A.G. Gancarski
Gov. Ron DeSantis parlayed his Transparency in Technology legislation into a second straight blitz of prime-time media hits Wednesday.
And in the bargain, he ended up addressing “speculation” about a potential presidential campaign in 2024 and getting a platform to discuss a leadership vacuum in the GOP.
The Governor, who rehearsed a short version of his swashbuckling arguments against the hegemony of the “Big Tech Cartel” with Tucker Carlson on Fox News the night before, got platforms on national radio and Newsmax, with a nightcap with Laura Ingraham on the Fox News Channel.
The Newsmax spot offered the most expansive view of the Governor’s political vision. It allowed DeSantis to posit the TIT bill into a prototype for other states and other leaders and to put himself over in the bargain.
DeSantis said when asked about 2024 that he’s “thinking about governing Florida and running for reelection in 2022,” before adding that “a lot of the speculation just goes back to what [host Greg Kelly was] saying, like people see me out here leading, and they like to see that in the Republican Party because, quite frankly, we need more Republicans to show some backbone.”
Indeed, the segment offered DeSantis a unique opportunity to posture as a politician willing to make the tough decisions that others, even members of the Republican Party, shy away from.
“You’ve just got to lead. And until someone leads, no one does it. Florida has been leading on a lot of things over the last couple of years. We’re leading again,” the Governor said.
But he wasn’t done.
“It’s about when you get elected, are you going to get elected and then do the things you said you would do, and then as new issues arrive, exercise leadership. That’s what people in Florida want to see, ” DeSantis added.
“You don’t have to put your finger in the wind. I’ve not taken a poll since I’ve been Governor. I don’t need to. I’ve got to do what’s right. I’ve got to do what the folks expect me to,” DeSantis said. “Too many politicians, they get elected and then they think their sole job is just to continue to get elected. When actually you get elected to do things.”
DeSantis also offered a defense of a confrontation from weeks back with a CNN reporter, saying it was evidence that he wouldn’t compromise to a media apparatus hostile to him.
“Nobody should have any illusions about the agenda with a lot of these people. What I see, particularly in Washington: Some of these elected Republicans, they do somersaults to try to please these very left-wing journalists, these outfits. Understand they don’t want Republicans to do well. They don’t want Republicans to win elections. So stop playing their games,” DeSantis said.
And the tech crackdown bill has to be seen in that context of partisan warfare.
The Florida Governor frames it as an assault against Big Tech, which he described Wednesday on national radio to Mark Levin as an “arm of the ruling class, arm of the Joe Biden administration.”
For DeSantis, who ignored a reporter’s question about whether the election was “stolen” just this week, it’s clear that whatever happens with Donald Trump, he has at least two years and maybe more to set up as a conservative counterpoint to a left-of-center administration. And this anti-tech legislation is another front in a multi-theater war.
19 comments
jason loomis
February 4, 2021 at 3:59 am
2024!
Mike
February 4, 2021 at 4:50 am
Wow. Visiting from out of state. Hope enough of y’all are paying attention to purge this vermin from your midst.
Sonja Fitch
February 4, 2021 at 8:19 am
Omg just spit coffee laughing at Duffus Desantis! Can’t wait to see how Nazi Rick reacts! lol watching the goptrump death cult collapse is such a joy! lol
James Robert Miles
February 4, 2021 at 10:36 am
Just what the U.S. needs! Another idiotic GOP’er who wants to be like Trump! Pathetic!
Karellen
February 4, 2021 at 11:40 am
This greaser isn’t going anywhere. As the recent election demonstrated America has lost it’s appetite for flabby Fascists with a penchant for ill-fitting suits.
Alicia D Czajkowski
February 4, 2021 at 12:44 pm
Everyone loves Florida!
Free from the tyranny of their own local Government.
Everyone comes to visit, vacation, bask in the sun and fun that is offered by beautiful, smiling faces!
Free from the tyranny of their own local Government.
