Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

DeSantis’s Challenge: When, and How, to Counterattack Trump
New York Times ^ | Feb. 12, 2023, 12:45 p.m. ET | Michael C. Bender and Maggie Haberman

Posted on 02/12/2023 11:58:09 AM PST by conservative98

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida prizes preparation and the way it allows him to control his political narrative. But suddenly, he was on the verge of going off message.

He had traveled to a Central Florida warehouse this past week to promote a $2 billion tax cut proposal when he was confronted with the inevitable: an especially ugly attack from former President Donald J. Trump that seemed to warrant a strong response.

Mr. Trump had insinuated on social media that Mr. DeSantis behaved inappropriately with high school girls while he was a teacher in his early 20s. As a reporter asked for his reaction, the Florida governor — standing amid kitchen stoves and boxes of baby diapers — inhaled sharply. He straightened the papers in front of him and raised his open palms to interrupt the question.

But instead of slamming the former president, Mr. DeSantis demurred.

[cut]

But Mr. DeSantis’s above-the-fray posture carries risk. One of the central tenets of the modern Republican Party under Mr. Trump has been the willingness to fight, ruthlessly and tirelessly.

While the Florida governor has successfully portrayed himself to conservatives as a cultural warrior, his actual experience mixing it up with powerful opponents is thinner. He was barely tested last year during his re-election bid, his first since emerging as a national political figure.

[cut]

Taking on Mr. Trump is complicated. Republican rivals have been unable for seven years to thwart his personal attacks or to dissuade an abiding loyalty to the former president among about one-third of the party’s voters.

There is often little room to question or debate Mr. Trump without being cast by him and his allies as a political adversary, or even a traitor to the country.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons; Politics/Elections; US: Florida; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 1trump2024; 2024; actliketrump; attack; attackattack; concerntroll; concerntrolling; concerntrolls; cultofdesantis; desantis; desantisaintrunning; desimps; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; fakenews; fakerivalry; gop; gope; haggymaberman; lockdownhypocrite; lockdowns; maggiehaberman; meatballron; mediawingofthednc; michaelcbender; mitchmcconnell; nevertrumpers; newyorkdesimps; newyorkslimes; nytfordesantis; nytimeslovesdesantis; obama; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; presstitutes; rondesantis; ronlims; shutdownron; smearmachine; smokybackroom; tds; trump; trump2024; trumpthinskin; walterdurantytimes; whydoestheleftluvron; zot; zothenevertrumpers; zottheconcerntrolls; zotthedesimps
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last

1 posted on 02/12/2023 11:58:09 AM PST by conservative98
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: conservative98
“DeSantis has been getting the benefit of an announced presidential candidate — and all the media attention that comes with that — without having to get involved in every dogfight, because he is operating under the auspices of a governor who is doing his job,” said Josh Holmes, a Republican strategist and top adviser to Senator Mitch McConnell, the minority leader.

------------------------

“It’s a really tough situation for DeSantis,” said Tommy Vietor, a Democratic strategist who worked for Senator Barack Obama in his brutal primary race against Hillary Clinton in 2008. “If he starts punching at Trump, he’s going to anger a lot of the people he needs to vote for him.” But, Mr. Vietor noted, “if you are viewed as weak and cower in response to attacks from Trump, that will be seen as a proxy for how you will be seen as a Republican nominee and how you’ll be as president.”

Another glowing article on Ron Desantis. Democrats and media and Mitch MConnell worried.

2 posted on 02/12/2023 11:59:16 AM PST by conservative98
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: conservative98

DeSantis doesn’t need to attack Trump, Trump will sink or swim based on his own actions.


3 posted on 02/12/2023 12:02:53 PM PST by TexasFreeper2009
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: conservative98

DeSantis should ignore Trump. Trump is his own worst enemy.


4 posted on 02/12/2023 12:04:16 PM PST by thegagline (Sic semper tyrannis! Goldwater 2024)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: conservative98

NY Times trying to divide MAGA/America First!


5 posted on 02/12/2023 12:07:16 PM PST by for-q-clinton (Cancel Culture IS fascism...Let's start calling it that!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thegagline

“DeSantis should ignore Trump. Trump is his own worst enemy.”
***
I agree.


6 posted on 02/12/2023 12:07:30 PM PST by Dr. Scarpetta ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: for-q-clinton

Bingo. This article is not about DeSantis; it’s a hit piece on Trump.


