Posted on 02/08/2023 12:28:57 PM PST by Drew68
OCALA, Fla. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to former President Donald Trump’s ‘ReTruth’ of a post claiming the Florida governor is a “groomer,” in reference to a photo from left-wing media outlet MeidasTouch.
The response is one of the most direct ones he’s offered since Trump’s criticism began in late 2022, sparking with the former president’s nickname of the DeSantis being “Ron DeSanctimonious.”
“Governor, former President Trump yesterday made a series of posts on TRUTH Social directed at you some were insinuating that…” a reporter asked. DeSantis chimed in, “I get it, I get you guys want the controversy.”
The reporter asked the governor how his ideas on defamation legislation – promoting a venue of private action for false media reports that harm the reputations of individuals – would relate to posts like Trump’s.
“I have a platform to fight back a lot of these other people that are more little. They don’t necessarily have a platform to fight back,” he replied.
DeSantis said as governor, he would not spend time fighting defamation lawsuits; he also said he does not spend his time “trying to smear other Republicans.”
“And I’d also just say this, I spend my time delivering results for the people of Florida and fighting against Joe Biden. That’s how I spend my time,” DeSantis said. “I don’t spend my time trying to smear other Republicans.”
The day prior, before Trump’s ReTruths, DeSantis defended the former president on what he called the “Russian collusion hoax.”
“Well, I think the swan song has been this Russia collusion hoax because they indulged in that for for two years,” DeSantis said to a panel of lawyers and others who said they’re victim of defamation, like Covington Catholic Nicholas Sandmann.
“I mean, it all eventually was debunked and even in real time people were saying this, but they just kept cycling in this. And I think it just raises the question, you know, this obsession with these anonymous sources, where did that come from?” he said.
“It used to be rare that you would do it, I mean, to assassinate someone’s character with anonymous sources would have been a total no-no. Now it’s just kind of like a normal and actually the preferred method of being able to deliver content,” the governor said.
DeSantis has not named Trump directly in response to criticisms, but in January responded to attacks by citing his electoral landslide in 2022.
“I roll out of bed, I have people attacking me from all angles. It’s been happening for many, many years,” DeSantis said.
One criticism Trump pointed to was DeSantis’ handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
“If you take a crisis situation like COVID, the good thing about it is when you’re an elected executive, you have to make all kinds of decisions. You gotta steer that ship. And the good thing is that the people are able to render a judgment on that whether they reelect you or not,” he said.
“And I’m happy to say, you know, in my case, not only did we win reelection, we won with the highest percentage of the vote that any Republican governor candidate has in the history of the state of Florida.”
DeSantis defeated Democrat Charlie Crist by nearly 20 points.
He pointed to his margin being the “largest raw vote margin” than “any governor candidate” in the history of Florida. The margin was around 1.5 million votes.
“And so what I would just say is – that verdict has been rendered by the people of the state of Florida.”
Earlier in January, DeSantis defended the former president on his handling of classified documents in comparison to President Joe Biden.
DeSantis slammed Biden for going on 60 Minutes late last year saying Trump was “totally irresponsible” in how he handled storing classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
“He said that it was ‘incredibly reckless’ to have classified – he said all this stuff, you know, on 60 Minutes […] Now you find out he had them stashed behind his corvette at his house that Hunter had access to, which is definitely a security risk in my book,” DeSantis said.
“They had all this stuff to say [about Trump], now they’re acting [like] it’s not a big deal. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. You can’t have two different sets of rules based on your political party.“
“But, it seems very conceivable that DeSantis might think; I don’t want any part of this. I’m very happy in Florida.”
Nope. DeSantis has a mission. And he will not be deterred.
A groomer? Where did THAT come from? I saw the Trmp post from yesterday. It was a cheap shot. Typical of Trump. But I didn't see where Trump stooped to calling RDS a groomer.
This article smacks as left wing drivel. Making lies out of what was said.
“Mic drop.”
Ha, ha... All republicans don’t deserve to be smear. I am sure Romey, Mitch, Adam Kinzinger, Fred Upton, Susan Collins, Murkowski, etc. etc. etc.
The party is full of establishment hacks and need to be smeared. Right now DeSantis and Trump are in a political fight whether you realize it or not. His attacks are politics and politics is not pretty. If DeSantis can’t weather Trump’s attacks he is not fit to be President. If he survives the primaries and wins, he will get my vote hands down.
You mean all the people that Trump himself endorsed and hired?
Except, of course, Jeb Bush. Trump was a Democrat back in those days.
We shall see. I am pretty much keeping my powder dry until next year, and see how it all plays out.
“This is costing DjT support”
I think it is. He got away with the petty name calling in 2016 because it caught people by surprise......it very well may work against him this time.
As far as Governor DeSantis being very happy in Florida.......we ALL are.
“Trump needs to keep his message more positive and talk about how he was turning the country around until Biden was installed.”
*******************************************************
^This.
Last night, we saw a member of the Deep State Uniparty (DSU) utilize MAGA rhetoric to make his public performance appear to be better and align with patriotic fervor.
Patriots saw it, pointed it out and called it out.
DeSantis, a member of the DSU, is not immune from this critique.
The “magnifying glass” is being used on DeSantis to keep him honest so that \going forward\ his actions continue to mirror his outward rhetoric and any past Deep State errors he made need to be addressed, not swept under the rug.
This time, it isn’t the media critiquing the [assumed] candidate but it is the rightful action of We the People.
Once bitten, twice shy
Y’all remember Ben Sasse, right?
Oh, wait....Ben’s a close friend of Ron DeSantis!
DeSantis needs to be vetted. Better now than later. Get everything out so there are no surprises.
And now Ben is at UF, where he belongs.
“Trump cares about Trump. And only Trump.”
Utter nonsense, he cares about the country. He might think he is the only one that set it back on the right path and that is why he is attacking. And he has a proven track record on what makes America Great.
Trump "ReTruthed" a post accusing DeSantis of "Grooming high school girls with alcohol."
Obviously Trump believes DeSantis is his biggest opponent.
______________________________
If Trump wants to see his biggest opponent - he should look in a mirror.
Its heart warming to hear DeSantis say there’s nothing wrong with Dominion voting machines. 😏
There is that. Also make it look like DeSantis is his own man, instead of being tied to closely to Trump, which is a very risky proposition these days. That’s just playing it smart.
DeSantis has been paying off scores of bloggers and pundits to bash Trump. He doesn’t have the guts to make his points himself. Trump is calling his bluff.
Romney is always smearing Republicans.
“Good to see DeSantis continuing to take the gentleman’s road,”
yes, because politics is a gentelman’s game.
Oh just wait. Just wait until and if DeSantis declares. We’ll see how much of a gentleman he is when the press starts throwing everything at him and the kitchen sink. A photo of him drinking alcohol with underaged teen girls is already making it’s round. Oh just wait. He’ll have no where to go but in the arms of establishment rinos.
Good, balanced responses all around by Ron.
Shows that he is a reasonable, temperate, thoughtful man, not like his apparent primary opponents.
Wanna see something funny?
Trump endorses Sasse in 2020 race
The funny part is this endorsement came AFTER Ben Sasse became a full-blown #NeverTrumper!
LOL!
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