Served by willing, happy residents who love working, getting a paycheck and providing for their families!
Free from the tyranny of their own local Government.
Go bash the NAZIS who are holding freedom hostage! Shut your face about my Governor.
Diana Linton
February 4, 2021 at 1:47 pm
We have a Governor that is working for the people of our State. My suggestion to anyone that is not happy the way he is governing move to New York,Calif.,Illinois or any state that is governed by a Democrat. Majority here voted DeSantis. Florida is great state! Thank you Governor DeSantis!!!
PeterH
February 4, 2021 at 2:21 pm
DeSantis is tied in a symbiotic relationship to loser Donald Trump and Trump’s failed policies and narrative. The American media will expose this intrinsic tie to the most incompetent irrational birther fool President in the history of our great country.
Furthermore, it might be different if Ron’s model citizen Donald Trump had won the 2016 & 2020 elections by significant margins. Trump lost the popular votes both times.
Joe
February 4, 2021 at 7:25 pm
There is no more a human pile of bile than Ron DeSantis. He should be elected into the boot lickers Hall of Fame.
DeSantis has kissed more Trump as S. Then OAN.
Ronnie Is A Psycho
February 4, 2021 at 7:30 pm
Alicia D Czajkowski
Please take meds or ask your doctor if a straitjacket is right for you.
Arthro
February 4, 2021 at 8:08 pm
Best Governor in Florida history.
Working Mom
February 4, 2021 at 8:18 pm
Governor DeSantis is amazing and he will keep Florida safe, free & with low taxes! We just need all these liberal fools who destroyed their home states now piling in to our beautiful Florida to go back where they came from!
We don’t need or want your destructive ideas!
PeterH
February 4, 2021 at 8:31 pm
Dear “working mom”
Here are some fun facts for you to suck on!
35% of Florida residents are from Florida
65% of Florida residents are from other states or countries.
Florida is the third largest recipient of Federal Government assistance.
Florida would not survive without contributions from blue states! Florida would not survive without the real estate taxes paid by millionaires who live in the state part time.
Get a life….get an education….and stop whining!
Happy Floridian
February 4, 2021 at 8:46 pm
To all the liberal fools showing up in Florida; we pay our bills, we are not broke like the places you come from so we don’t have to be taxed to death as we are a common sense republican state!
Our Florida kids are in school not shut up in crummy apartments killing themselves because the Democrats so desperate for POWER over YOU wanted to destroy a thriving economy to destroy a great president!
Because of our wonderful Governor DeSantis we have “school choice” where parents who care about their kids drive across town to send them to a top notch charter school but you’re sorry Democrat president wants to destroy charter schools why is that tell me?? Is it because the goal of the Democrats is to keep your kids dumbed down so they will grow to be dependent on a guaranteed income keeping them at the mercy of big government with no opportunity to L-Earn?
Wake up Florida, we have a great state because we have great Governor and great republican common sense legislators!!
Bruce M
February 4, 2021 at 8:47 pm
He definitely switched positions on the marijuana cartel after they lined his pockets.
Working Mom
February 4, 2021 at 8:50 pm
Hey Peter, I love a big mouth with no references you need to get an education bud!!
Happy Floridian
February 4, 2021 at 8:53 pm
Sonja, I have been listening to you for years, you never shut up & never have anything to say except vile derogatory trash!
Sonja Fitch
February 5, 2021 at 4:41 am
It is Ms Sonja to you happy? I love how I can provoke! It is easy to be a fool without a thought ! But to be a “fool” with a thought is even better . Duffus Desantis is willingly slaughtering Floridians ! So happy? Duffus Desantis took the vaccines from poor while black and brown communities ! Why? So hims could kiss the ass of the Publix heiress for the MONEY!
Pamela. Eichorst
February 6, 2021 at 6:31 pm
The best Governor Florida has ever had. I’ve been here fifty years and I can tell you that by experience
Comments are closed.