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DeSantis looks to move past media's Trump obsession by taking on Newsom
Washington Examiner ^ | August 05, 2023 | Julia Johnson

Posted on 08/05/2023 9:26:52 AM PDT by conservative98

This strategy could be hit or miss for the Florida Republican, according to political strategists and pollsters. While some praised the idea as a smart move in an unusual media environment, others dismissed it as desperate.

According to Republican strategist Ron Bonjean, this is "a smart strategy to impress voters" but only so long as "he can prove that he is effective at scoring points against a leading Democratic player."

Fellow GOP strategist David Kochel agreed, noting, "The new Trump indictment sucks up all the oxygen, and I think anything these campaigns can do to gain some of the market share of coverage and media is smart."

"I think right now DeSantis is struggling and scrambling to get some air. So to do something like this could help at least provide him some headlines that get away from Trump, which is what he desperately needs," said pollster Doug Usher.

However, he added, "You just don't look presidential when you go up against people who aren't running for president."

One Democratic strategist claimed, "A campaign that is going well and is surging, or at least heading in the right direction, doesn't accept an invitation from a governor to debate on Fox News. He's doing it because it's like all he's got left to do."

The Trump campaign agreed with this characterization, referring the Washington Examiner to a tweet from senior adviser Jason Miller in which he compares the debate to the National Invitational Tournament, which is an event for Division I men's college basketball teams that are not selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament.

As to why Newsom is game for the debate and has been for months, the California governor told supporters in an email from his PAC Campaign for Democracy that he challenged DeSantis because "he is a total fraud and the world needs to see it."

He further assured recipients that he intends to advocate and defend "the Biden agenda and accomplishments from DeSantis' attacks" before urging them to donate to the president's campaign.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: biden; california; debates; desantis; desimps; desperate; florida; gavinnewsom; helpingbiden; nevertrumpers; newsom; rondesantis
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To: catnipman
Are you stuck with that comment in your computer's cache so that it is the only thing you can post time after time? Or is that the limit of your abilities, much like Biden and Harris best if left to a single sentence.

And if DeSantis is such a non-threat to Trump, why all of the insecurity and concern?

21 posted on 08/05/2023 9:52:44 AM PDT by Reno89519 (DeSantis 2024. Successful Governor, Honorable Veteran, Respectful, Respected.)
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To: conservative98

Like everything else DeSanctimonious has tried, this won’t work either.

And his hope that President Trump is going to be taken out by LawFare is not going to happen either.

DeSantis fans have a sad!


22 posted on 08/05/2023 9:55:51 AM PDT by SoConPubbie (Trump has all the right enemies, DeSantis has all the wrong friends.)
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To: Reno89519
Do you have posters of DeSantis in your bedroom fanboi-style? I will be that when you were young, instead of a Farrah Fawcett poster, you probably had one of Jimmy Carter.


23 posted on 08/05/2023 10:03:25 AM PDT by wildcard_redneck (The Forever War is a crime against humanity)
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To: Reno89519

Newsom is a worthy opponent for Ron DeSantis to be setting his sights upon. Trying to tangle directly with Donald Trump is like Don Quixote, the Man of La Mancha, tilting at windmills. The windmill sails will just pull the knight off his horse and send him flailing in the air for a none-too-soft landing.

Right now DeSantis could do without the bruises.


24 posted on 08/05/2023 10:04:22 AM PDT by alloysteel (Take back the rainbow. Its use by LGBTQ is cultural misappropriation.)
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To: livius
Trump has already publicly said that he doesn’t plan to debate anybody - rival GOPer or Dem - so he probably doesn’t want to call attention to DeSantis’ willingness to debate.

Good guess. Mine is he doesn't want to let it slip he's rooting for Newsome to win.

The one thing we do know - he'll come out after the debate and declare Newsome the winner, no matter what.

25 posted on 08/05/2023 10:05:20 AM PDT by Golden Eagle (Ultra Conservative)
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To: Golden Eagle
Has Trump even commented on it yet? Usually he’s obsessed with all things DeSantis.

It's almost as if he knows the polling is bullsh*t.

26 posted on 08/05/2023 10:07:36 AM PDT by Drew68 (Ron DeSantis for President. A conservative who fights and wins.)
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To: Reno89519

Nobody will watch it and DeSantis will lose badly.


