not because so many people loved Biden, but because they hated and feared Trump. Irrationally so, but voters are often irrational.
That's a take.
Better make sure we nominate a good corporate toady then.
'I would like to see Trump as president and DeSantis as VP.'
Is this an issues as both are from Florida?
Too lazy to check : )
Michael K said...
I like DeSantis but this was not his best. Ultimately, I would like to see Trump as president and DeSantis as VP. If Cruz had not carried on his antipathy too far he would have been a better VP than Pence.
Cruz would have been better than Pence. But the problem was the GOPe still had hecklers veto in 2016 and Cruz was not acceptable to them.
Now there are a few clingers and groupies on the NRO cruise team but there is no need to appease that traitorous band of shitheads. They are losing primaries all over the country and will be gone soon.
Kari Lake is better than Desantis in every possible way as a VP candidate. She is telegenic and more accomplished and connects to voters. Desantis is acting compromised and paid for.
Blind faith Trump-humpers are nauseating.
Dark Hemet 10:17
Indeed.
Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker: "5:19 - that's where I am. I've had enough."
What you've had enough of or not had enough of is entirely irrelevant.
The numbers are what the numbers are, and I doubt Paul Ryan and Mike McCarthy continuing to butter up DeSantis and paint a rosy picture for him along with the Wall Street/Hedge Funders/Chamber of Commerce types cash is going to be able to overcome the "facts on the ground".
DeSantis and his team are clearly well aware of the information that has leaked out, about which we will be hearing much more in the next few days and weeks, regarding this behind the scenes manuevering between DeSantis and the establishment GOPe-ers and funders, and they are wisely beginning to try and mitigate the damage.
Did you catch Tucker Carlson last night? If you didn't, pull it up. DeSantis was on and properly hit on all the winning positions he has delivered as Gov of Florida, and did it smoothly, but he made sure to start including additional little bullet point/notes/one-liners to send a message that "hey, I'm not really a GOPe-er or being handled by them!!!!".
You can judge the effectiveness of that effort for yourself by listening.
- When DeSantis spoke about avoiding business/school shutdowns the dems wanted, he made sure to specifically call out the pain that would have been felt by "blue collar people".
- DeSantis then effectively hit on crime and values with a good Disney reference and the sexualization of kiddos in school (pushback against the "Don't Say Gay" lie) tossed in to drive home the message. Good stuff there.
- And then he went back to "latinos" and "blue collar people" again and how he was "standing up for them" (latinos and blue collar people) Good stuff there.
- And then the pièce de résistance, DeSantis really drove home solid positions on immigration (with strong Latino support) and ended with this revealing statement: "...but clearly, the Republican establishment view that you need open borders and amnesty to appeal to hispanic voters in the United States is dead wrong, it was wrong then and its clearly to have been proven to be wrong now."
Why is that statement revealing? Because the word about the pussyfooting about with McCarthy, Ryan and the open borders republican establishment crowd is now out, as mentioned above, and DeSantis HAS to tamp that down hard, right now, or it all goes off the rails immediately.
To DeSantis' credit, unlike Scott Walker and some others who were also given some good advice regarding policies the populist/America First/dem party switchers wanted in 2016 but rejected that for DC beltway stupidity, DeSantis is voicing, strongly, the messages that base wants to hear with some demonstrated performance as Gov to back it up.
But soon DeSantis will have to explain why so many who oppose those policies at the Federal level are such strong funders and supporters of his. That's where it will become make or break.
Personally, I think a comment that "hey, I'm not a billionaire and I need all the support I can get from all quarters to make a run, but I'm still me. I'm not joining them, they are joining me" is probably a decent initial approach.
lonejustice: "It always has to be about Trump. Always."
The entire federal government and their democratical/GOPe allies continue their 6 year war to directly and corruptly target Trump, his family, his businesses. They mean to destroy him, whether he goes away or not.
I'm sorry if his continuing to fight back against them makes you feel all icky inside.
I voted for Trump 2 times. Probably will not ever again after he crapped on the Nation's best Governor on the eve of an election. He's a self-absorbed Ego-prick.
I am not alone.
Michael K - Trump trashed Cruz over and over - and what did Cruz do as Senator? He was loyal to Trump and to Trump's agenda.
Trump is not loyal to anyone but himself and his bootlickers.