7 posted on 02/12/2023 12:09:05 PM PST by Fungi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: conservative98

desantis issued a statement 3 weeks ago instructing people not to donate any money to any organization that claims he’s running for president in 2024...


8 posted on 02/12/2023 12:10:15 PM PST by heavy metal (smiling improves your face value and makes people wonder what the hell you're up to... 😁)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TexasFreeper2009

Exactly.


9 posted on 02/12/2023 12:11:39 PM PST by Mr. Lucky
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: conservative98

DeSantis needs to simply sit back and watch the show. Trump will take care of the rest.


10 posted on 02/12/2023 12:13:10 PM PST by devane617 (Discipline Is Reliable, Motivation Is Fleeting..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: for-q-clinton
NY Times trying to divide MAGA/America First!

No, that would be Trump's childish, petulant behavior.

11 posted on 02/12/2023 12:13:46 PM PST by Drew68 (Ron DeSantis for President 2024)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: conservative98
Saint Desantis has to stay silent unless he resigns his governorship, or he gets special consideration from the Florida legislature… He is suppose to be the governor of Florida, not running for the office of president.
12 posted on 02/12/2023 12:14:25 PM PST by Just mythoughts (Psalm 2. Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Drew68

“Trump’s childish, petulant behavior…”
***

His behavior is tedious, boring, and a turn-off, IMO.


13 posted on 02/12/2023 12:21:13 PM PST by Dr. Scarpetta ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: conservative98

He doesn’t have to. Trump is his own worst enemy.


14 posted on 02/12/2023 12:22:01 PM PST by Timber Rattler ("To hold a pen is to be at war." --Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Just mythoughts

your lord god trump still insists the experimental shots are “safe and effective”...


15 posted on 02/12/2023 12:24:14 PM PST by heavy metal (smiling improves your face value and makes people wonder what the hell you're up to... 😁)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: conservative98

Everyone seems to think that Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump are going to square off in a one-on-one battle for the nomination for the Presidency of the United States on the Republican ticket.

Ron DeSantis is the Plan B if Trump should stumble badly in his quest for the nomination, but so far, Trump is right on the path, and DeSantis is holding fire. There are some out on the daily beat that WANT a fight to ignite between Trump and DeSantis, but that is only to weaken BOTH candidates.

Besides, Ron DeSantis has a state to run for the next four years, can’t be gallivanting off on some wild goose chase.


16 posted on 02/12/2023 12:24:21 PM PST by alloysteel (Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right. - Isaac Asimov)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: conservative98

NY Times is loving us bloodying each other.


17 posted on 02/12/2023 12:25:26 PM PST by McGruff (Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f*** things up - Barack Obama)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: conservative98

Good luck with that Ron.

We look forward to seeing that little scuffle, before you take the exists like so many before you.

No Republican who has taken on Trump still has Presidential aspirations. Most will never hold higher office than they have now.

A few have been outright expelled from the party.

I’d pay to watch DeSantis suffer the same fate.


18 posted on 02/12/2023 12:26:43 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: conservative98
DeSantis ought not to run against Trump. DeSantis should instead run a shadow campaign in which he would aim to become Trump's most obvious and capable successor and the GOP's just-in-case nominee if Biden and the Democrats make it impossible for Trump to run.

If DeSantis nevertheless runs against Trump, even when Trump attacks him, DeSantis ought to be nothing but complimentary and respectful of Trump and full of praise for his accomplishments as President. In effect, DeSantis would then be running as Trump's successor, not as his opponent, and would direct his attacks on Biden and the Democrats.

Trump and the Democrats would be utterly flummoxed if DeSantis took that approach. And DeSantis might manage to pry the GOP base away from their support for Trump without wrecking the party.

19 posted on 02/12/2023 12:29:28 PM PST by Rockingham
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Scarpetta
“DeSantis should ignore Trump. Trump is his own worst enemy.”

*** I agree.

And I agree with both observations.

Mark Twain once wrote...Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.

I'm not calling Trump a fool, of course, but I'll offer the observation that his petty name-calling and divisive swipes at fellow GOPers do not make him look wise or presidential. Feuding with him would not be a beneficial strat.

Trump would so help himself if he were to modify his tone and outlook to be more genial and upbeat and accepting of potential allies. Sadly, he appears to be increasingly toxic, in some circles, despite pleas for him to act more presidential.

20 posted on 02/12/2023 12:30:54 PM PST by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never...in nothing, great or small...Winston Churchill)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson