A.G. Gancarski
Ron DeSantis redoubled his strong opposition to what are very hypothetical attacks from a friendly nation to a South Florida city.
Remarkably, the second time around comes after the U.S. Embassy in Nassau issued a statement of regret for the previous time DeSantis made the threat.
Yet again, DeSantis compared Israel’s onslaught on Hamas to what would happen if he, as Governor of the state of Florida, had to respond to “missiles” from the Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale in a 9/11 parallel metaphor.
“Can you imagine just after our 9/11, if three weeks later, people were demanding that we had a cease-fire against al-Qaida and the Taliban? We would never have done that. And I think to myself as Governor of Florida, if we had, if someone in the Bahamas was launching missiles into Fort Lauderdale, we would not accept that for a minute,” DeSantis vowed. “We would go in and we would flatten them in no time certain.”
“And yet Israel is supposed to just live there with this … with this existential threat,” he said Sunday during a campaign swing through Charles City before moving onto the more imminent threat Israel faces from Hamas.
During an event Saturday in Muscadine last weekend, DeSantis floated the bizarre metaphor likening terror attacks on Israelis to the distant hypothetical threat of “rockets” originating from the Bahamian Islands.
“What are you supposed to do? I mean, I used to say even when they would just fire the normal rockets because they’ve been firing these rockets for years and years. And I thought to myself, like, if the Bahamas were firing rockets into Fort Lauderdale, like, we would not accept that for, like, one minute. I mean, we would just level it. We would never be willing to live like that as Americans,” DeSantis said.
A day after Florida Politics first publicized the statement, the U.S. government responded via the Bahamian press.
“The Bahamas and the United States enjoy an enduring and unique partnership. (Charge d’Affairs Usha Pitts) regrets if DeSantis’ comments suggested anything other than a close alliance between our two democratic nations,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement to The Nassau Guardian.
31 comments
My Take
November 19, 2023 at 8:23 pm
He’s an ìdiot.
And he somehow feels he must demonstrate it every ďay or so.
My Take
November 19, 2023 at 8:40 pm
If this has gotten any widespread coverage I’d bet there are MAGA morons who now think the Bahamas are an adversary and potential threat.
bahama mann
November 28, 2023 at 2:03 pm
EXACTLY!!! positions of authority require the highest level of responsibility. responsibility for things you do as well as the things you say. and with followers like the MAGA Cult there’s no telling how they would receive and react to what desantis said.
Tom Dimauro
November 20, 2023 at 6:53 am
I’m old enough to remember when Russia installed ICBMs on the Cuban island. It wasn’t the Cuban people. It was an American enemy. So, it is not only possible, but it has also already happened. The question is, would we have a President strong enough, like JFK, to protect Americans?
Impeach Biden
November 20, 2023 at 7:10 am
Joe Biden is certainly not that guy. Look at the world wide chaos that has erupted since he became CIC. Ukraine, Afghanistan, The Middle East, oh and I always must include the US Southern Border since he has allowed millions in and we have no idea who many of the, are. Future troubles I this country on the horizon.
Ned Beatty
November 20, 2023 at 7:19 am
Yeah, the idiot that handed Syria over to Putin would have done better with Ukraine. OK, boomer.
JCS
November 20, 2023 at 9:11 am
You’re right. Who was it that promised to get out of Afghanistan and set a deadline for it? Oh, right, Trump. The idea that the President of the United States is somehow responsible for or a bulwark against local conflicts around the world is laughable. And guess what? Millions came in under Trump, as well. Stop being a child.
Lembke Matthew
November 20, 2023 at 1:01 pm
But then you cried, blamed and whined when Biden executed that very deadline..
TrueAmerican56
November 21, 2023 at 1:11 pm
Well it didn’t help his predecessor told Russia, China and our enemies his goal was to make the US weak and they believed him. Biden is making us strong again, which is why Russia was surprised.
DiscoJUlio
November 20, 2023 at 10:20 am
It wasn’t ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles); they were short range missiles. The Russians were an adversary, but the Cuban government was acting as their proxy. The relevant issues here are: 1. This is a ludicrous analogy that shows his lack geopolitical knowledge (Venezuela would have been a better choice of fantasy terror sponsor) and 2. the Governor of Florida has no authority to take military action against another sovereign nation. This is just Ron DeSantis trying to sound tough and failing.
