How was DeSantis buried?
Forget the 2024 race and view this as a simple liberal vs conservative “debate” and DesSantis easily won with facts that Newsom kept saying were wrong and never answered the questions asked with any content just emotions which is what th eleft runs on.
Trump will be the nominee in 2024 and I’ll be voting for him. DeSantis could well be the front runner in 2028 who knows.
DeSantis rehabilitated himself specifically by demolishing Newsom.
It wasn’t just that Newsom was awful, DeSantis seemed comfortable and confidant, with the awkwardness we’ve seen displayed on the hustings notably absent. Clearly, DeSantis’ political consultants were telling him to not be so obviously the litigator/lawyer, and “loosen up”. That was a mistake: people will take a pol at face value if they’re either a) genuine or b) able to fake it. DeSantis can’t fake it, so based on this performance, he should just lean in to the persona that works for him and let the chips fall where they may.
That said, only the most dedicated politics nerds tuned in at all, so the initial damage to Newsom will be limited. But what a treasure trove of clips and gifs and memes. It really was glorious.
“DeSantis could well be the front runner in 2028 who knows.”
If you believe that the MAGA wing will ever rally around him I think you’re engaging in wishful thinking.
The Father-in-Law Moment and the Poop Map moment were classic. The Dirty Book Moment not so much. Or telling was the Abortion time limit moment—when should aborting be banned? at what week? Newsom couldn’t say or lose women’s votes. All radical women want abortion as a means of birth control. It was a a good debate—But, I kept wondering what would have it been like if Trump was debating Newsom? (We may get that).