Jacob Ogles
Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis says his opponent, Andrew Gillum, called him a “dog” on the debate stage but doesn’t get called on that because of a media double standard.
Fox 13 News reporter Jennifer Holton on Saturday asked DeSantis during a press gaggle why in debates he referred to the Democratic gubernatorial candidate as “Andrew,” while Gillum referred to DeSantis as “Congressman.”
It’s an issue Gillum himself raised on the campaign trail. Speaking at Florida Memorial University Thursday, he said the refusal to use the title “Mayor” showed disrespect.
“Between the two of us, he quit his job in Congress, I’m a sitting mayor, and he had the nerve to address me only as Andrew?” Gillum said, according to the Miami Herald.
That’s rich, DeSantis said, both because of what else Gillum called DeSantis on stage and because of the names DeSantis could have used but didn’t.
“He called me a dog in the debate,” DeSantis said. “Did you watch that?”
The “dog” comment came during the second gubernatorial debate in one of the testiest exchanges of the campaign season.
DeSantis, after defending keeping contributions from a donor he referred to President Barack Obama using a racial slur, responded angrily he could not keep track of everything everyone said.
Gillum responded: “My grandmother used to say, ‘A hit dog will holler,’ and it hollered through this room.”
The clip, which also included Gillum spelling out the N-word letter by letter, went viral. But DeSantis said not enough attention is going to what Gillum said about him.
“So what, does he have his own standard and I have a different standard?” DeSantis told Holton Saturday. “Is there a double standard here? OK, fine.”
Then DeSantis launched into a list of accusations and alternative titles he could bestow on Gillum.
“How about Crooked Mayor Gillum. He took bribes. He was wrong.
“How about Failed Mayor Gillum. He has the highest crime in Tallahassee, the highest number of murders in history. His chief of staff is campaigning against his record running in Tallahassee right now.
“How about Radical Mayor Gillum, because he signed the Dream Defenders pledge and he will not disavow it. He will not disavow them. He stands with them. They are militantly anti-police and anti-law enforcement.”
Gillum responded to DeSantis’ diatribe on Twitter with sarcastic soothing.
“Now, now, Congressman. Calm down. Only 10 days left, okay?” Gillum tweeted.
I asked @RepDeSantis about the criticism he’s been taking about calling @AndrewGillum “Andrew.” Here’s what he said: pic.twitter.com/QBlcYFSJ45
— Jennifer Holton FOX 13 (@jennholtonFOX) October 27, 2018
16 comments
Steven
October 28, 2018 at 10:30 am
Gillum is an instigator.
leroy collins
October 28, 2018 at 1:39 pm
……. de santis is a racist and a fascist who might as well wear white sheets and burn crosses
Jody
October 28, 2018 at 2:56 pm
What kind of an a****** would use a dead governor’s name as his own?
Nordonia Nate
October 28, 2018 at 10:27 pm
Leroy Collins…
Really? You have examples?
Or, is THIS the way politics run today? Make crazy comments and walk away….
Michael Holland
October 28, 2018 at 4:05 pm
If Gillum is an instigator what exactly would you say Desantis is?
Nordonia Nate
October 28, 2018 at 10:34 pm
Michael Holland..
To answer your question: Candidate for Governor of Florida, 2018.
Gillum is currently under corruption investigation by the FBI.. Gillum has a tendency to play the race card whenever he can to deflect away from responding to his corruption involvement …
Why not be honest… Gillum is certainly NOT running as an individual… He is using his ethnicity to hide behind a weak platform
Eddie
October 29, 2018 at 5:17 am
You clowns continue to complain about black people playing the race. Then stop dealing them out…TRUTH
William
October 28, 2018 at 12:07 pm
How ironic that a man who used a racist phrase that he himself created but claimed was widely used would develop hurt feelings over a phrase that itself is a very common one in the South.
Desantis has the demeanor of a man who knows he was defeated in BOTH debates, and I believe he also has come to the realization that he is very likely going to lose the election, so he’s angry and irritated and crying foul.
Michael Holland
October 28, 2018 at 4:01 pm
Agreed. Desantis thought that being white and supported by trump would guarantee him a win. He thought wrong.
Nordonia Nate
October 28, 2018 at 10:42 pm
William…
NOT certain where you can up with this “racist phrase” story, but there were quite a few people using various examples of the phrase … Ironically, Obama being one of them. When Obama said it.. Where was your outrage?
William… Gillum is fading… Early vote returns are not positive for Gillum.. Gillum is really killing himself as he tries to explain the FBI corruption investigation…
Michael Holland
October 28, 2018 at 3:59 pm
Gillum should have been a little clearer. Desantis is a female dog in other words a bitch.
Nordonia Nate
October 28, 2018 at 10:48 pm
Michael Holland…
YOU truly bring out the “best” from the Gillum team… Ignorant, profane petty personal attacks framed with racist insults …. YOU are what Gillum represents
James Brown
October 28, 2018 at 5:04 pm
Gillum is a servant of Satan and anyone who votes for him is as well.
stan
October 28, 2018 at 9:45 pm
my goodness…he’s my neighbor….I live in ponte vedra…I was gonna vote for him, but it’s now become apparent he’s a nutter!
James
October 29, 2018 at 7:14 am
DeSantis is the individual whose campaign on personal destruction, lies & deceit, yet
like the racist bully that he is, cries like a baby when the tables are turned. Florida does
not need Trump light as a Governor, rather Gillum who has workable plans that will be
beneficial to all Floridians.
Javier
October 29, 2018 at 11:33 am
The point DeSantis was making is very poignant. “Don’t monkey it up Florida” is a common term for don’t screw up a good thing. Yet for the race baiters that have an awful agenda, it is a racist comment. The double standard that “A hit dog will holler” to not be called out is rich and hypocritical. It is a common term and in no way racist as is don’t monkey it up. Gillum is an antagonist and knows how to use the dog whistle!
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