Posted on 10/01/2023 9:24:17 AM PDT by SoConPubbie
Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis is taking the fight to former President Donald Trump, calling out the polling leader's refusal to debate as an indication Trump cannot beat President Joe Biden.
"He's not showing up: He's missing in action," DeSantis told HBO's "Real Time With Bill Maher" on Friday night. "He owes it to voters to show up and defend his record. And I think he thinks he can take a juiced [up] poll, and then people don't get to vote. That's not the way the system works.
"You've got to go earn votes. So I'm showing up."
DeSantis is calling out Trump to a debate, like he has California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, pointing to his performance in the second debate — during which, pundits noted, he was presidential.
"I was the one guy that people said, 'You know what? This guy is actually acting like a president when the rest were not,'" DeSantis told Maher. "And so, OK, there I am. I told Donald, 'Let's do a debate.'
"I'm debating your governor, Gavin Newsom," DeSantis continued to Hollywood host Bill Maher.
"But let's do a debate with me and him. I'll do it."
DeSantis rejected Maher's belief Trump is unbeatable.
"That's not true," DeSantis said. "So, one, I don't think he can win the election. I could win the election. Two, I don't think he could actually get the job done that we need to do.
"For example: COVID. I think we need accountability for what this government did to this country with the COVID restrictions, mandates, and lockdowns. Donald Trump is not going to do that. He says he did everything right. He says he saved millions of lives with lockdowns. He claims his MNRA shot saved 100 million lives."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
It's true. That was the point I was trying to make here on FR. But I've made my peace with it. I'm not going to get myself suspended again.
There is absolutely nothing for President Trump to gain by participating in the meaningless theatrics called “debates”.
I think you are wrong. Biden is awful and even many RATs know it. The media wants someone other than Joe because trying to cheat this braindead bastard in again will be more difficult.
Should have attended one debate and said "I'm back". Then decline to attend others.
No. But it's still possible to ballot harvesting in many states.
Nope. Even that would have been twisted into something unrecognizable. Everyone knows he’s back anyway.
In a fair election, sure.
While Trump is having rallies Meatball is going on the Mayer Show.
Biden is going to retreat to his house in Delaware while he has the media to do the campaigning for him.
DeSantis has played this policial season so disastrously that he should get the hell out of politics. He is a pitiful sophomore.
Nothing for Trump to gain? He could demonstrate that he’s not senile like Biden. He could defuse his “blowhard” image, ex. “Desanctimonious”. He could attend and be genial and respectful of the other hopefuls. Refusing to show up won’t help him imo.
the polling just doesn’t support this belief.
I had assumed much the same a year or so ago, that a candidate like DeSantis would poll better against Biden than Trump would. But that just isn’t the case. Poll after poll shows Trump doing better than any of the candidates against Biden. Maybe some of that is due to Trump having attacked them for running against him and maybe that wouldn’t of been the case otherwise. But we are where we are, and currently DeSantis is wrong on this.
Old Poopy Pants is going to do that no matter what.
You're going to get lots of answers that say he can. IF the elections are "fair".
What does that REALISTICALLY mean?
What has President Trump been doing to advance supporters in State Legislatures to improve voting and election laws? I'm talking bill numbers, specifics, etc.
It all starts at the State level.
If Trump had decided not to run and had fully thrown his support behind someone, things might have been different. But none of that happened. And as things stand, Trump will be the nominee.
Whatever President Trump says or does in a debate will be distorted and used to injure him politically. That’s what won’t help.
It’s a good strategy, if you are ahead.
President Trump is vulnerable on issues like spending when Republicans controlled the House and the Senate, and the Second Amendment.
It’s best for him not to debate as he’s not prepared to answer questions related to those areas.
So the answer is no.
I agree.
And as things stand, Trump will be the nominee.
So he needs to have a plan.
I don’t think Meatball can wipe his own butt
See how that works?
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