Ron DeSantis claims critics of his December schedule aren’t ‘shooting straight’
Ron DeSantis. Image via AP.

DeSantis 2
AOC and Nikki Fried wondered where the Governor was during the COVID-19 surge.

Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke about his abbreviated December public schedule, blasting his “enemies” for criticizing him for not speaking up as COVID-19 surged in the state last month.

“When you’re in the political arena, sometimes you’re fortunate with the enemies you have. Because these people just aren’t shooting straight,” DeSantis said at a press conference Monday, responding to critics who suggested the Governor was on vacation when he was in fact by his wife’s side during breast cancer treatments.

DeSantis said the latest attacks were “dumb” and “not effective,” wrapping up seemingly extemporaneous remarks in which he responded to people wondering why he wasn’t doing COVID-19 press conferences as omicron surged last month.

“I guess I should have been at the beach in Delaware, right, and then they would have been really happy with that,” DeSantis quipped, a reference to President Joe Biden‘s frequent returns home.

DeSantis noted that his office releases its schedule daily.

“I guess these people didn’t know that,” DeSantis said, noting that on Thursday he had public events, but the day before there was “nothing on the calendar.”

The Governor lampooned critics saying, “oh my God, he’s on vacation,” before reminding reporters of the real reason for his absence.

“I just looked at my wife. I’m like, ‘going to the hospital with you is not a vacation for you, I know that,'” DeSantis said. “This is something that as a husband, I think I should be doing. I’ve accompanied her to all her chemotherapy treatments. She’s there for a long time. I’m there most of the time.”

“But it’s a draining thing,” the Governor added. “When she’s done with it, it’s not something that’s great to see.”

DeSantis said that for many people, including those who had gone through breast cancer treatments, “the notion that would be considered a vacation is offensive to a lot of those folks, and they understand what you’re doing.”

DeSantis’ comments came in the wake of speculation from both state and national figures about his absence, including Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York Congresswoman who razzed DeSantis last week while in the state on vacation.

“Hasn’t Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like two weeks? If he’s around, I would be happy to say hello,” AOC tweeted last week, ahead of Fox News reporting that the Governor was by the First Lady’s side during cancer treatments.

DeSantis addressed the recurrent phenomenon of Democratic elected officials from across the country vacationing in the state.

“If I had a dollar for every lockdown politician who decided to escape to Florida over the last two years, I’d be a pretty doggone wealthy man, let me tell you,” DeSantis quipped.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. He writes for the New York Post and National Review also, with previous work in the American Conservative and Washington Times and a 15+ year run as a columnist in Folio Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


8 comments

  • PeterH

    January 3, 2022 at 12:43 pm

    “Winning” for Ron DeSantis and his FREEDUMB loving followers is observing 40%~50% of Miami’s Lincoln Road shops and restaurants boarded up!

    • George Rutledge

      January 3, 2022 at 1:06 pm

      You are nothing!

  • Frankie M.

    January 3, 2022 at 1:05 pm

    Imagine a public figure having to explain to the public his whereabouts in the midst of a surging pandemic. In fairness to Ronnie he isn’t exactly known for his outstanding work ethic. I just figured he was on the road checking out all those “all you can eat” diners he always posting about.

    • George Rutledge

      January 3, 2022 at 1:07 pm

      Liberals are a virus; they contribute nothing and are parasites

      • Sister Gianna Beretta, Holy Smokes Hospital for the Rigid

        January 3, 2022 at 3:45 pm

        And if they had a vaccination against Liberals you would no doubt refuse to take it, you silly little man.

  • Alex

    January 3, 2022 at 1:14 pm

    I’m not reading what he said.

    He was nowhere to be found.

    This boy forgot who he works for.

  • George Rutledge

    January 3, 2022 at 1:20 pm

    DIMs and their pathetic Faux outrage, notice it’s only directed at their political enemies. When their own do it, they shut up real quick. Bunch of worthless hypocrites

  • tom palmer

    January 3, 2022 at 6:59 pm

    This is a good lesson for anyone to know what they are talking about before sounding off though DeSantis’ typical secretiveness (Scott was worse) probably gave rise to what turned out to be probably baseless speculation.

Comments are closed.


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