Posted on 08/30/2018 5:25:11 PM PDT by Jed Eckert
PORT ORANGE — Despite Ron DeSantis’ claims he was signaling no message about race when he used the phrase “monkey this up” while sizing up his black opponent’s policies during a Fox News appearance this week, about 40 residents of his congressional district rallied in protest Thursday.
Waving signs, including one reading “DeSantis DeRacist,” the residents rallied for about 45 minutes outside one of the congressman’s offices in Port Orange City Hall.
Lynn Hendrickson, a Palm Coast retiree, said it wasn’t the first time DeSantis has disappointed her on matters of race. She recounted last October, when a batch of Ku Klux Klan fliers were left on driveways in Port Orange and Nancy Soderberg, the Democratic candidate for DeSantis’ congressional seat, called on him to speak out against hatred.
“His silence has been deafening until yesterday,” Hendrickson said Thursday. “Yesterday, he showed everybody in District 6 and in Florida exactly what he thought of the newly elected candidate Andrew Gillum and of the letters that had been distributed in our district with his wonderful statement, ‘monkey this up.’ Ron showed his true colors yesterday.”
“Ron DeSantis stands for hate, bigotry, prejudice and white supremacy,” she said. “This is not who we are as a nation. We are better than this.”
But DeSantis — a regular on Fox who rode the endorsement of President Trump to win his party primary Tuesday — told Sean Hannity his warning to voters not to “monkey this up” by electing Gillum, had “zero to do with race.”
The uproar over the remark continued Thursday and one longtime analyst of Florida political campaigns said she expects it could cloud the contest through Election Day on Nov. 6.
DeSantis’ original remark Wednesday morning during an interview on the Fox News channel was blasted as racist by Democratic critics and called an example of “gutter” politics by Gillum. The Democratic nominee, who also appeared on network news programs, said DeSantis was “taking a page directly from the campaign manual of Donald Trump.”
After responding with only a statement from a campaign spokesman during the day, DeSantis appeared on Wednesday evening with Hannity — who campaigned with DeSantis in July — to explain himself.
“Did you in any way, do you in any way think that was something that was misstated or racist in any way?” Hannity asked.
“It has zero to do with race, Sean. It has everything to do with whether we want Florida to continue to go in a good direction, building off the success or do we want to turn to left-wing, socialist policies, which will absolutely devastate our state?” DeSantis replied.
“And here’s the thing, I believe people should be judged based on their ability and character regardless of race. But it’s because of that that I know that socialism won’t work in Florida. It’s not good for any race, color or creed. So this is not about race. This is about ideas and principles. And I’m not going to let the Democrats and Andrew Gillum try to obscure a debate about whether his tax increases, his single-payer healthcare plan, his desire to abolish ICE — whether that is something that is acceptable for Florida. I don’t think it is and I don’t care what color you are.”
DeSantis didn’t express any regrets or say whether he recognized that the remark could be considered offensive, and Hannity didn’t press him on it.
“He’s following the Trump model to the Nth degree — never apologize for anything,” said University of South Florida political scientist Susan MacManus.
MacManus predicted DeSantis’ remark will remain an issue throughout the campaign. “It will be a get-out-the-vote tool for Democrats from now ’til Nov. 6,” MacManus said.
The appearance with Hannity on Fox News came after the network had earlier sought to distance itself from the remark.
Fox News host Sandra Smith said Wednesday afternoon that the network does “not condone this language and wanted to make our viewers aware that he has since clarified his statement.”
Florida Republicans reacted Thursday in different ways.
Carlos Curbelo, a South Florida congressman, told MSNBC he doesn’t know DeSantis as a racist.
“I’ve never heard him say anything disparaging about any ethnic group or any person for that matter,” Curbelo said. “But I’ll also say that that was just a stupid comment to make, one that was obviously offensive to a lot of people.”
Gov. Rick Scott, running for U.S. Senate, said DeSantis “could have said it more artfully” and: “Ron cares about the state and I know he didn’t mean any ill will.”
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who campaigned with DeSantis during the weeks leading up to the primary, posted a meme on Twitter with quotes using the word “monkey” attributed to President Obama, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The quotes were not used in the context of assessing Gillum’s policies and used the more familiar colloquialisms, “monkey around,” and “monkey wrench,” rather than DeSantis’ less common phrasing.
Would be interesting if someone was able to point these protest regulars as they move from venue to venue.
The MSM and lefty loons are looking for any monkey wrench to toss into the dingy daily dialogue.
I guess this means no more Curious George after all he’s a monkey..and no more monkey wrenches either
who are these dingbats trying to culturally appropriate monkeys for political warfare? Nothing but a bunch of Mrs. Kravitzs’ peeking out behind their curtains.
We are ALL monkeys, babies and little kids are monkeys, men are big apes, and occasionally orangutans or gorillas, and there are all shades and colors and sizes of monkeys running around all of South America, Asia and India - the Abominable Snowman is a monkey! Enough with the language police!
40? Hahahahahaha
Interesting analysis....that I don’t agree with at all. This is a tempest in a teapot.
Got to get rid of the ‘monkey bars’ in school yards and public parks. And shred all of the Monkee’s tv shows and records. And rename all of those primates that are currently called monkeys.
DeSantis should simply explain that he was just calling a spade a spade, and add that he has no idea why his opponent went ape over his comments.
All this monkey-business shows how frantic the Progressives are to keep the focus of this election on race and identity politics, and away from Gillum’s ridiculous failed Socialist/Communist ideology.
IF I ask the waitress to burn my toast, am I racist???
They are pushing us into a war. They won’t like the ending results.
Monkey Shines.
God made man
But he used the monkey to do it
Apes in the plan
The world improved
You can walk like an ape
Talk like an ape
Do like the the monkeys do
God made man
But the monkey supplied the glue
Oh, look — the libs found their “outrage of the week.”
Did Soros arrange sudden spontaneous paid by the hour out of state protesters with professional sign company signs and local news outlets furnished with printed statements of what the person on the street was about to say to the news crew?
And do the “local” protesters have Boston,Maine and Brooklyn accents?
Just asking.
Evil Whites are always at fault for everything, according to liberals, so no Whites should vote for liberals unless they want to be complicit in White Genocide.
Yes. Yes. ;)
Or you'll be a monkey's uncle?
You’ve got to be some kind of mental to be opposed to what Trump is doing.
If anyone sees “racism” in what he said - it’s because that’s what they want to see.
I don’t think his comment was racist but knowing your opponent is black, why even mention monkey? While harmless, and even a term of endearment (one I use myself with some of my nephews, nieces and grandchildren) he should have known the press would get all over him. He showed bad judgment.
Or how about, funnier than a barrel of monkeys?
Only a bigot would think monkey referred to a black person. We all look like monkeys in one way or another because our DNA is very similar.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.