27 posted on 08/05/2023 10:07:50 AM PDT by The Iceman Cometh (Casey DeSantis? No thanks. I've already voted for too many Bushes.)
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To: Reno89519

“...but he’s got a lot of explaining to do.”

Can’t wait to see gruesome look at his toes and shuffle his feet trying to figure out how to sell the Chinese lab thing when Trump lays it in the table. It has been well hidden by the media so far. But Trump will be glad to enlighten the voters that the Newsome administration not only allowed the lab into Reedley, they also licensed the original in Fresno a couple of year earlier and were well aware of it because it burned down.

wy69


28 posted on 08/05/2023 10:10:15 AM PDT by whitney69
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To: conservative98

"If a tree falls in the forest, and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

How about two trees?


29 posted on 08/05/2023 10:12:37 AM PDT by so_real ( "The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.")
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To: SubMareener

Curious why you left out September


30 posted on 08/05/2023 10:19:18 AM PDT by Blue Highway
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To: Golden Eagle

Interesting pair of slacks Trump is wearing. One leg tan and the other black.


31 posted on 08/05/2023 10:22:08 AM PDT by Blue Highway
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To: conservative98

Two problems with trying to ignore Trump:

1. DeSantis is 40 points down, rather than 20 points up, as his handlers likely promised, given all the indictments.

2. Newsom is likely a PROFESSIONAL debater, whereas DeSantis isn’t all that interested in International Intrigue, especially given his focus on Florida.


32 posted on 08/05/2023 10:28:20 AM PDT by BobL (Trump has all the right Enemies; DeSantis has all the wrong Friends)
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To: livius
Trump unnecessarily alienates people who might otherwise have been significant supporters.

This. Truth.

33 posted on 08/05/2023 11:03:15 AM PDT by NautiNurse (🇺🇸 Selling out the U.S.A.: The Briben Brand™)
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To: livius
I wish Trump hadn’t spent months (and a lot of money) with personal attacks on DeSantis even before he was running, because Trump unnecessarily alienates people who might otherwise have been significant supporters.

Trump is targeted by the Deep State and the Biden Administration.

But due to Trump's personality and baggage, I'm voting for DeSantis.

34 posted on 08/05/2023 11:07:44 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: Blue Highway

Interesting pair of slacks Trump is wearing. One leg tan and the other black.

***********

The black slacks belong to a guy behind Trump who is shaking hands with McCarthy.


35 posted on 08/05/2023 11:19:24 AM PDT by unclebankster ( Globalism is the last refuge of a scoundrel)
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To: conservative98

This has the feeling of the Vice Presidential Candidates Debates. Not grippingly compelling to watch.

Perot’s VP candidate James Stockdale, a retired Navy vice admiral: “I don’t know what I’m doing here today.” Honest but didn’t go over well at the debate.


36 posted on 08/05/2023 11:21:52 AM PDT by frank ballenger (You have summoned up a thundercloud. You're gonna hear from me. Anthem by Leonard Cohen)
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To: conservative98

NEWSOM is going to be very vulnerable due to the 2 Chinese Bio-Labs found in Calif.

Those labs had NEWSOM’S SUPPORT-—GRANTS-—TAX INCENTIVES, ETC.


37 posted on 08/05/2023 11:38:05 AM PDT by ridesthemiles
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To: unclebankster

I knew there a reasonable explanation. McCarthy. What a sleazy two faced RINO


38 posted on 08/05/2023 11:52:34 AM PDT by Blue Highway
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To: conservative98; All

Newsome is very bold, brave. Rats rarely, if ever, have thr deck stacked against them but Gavin V Desanctimonius and Hannity I’d pretty stacked.


39 posted on 08/05/2023 12:16:48 PM PDT by wiseprince (Me)
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To: SoConPubbie; All

What is likely to happen is Gavin will accuse Desanctimonius of supporting a Trump policy and Mo will back away from it. Most likely the scam election and this will highlight that Desanctimonius is basically Pence. Honestly, I bet Hannity gets the most speaking time.


40 posted on 08/05/2023 12:24:05 PM PDT by wiseprince (Me)
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