Sunday, October 1, 2023

RON DESANTIS, WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, WILL NOW NEVER BE…


Once upon a time I had a fantasy. It was back when my governor, Ron DeSantis, was running for re-election and stated that he had no intention of running for president if President Trump did decide to run for re-election. In my fantasy DeSantis made good on his promise not to run, and while he continued doing a great job as governor came out as an enthusiastic supporter of President Trump. And it would be after having completed most of his second term President Trump would then reward him for his support by tapping him as his running mate. But Ron squashed my fantasy by allowing his ego to get the better of him, convincing him to take on President Trump.

And was over this past weekend, during an appearance on this week’s broadcast of Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” that DeSantis stated that he would not serve as President Trump’s vice president if the President Trump were to ask him to be his running mate. And it was on Wednesday of last week, while in Detroit, that President Trump was asked about his competitors for becoming the Republicans nominee. And it was then that President Trump said, “They’re all job candidates. They’ll do anything, secretary of something. They even say VP. I don’t know. Does anybody see any VP in the group? I don’t think so.” And I’d have to agree.

And it was during the interview that anchor Maria Bartiromo who asked, “If President Trump came to you and said let’s partner up, you be my VP would you do it?” DeSantis said, “No, I’m running for president.” He added, “We need somebody that can serve two terms. We need somebody that can win states like Georgia and Arizona, which President Trump cannot do or did not do, even though candidates like McCain and Romney had no problem winning those states. We need somebody who, and I’m the only one running, including Donald Trump, everything I’ve promised the voters that I would do as governor of Florida, I’ve delivered on."

He added, “We delivered budget surpluses, paying down debt, tax cut, school choice, parents’ rights, banning sanctuary cities, expanding Second Amendment rights. All and all down the line I promise and I deliver. And that’s really what we need, because the country is in decline.” I feel confident in saying that DeSantis has shot himself in both feet. He should have just stayed out of it, finished his term as governor, and been a sure thing in 2028. Instead, he alienated President Trump’s base which he would have had behind him in 2028, blew any chance of a Trump endorsement in 2028, and showed himself to be just another also-ran instead of Trump’s heir-apparent in 2028.

While I freely admit that I am in no way an expert in area politics, I do find myself questioning his political instincts. Clearly, he would have done himself a favor by focusing on finishing his second term, perhaps endorsing President Trump along the way, putting himself in the position of being selected as President Trump’s running mate. And if successful in 2024 DeSantis would have been right where he needed to be going into the 2028. He has now burned his bridges with MAGA by listening to those who are part of the ‘Establishment.’ President Trump’s heir-apparent blew it because of his impatience. He would have had 2028 in the bag if he had just waited his turn.

And now I feel that he may never get the chance, and that, I think, is a shame. He should have stayed out of 2024, built up his credentials as a conservative and tried in 2028. He would have been the natural frontrunner. He made the bad decision to run against President Trump. It would seem that he allowed himself to be coaxed into a premature run, promised that President Trump would falter, and that he would inherit the frontrunner position. Whoever is backing him is purely anti-Trump and MAGAs know it. And just think we could have had 12 years of Republican leadership, but DeSantis either got greedy or took some very bad advice that he should have ignored.

I won’t vote for DeSantis, not now, not ever. I don’t mind that he wants to run for President, but it should be hard to ignore that he wouldn’t have even won his election for governor had it not been for President Trump’s endorsement. He should have waited his turn for that reason alone. All he accomplished was to piss off those who like him, but want to vote for President Trump. People, including myself, feel betrayed. He promised the people of Florida that he would finish his term as governor and then proceeded to change the law so that he could run for president and remain governor. And I’m a bit uneasy when it comes to many of those who have endorsed him.

DeSantis should have caught on early that President Trump being jailed is a pipe dream. His only shot at become president was via being President Trump’s VP. DeSantis jumped into the big game prematurely, and his whiney, spiteful, amateurish political persona has likely put the kibosh on his hope for a Presidential future. Look, I’ve held my nose and voted for RINO nominees more times than I care to count. There was Bush 41, Dole, Bush 43, McCain and, finally, Romney. All were losers every single one. I voted for Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump without having to hold my nose and I will happily, cheerfully, vote for the latter once again next year.

I would have voted for DeSantis for president if he had waited until the next election. He had a good name and solid support. Republicans could have anticipated three terms of Republican presidency if he had not chosen, for whatever reason, to muddy up the waters. I had not seen such self-serving in his nature until he pulled this stunt. But then, he is a politician so what can we expect? My opinion of him has been greatly diminished. He could have been a viable candidate in 2028, but not now. Too bad. If RINOs had fought the stolen 2020 election, President Trump would be a lame duck right now and DeSantis would be the likely front runner to be our next President.

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