Achilles - you were fine when big corporate money went to fund and support Trump.
LOL "Trump meant to do it" - talk about a god complex.
I find Trump's man-baby name-calling - cringe-worthy.
DarkHelmet: "I wish Trump spent more time attacking the other side rather than shooting wildly in his own tent."
I'm sorry. You'll have to speak up. I can't hear you over the din from the GOPe-ers who have spent the last 6 months trashing republican candidates publicly.
As well as McConnell FUNDING the ones trashing republican candidates and Rove cutting the commercials to undermine republican candidates.
Is there anything you'd like to share about that? Anything at all? Perhaps a mild criticism of some sort?
Too unseemly? Not gentlemanly? Not very cricket?
DarkHelmet: "I wish Trump spent more time attacking the other side rather than shooting wildly in his own tent."
Serious question here: Are you actually claiming Trump doesn't attack the other side enough?
Name the other republicans that attack the democraticals more.
One thing Trump did was cause most people to talk about Trump. Here was this very creative, well-produced ad, released on the eve of the election and Trump diverted the attention from DeSantis to himself. And with just one word — "sanctimonious."
I'll push back on this a little.
Trump went from having a huge advantage in the mind of Republicans -- I had long assumed we were stuck with the fucker in 2024 -- to self-immolating. So, yes, he "diverted the attention to himself," but in a highly negative way. It made him look desperate and worried. Nobody else got a nickname! Why does DeSantis get a nickname?
Even as Trump tried to bring the attention back to himself -- I do this shit, too, so I'm familiar with the concept -- he simultaneously elevated DeSantis as part of the conversation.
So now, thanks to this stupid off-hand comment, when people talk about Trump, they talk about DeSantis. (In that SNL skit, the Democrats who wrote that skit were terrified of DeSantis).
Trump is incapable of retiring (apparently) and he plans to run again, thereby seizing all the Nazi and fascist commentary, while DeSantis stands there, like a man who goes to church or something, with just one wife, same wife he's had for a while, and normal Republican who ain't afraid of shit.
It's possible that Iowa could still go Trump. I'm not saying that DeSantis is walking away with it. But Trump's stupid comment elevated DeSantis and diminished Trump. We know who he's afraid of, everybody sees it.
Trump's one big advantage is that he's funny. DeSantis is not funny. But Trump has some negatives and a lot of people are sick of his shit.
(I too have run into this phenomenon before -- humor is destabilizing and upsets the applecart. DeSantis is a pick-up-the-apples-and-let's-get-this-apple-business-on-its-feet kind of guy).
Michael K: "Ultimately, I would like to see Trump as president and DeSantis as VP. If Cruz had not carried on his antipathy too far he would have been a better VP than Pence."
Politics is very strange, and timing plays a big part and windows of opportunity don't stay open for long.
If Trump and DeSantis go to war in the primary I believe Trump will win. Could be ugly. I also believe if that happens the only way DeSantis could redeem himself with the very large Trump base would be to become the VP nominee, assuming Trump would let him, and then fighting like hell for the ticket.
But Trump isn't any usual politician. He isn't Reagan allowing the GOPe-ers to force Bush on him when he really wanted Jack Kemp.
If DeSantis goes to war with Trump, and it looks like he will given what I think I'm seeing and hearing, with the full backing of the GOPe and Wall Streeters, which ain't gonna look that good to the base, and he loses, I think that might be it for DeSantis.
A swing and a miss could become permanent.
By 2028 DeSantis will have been out of office for 2 full years, the Trumpian base members will not have forgotten (the Ted Cruz treatment will be on full display) and the demographics and political migrations over those 4 years will make the republican primary electorate MORE populist/working class/anti-GOPe. The GOPe that were DeSantis' biggest backers.
And I'll leave one other item here: if the GOPe-ers that are cooing into DeSantis' ear, Ryan/McCarthy/Luntz/McConnell et al are aware of and silently acquiescing to what I think the DOJ/FBI are going to pull against Trump, and letting DeSantis stand back at arms length while that happens to take Trump out politically.....
....well. Just imagine the sense of betrayal that will storm across the republican political landscape and I'm not sure any of us knows what would happen then.
And my gut is telling me these GOPe-ers are getting ready to do just that.
I hope I'm wrong, but hope is not a strategy.
Be fun to watch Trump & DeSantis square off.
Trump caved in to Fauci and DeSantis didn’t.
DeSantis doesn’t follow Jared’s advice.
mccullough: "Be fun to watch Trump & DeSantis square off.
Trump caved in to Fauci and DeSantis didn’t."
The idea that the 2 situations were remotely similar is ridiculous.
Saint Croix: "So now, thanks to this stupid off-hand comment, when people talk about Trump, they talk about DeSantis."
The comment was neither "stupid" (there's activity behind the scenes driving it) and it was not "off-hand". It served a specific purpose.
We'll see if it "works" in the long run or does not.
Those who post on Althouse are not the typical republican primary voter and we are especially not representative of the people who are moving to the republican party, a migration Trump helped accelerate greatly.
If you think Iowa is the only place Trump can beat DeSantis, I'm not sure what to say to you.
I guess a good starting point is to ask if you even know what DeSantis' name recognition is amongst likely 2024 republican primary voters? That's a good first question to get answered.
Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker: "Achilles - you were fine when big corporate money went to fund and support Trump."
LOL
You might just be the very least informed actual republican who posts frequently on blog sites that I've ever witnessed. Truly, your ignorance levels are off the charts.
Corporate America always shunned Trump, and for as many cultural reasons as for political activism and economic reasons. And that was in both 2016 and 2020.
Here's one from 2020, where even CNN gets it right (if CNN is getting it right more often than you, you might want to reevaluate your assessment capabilities)
"Wall Street is shunning Trump. Campaign donations to Biden are five times larger"
https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/25/business/trump-biden-wall-street-campaign-donations/index.html
You did this the other day as well when you starting blathering on about big Trump corporate donors that have supposedly shifted to DeSantis!
Aside from Trump not having much in the way of big corporate donors, those few big shots who were on his bandwagon never left. So you were simply wrong, but only in every single way.
In a discussion re: the O'Dea campaign in CO, you had no idea McConnell had funded O'Dea at all. You started stamping your feet and demanding proof of that! (once given you never raised it again nor mentioned you were wrong, naturally). You started getting huffy just at the mention of it. And the O'Dea effort is a campaign you claimed to have been watching.
You also thought O'Dea's stated desire to codify Roe at the federal level wasn't that big of a deal!
Amazing.
Of course, O'Dea had already jumped on board the attack Trump wagon months ago and what does HBTPFH have to say about the O'Dea campaign after all that?
If O'Dea loses it will be......wait for it .....wait for it......Trump's fault!
Trump's rise has become the GOPe-ers biggest "Explainer"/Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card that has ever existed in the history of politics. All failures belong to Trump. Failures from decades ago are now Trump's fault. All issues have Trump as the cause.
Listening to the GOPe-ers is like listening to the democraticals swear by the Southern Strategy where all the democraticals Jim Crow and segregation issues suddenly were owned by the republicans. The GOPe-ers sorry history is now owned by Trump, supposedly.
If Trump just goes away all will be right with the world. What a wonderful world that will be!
I suspect that novel theory will be tested thoroughly in the coming years and, when it comes up say a bit short on the "correctness scale", that too will be laid at the feet of Trump.
mccullough: "DeSantis doesn’t follow Jared’s advice."
The danger is that he might be following Paul Ryan's, Mike McCarthy's, Mitch McConnell's, Frank Luntz's and the Wall Street/Hedge Fund globalists advice.
We'll see soon enough.
And my gut is telling me these GOPe-ers are getting ready to do just that.
I hope I'm wrong, but hope is not a strategy.
If so, that would a repeat of what the GOP Congress did after 1994. Gingrich was outwitted by Clinton and nothing got done.
It's plausible.
Trump caved in to Fauci and DeSantis didn’t.
DeSantis doesn’t follow Jared’s advice.
Good points.
The Idea that Trump owns the base. pffft. We shall see. I hope the base wises up and demands a divorce.
Now there are a few clingers and groupies on the NRO cruise team but there is no need to appease that traitorous band of shitheads. They are losing primaries all over the country and will be gone soon.
Kari Lake is better than Desantis in every possible way as a VP candidate. She is telegenic and more accomplished and connects to voters. Desantis is acting compromised and paid for.
Hey, I was on the 2008 NRO Cruise and even got a photo with Mittens. At that time I really liked Fred Thompson but, alas, it was not to be.
Kari would be a great VP candidate but I want her to stay in AZ.
Also, I'm willing to give DeSantis a pass on the donor thing. Trump is immune to those temptations but DeSantis is more of a politician. I will be watching for signs, if I am still around.
Serious question here: Are you actually claiming Trump doesn't attack the other side enough?
Donald Trump, the guy who backs Stacey Abrams to be Georgia governor over Brian Kemp?
Trump and Abrams deserve each other; the mystery is why you want to make it a threesome.
Achilles, Trump will not have the independent vote on the next go- round. Even for those who loved him and loved what he did, enough is enough. That'll be the reaction. He won't reach 75 mil. Before you cut off DeSantis entirely, know that you may end up having to vote for him. And liking it. DeSantis is not Donald Trump. And he is certainly not Ted Cruz (nice try). I'm telling you he's a hybrid. Part establishment, part maverick. He knows what needs to be done and goes to get it done. I'm OK with that as long as I like what he's getting done. With Trump, there's way too much extra-curricular 'entertainment' that I don't have the patience for any longer.
How is Kari Lake more accomplished than Ron DeSantis? In what universe? She'll get there, but she's done nothing yet aside from being a broadcast newsreader. She's sharp, very telegenic, and if they learn how to run an election in Arizona, will probably make a great Governor. Then you can say she's well accomplished.
Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker: "The Idea that Trump owns the base. pffft. We shall see. I hope the base wises up and demands a divorce."
You really do get every single detail wrong, every single time. Your continuing clear confusion and inability to follow a thread is now better understood.
No one said anyone owned "the base". Trump "owns" a very significant chunk of that base. Estimates range from 35% to 60% or maybe even more.
We'll see how those numbers hold up over time and under what conditions.
The Chosen, by the way, is a great TV series. I've seen season 1, I haven't seen 2 yet, and they're starting up season 3.
In the Bible it says "Many are called, few are chosen."
My theory on what this means is that the chosen will suffer horribly in this life. Think of all the saints who have been murdered. 11 of the 12 disciples were murdered (John being the one exception, and they tortured him).
Anyway, lots of us feel like God is calling us to do stuff. Patti Smith talks about her "calling" to be an artist. Lots of people are called. I have no doubt DeSantis feels like God is calling him to do what he's doing.
It's arrogant, however, to insist that God has chosen you. I would be careful saying that. One, if it's true, it's not going to be a happy life for you.
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
My assumption would be is that if the world loves DeSantis, then he was not, in fact, chosen by God. There is only one messiah, buddy, and you are not it.
Still, I think it's a great ad.
I guess a good starting point is to ask if you even know what DeSantis' name recognition is amongst likely 2024 republican primary voters? That's a good first question to get answered.
It's way too early. My point was that Trump (oops) elevated DeSantis precisely when many people don't know who he is. And he gave him a nickname. So now many people are googling DeSantis and trying to find out about this guy.
They know who Pence is and they're laughing at him. Pence has no future. (That's why he doesn't get a nickname).
If people google DeSantis, that will find his video. Believe me when I say that video will impress the hell out of a lot of Christians. If you think Trump can get into the White House without conservative Christians voting for him, dude. It's delusional.
DeSantis played Trump. He created a video, and Trump fell for it. He got sucked into making fun of it. And now anybody who mocks DeSantis for his "sanctimonious" video is learning about farmers and dogs and other things God has created.
I think some worldly people think God died on the seventh day and he hasn't done anything since! That's not what Christians believe. If DeSantis is praying for guidance and Trump is paying consultants for guidance, who do you think has the advantage? (Hint: not the billionaire).
HBTPFH: "I hope the base wises up and demands a divorce."
The base has been wising up, clearly, but that doesn't help what you're pushing.
Blogger Drago said...
mccullough: "Be fun to watch Trump & DeSantis square off.
Trump caved in to Fauci and DeSantis didn’t."
The idea that the 2 situations were remotely similar is ridiculous.
I disagree. Trump wanted to fire Fauci but his admin (Jared) talked him out of it.
DeSantis ignored Fauci and Birx and that was a success.
A lot of what happened in 2020 was Trump hired a campaign manager who spent all the money early in the campaign. McConnell just did the same thing in the Senate races.
Michael K: "I disagree."
Agree to disagree.
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