Lincoln Project skewers Ron DeSantis’ retail politics style

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It's full of cringe moments.

The more time and money Gov. Ron DeSantis spends running for President, the more he sinks in the polls, and now the Lincoln Project has assembled a montage of campaign moments that might explain why.

The 202-second video garnered from scenes on the campaign trail argues the Governor is no happy warrior in the fight to ascend to the nation’s highest office. Scenes of him heckling reporters, chiding a child over a sugar treat, and wiping his nose with a full hand in multiple situations (and immediately patting someone on the back in one) are the highlights of what the group dubs “The DeSantis Method.”

The Lincoln Project debuted the video to its millions of followers on its social media platforms Tuesday.

The organization that bills itself as fighting against extremism in the Republican Party has shots of DeSantis caught in the act of retail politics that have gotten attention for all the wrong reasons. There was that time he chortled with vigor as others surrounding him stood stone-faced or smiled slightly.

Against peppy, game-show music, a robotic voice explains, “When interacting with the public, be sure to turn on the charm,” leading into a scene from his first New Hampshire campaign stop, in Laconia. During that, DeSantis can be heard snapping, “Stop coming up to me, talking to me.”

A little missing context: That was directed at a reporter.

The video also features DeSantis caught either talking to himself, or giving directions to someone off-camera.

“Ok, let’s say ‘hi’ to everyone,” he says, in a tone that doesn’t suggest he’s looking forward to it. That’s part of the directions for being “Fun.”

Other clips show DeSantis stumbling over whether he’s talking about his mother or his wife, when he met his wife (“Riveting!” the robotic voice says) and how it’s too late to call his wife (past 10 at night).

“With these simple steps you can go from being a presidential candidate to not being a presidential candidate in no time,” the robotic voice wraps up, with another shot of DeSantis staring into the camera.

Anne Geggis

Anne Geggis is a South Florida journalist who began her career in Vermont and has worked at the Sun-Sentinel, the Daytona Beach News-Journal and the Gainesville Sun covering government issues, health and education. She was a member of the Sun-Sentinel team that won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the Parkland high school shooting. You can reach her on Twitter @AnneBoca or by emailing [email protected].


15 comments

  • Dont Say FLA

    August 8, 2023 at 3:05 pm

    Vote Rhonda’s Panties 2024.

    Make America Phlegm Again. In its Under Ewws.

    • eva

      August 8, 2023 at 3:33 pm

      My initial check is for $27,000. This is the first time I’ve actually earned something, and I’m very happy about it. I’m going to work even harder from now on and I can’t wait for my ne-51 paycheck the following week. For further information, click the home tab.
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  • DeSantis 2024

    August 8, 2023 at 3:31 pm

    Somebody around here is confused. That is our latest campaign commercial, not mockery from the Lincoln Project.

  • PeterH

    August 8, 2023 at 3:34 pm

    Support the Lincoln Project….. they are the ONLY CONSERVATIVES WHO ARE NOW REGISTERED INDEPENDENT VOTERS in America that understand that today’s Republican Party MUST BE DESTROYED before it can be rebuilt from the ground up!

    REPUBLICANS are America’s worst enemy!

    Vote all Republicans out of office!

    • Dion

      August 9, 2023 at 8:28 pm

      Well said sir… thank you

  • My Take

    August 8, 2023 at 5:36 pm

    Filmed by Jane Goodall.

    • Tom

      August 9, 2023 at 7:20 am

      Touché 🙂

    • M. Mouse

      August 9, 2023 at 2:59 pm

      That’s not fair to the chimps! They are lovable and charming!
      Squeak!

  • Josh Green

    August 8, 2023 at 11:17 pm

    The missed the clip where he yelled at school kids for wearing masks. He is such a douchebag.

    • My Take

      August 8, 2023 at 11:51 pm

      That’s the incident I first thought of.
      El Douche (think Il Duce)

  • My Take

    August 9, 2023 at 6:14 am

    Who DOES like DeSSantis?
    His appeals are to redneck bigot bullìes, and many of those must be fans, plus the closely related Nazis.
    Who else? Òpus Dei over abortion?
    Maybe someone who hates Ukrainians.

    • Tom

      August 9, 2023 at 7:26 am

      I know a couple of conservatives and when they’re not not drinking Bud Light, are ready to move past trump but don’t really like Desantis. I’ve never met anyone who does like him and people around here still have their trump 2024 flags flying but not a single desantis flag anywhere. My biggest regret is that we have to take him back when Mr. ‘never back down’ finally backs down.

    • Dont Say FLA

      August 9, 2023 at 11:00 am

      Nobody likes DeSantis. People only ever claimed to support him because they thought Trump would fade away and they’d heard about this other guy in Florida and they see his name on the poll so they picked him as their favorite.

      But then Rhonda showed up.

  • Best Money Ever Spent

    August 9, 2023 at 12:03 pm

    “The more time and money Gov. Ron DeSantis spends running for President, the more he sinks in the polls”

    Big thanks to all of Florida’s taxpayers for funding, against your will, most likely, but still funding, the Rhonda campaign to let the entire USA and even the whole world know how much Everybody Hates Rhonda.

    Big thanks to KC and the Never Bend Over PAC, too. We appreciate all your time and effort in letting everyone know what a looooooooooooser Rhonda is.

    THANK YOU!

  • M. Mouse

    August 9, 2023 at 2:58 pm

    He nose a lot more than most men! Watch out! Squeak!

Comments are closed.


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