A.G. Gancarski
Other Governors may be worried about the current pandemic, but Gov. Ron DeSantis started and finished Tuesday in victory lap mode.
DeSantis began the day on “Fox and Friends,” serving up red meat about skeptics, such as the “Acela Media,” who falsely prophesied that COVID-19 would hit Florida like it did New York.
He ended the day in Tallahassee, again confident the state has in fact “flattened the curve” and mocking those who doubted his steady hand at the wheel.
“You go back a month, month and a half, report after report saying it was just a matter of time that Florida’s hospital system would be completely overwhelmed,” DeSantis said.
“Those predictions have been false. Our work is succeeding. We have flattened the curve,” the Governor said, noting an increase in available beds since the cancellation of elective surgeries last month.
“Those predictions were made time and time and time again, and they were wrong,” the Governor thundered. “We did not go the way of Italy. We did not go the way of New York City.”
“Did you guys say that Florida hospitals would be overrun?” DeSantis said to a Miami Herald reporter.
“A lot of this is politically motivated. A lot of the outlets have clear agendas,” DeSantis said, noting Florida outperformed much of the country, and he is putting “facts before a preferred narrative” that would say otherwise.
DeSantis decried “a narrative created that Florida is about to be capsized by a wave of sick people,” defending his administration’s tactics, even as his dynamic with the media likely won’t be improved by Tuesday’s performance.
The current crisis has seen the Governor on the defensive, with media sniping at him for everything from improper PPE protocol to a lack of social distancing at media availabilities.
On Tuesday, the Governor got a chance to give a little back. At times, his voice tensed up, a measure of his frustration with a media disenchanted with access and the administration narrative.
Although “Fox and Friends” did not ask about the exclusion of Democratic Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried from the task force, reporters did. But the Governor defended himself, saying he has multiple Democrats on the task force.
“Do you know — you don’t even know if I have Democrats on the — of course I have Democrats on the task force,” DeSantis interrupted himself. “Were you not watching the last six weeks the three most Democratic counties in Florida? We’ve poured probably 75 percent of our time and resources in that three, not because party matters, it doesn’t when you have situations like this. You’ve got to rise above the partisanship.”
“I have not been political with any of this stuff,” DeSantis added, saying he has worked with Democrats in recovery, a narrative certain to be disputed by Democrats.
“When you’re in these situations,” DeSantis said, “you’ve got to work for the common good.”
7 comments
Mary Pezzi
April 21, 2020 at 5:37 pm
After opening Jacksonville Beach with “certain restrictions,” that were ignored, I will be waiting for a couple of weeks to see how that turns out. Just as I imagine the protests up in Pennsylvania and Ohio may spread the virus and land a bunch of people in the hospital. In DeLand, Florida a 20 year old Stetson University student without any underlying conditions nearly lost her life last week. She “enjoyed” Spring Break and as a result wound up with kidney failure, and other organs shutting down before surviving. She may need a kidney transplant. She’s on dialisis now three days a week. There’s a lot of misinformation out there! I’m not planning to risk my life until the health experts say “all clear!”
Kendra Gale
April 21, 2020 at 5:59 pm
Can someone give the governor a copy of the CARES act?! Self-employed and 1099 works DO qualify for unemployment!! I’ve been told ineligible and applied 3/27. I cannot get any answers as to what to do next?? There is NO REASON to build a separate website for 1099 workers…just PAY us!
NoMoTrump
April 21, 2020 at 9:16 pm
The curve has NOT flattened. As much as the Governor would like to pretend that South Florida is not part of his state, the numbers in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach are increasing both in confirmed cases and deaths. Stop the cowardly lies. DeSantis should tell Floridians the truth. We’re tired of the lies.
Frankie M.
April 21, 2020 at 9:41 pm
“Those predictions have been false. Our work is succeeding”….
What does he mean by “our”…he hasn’t done shit. It’s been local mayors who’ve had to lead on this because he’s to chickenshit to act. This is the same guy who claimed New Yorkers were bringing covid here but he was too scared to tell spring breakers to go into quarantine thus effectively exporting this disease to God knows where. It’s probably a good thing we don’t have an effective testing and tracing program. He’d only screw it up now that he’s pressured local counties to open back up the beaches to the snowbirds.
When he talked about false claims did Ronnie mention that the flu is NOT deadlier than covid 19 or that the miracle drug his boss touts is not a panacea? No but why would he start setting the record straight now.
Frankie M.
April 22, 2020 at 3:27 pm
All that’s left now is for lil Ronnie to walk out to the ring Monday night RAW touting his policies to his base as they decide which one of their favorite wrestlers will get furloughed next. Get some! Don’t turn your back on the referee Ronnie. Look out he’s got a chair!!
Ro
April 22, 2020 at 3:35 pm
So doing every see ingle trumpians sad do isn’t political I don’t know what is shame in the governor for letting Agcriculture Commissioner Nikki Freid from sitting on this important Committee 😂
Victoria
April 27, 2020 at 3:34 pm
Hello i donated my kidney to purchase a new house and start a business for myself.
My husband, children and i are living in good health unlike before that we used to live without complete meal just to save for the future.
it all over now, you can do the same and save your family from shame but remember that most people can not take bold step to save their family.
You can contact him if you wish to help yourself.
Contact the doctor on this email: [email protected]
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