Mike
November 20, 2023 at 9:16 pm
Exactly correct
yveline Andrieu
November 21, 2023 at 5:04 pm
Finally someone with a brain, all the libarals are like children , totally unaware of their environement. Thank you for trying to make them use a bigger part of their brain. Insults is not making them smarter by the way!!
Eric
November 20, 2023 at 7:35 am
C’mon Ron threaten to level Cuba
Greg
November 20, 2023 at 9:13 am
This is…what we call… Bad faith journalism. Unless you’re an idiot, you know he’s not disparaging or implying the Bahamas are an adversary. He’s drawing a hypothetical parallel based on distance. End of story. There’s nothing to see here. The Bahamian government can issue any statement they want, but they know full well were allies. They just don’t like being the butt of that metaphor.
TrueAmerican56
November 21, 2023 at 1:13 pm
No, he is addressing that to MAGGOTS and they have a tendency to believe conspiracies.
Glenn S.
November 24, 2023 at 5:46 pm
There are so much more things going on in the world that require our attention and time. A simple metaphor from a man is not one of them. Standing with Israel to defend themselves against evil is something worthy of us all
Garvin the Hellraiser
November 27, 2023 at 7:39 am
I am a Bahamian so let me speak to the issue. it is no issue to us if the Governor wishes to make joke but he must not make a bad and misleading joke as Florida would not survive a war with the islands of the King. The Gov. obviously forgot just who we represent. the Bahamas could only be a threat to Florida if our King commands it and if that happens you could kiss Florida goodbye. the Gov needs to pick on someone his own size, we like Cuba but he cant
bahama mann
November 28, 2023 at 1:55 pm
my friend you can’t be serious. this man is aspiring for the highest office in the land. political or not there are some things that just shouldn’t be said, and definitely not by someone in desantis’ position. clearly he’s desperate for power and attention. this has nothing to do with journalism. he said exactly what he wanted to say, and he said it TWICE!
it’s like the US has already embarrassed itself allowing trump to run and win the presidency the first time. as disastrous as that worked out, he’s allowed to run again. but the worst part is people like desantis wan to be just like him. unaware, unconcerned and unlikely to win the next general election. i mean it’s clear that WHITE IS STILL AND ALWAYS WILL BE RIGHT IN AMERICA.
John Ranta
November 20, 2023 at 9:35 am
DeSantis is such a little brat. He’s trying to look like a tough guy, but he has no idea how to do it. Maybe he thinks it’s Ba-Hamas?
My Take
November 20, 2023 at 2:39 pm
Maybe he thinks it’s Ba-Hamas?
=====
! ! !
Ocean Joe
November 21, 2023 at 3:34 pm
Somebody gets it.
Garvin the Hellraiser
November 27, 2023 at 7:42 am
wow you may be right
David
November 20, 2023 at 5:22 pm
DeSantis is attempting to show that he is capable of handling international affairs while also showing what an ignorant moron he actually is!
gene jones
November 20, 2023 at 9:05 pm
Like the war criminals around the world, DeSantis would attack innocent people and level their country instead of going after the terrorists. GW Bush did it to Iraq.
MH/Duuuval
November 20, 2023 at 10:39 pm
That is a moment to be memorialized in bronze: W proclaiming Mission Accomplished.
Garvin the Hellraiser
November 27, 2023 at 7:46 am
He needs to resign!
TrueAmerican56
November 21, 2023 at 12:59 pm
Can you imagine if an idiot attacked an innocent country for 911, like Republican Bush did attacking the Taliban, who didn’t attack the US by the way.
My Take
November 21, 2023 at 7:57 pm
Can you imagine just after our 9/11, if three weeks later, people were demanding that we had a cease-fire against al-Qaida and the Taliban?
≈========
Thet didn’t have to. The GOP neocons had us busy headed to do Israel’s work with blameless (for 9/11) Iraq.
Wayne Besen
November 25, 2023 at 11:19 am
I hate Ron DeSantis. However, he makes sense with his comments. He’s obviously not claiming the Bahamas are hostile. He’s using the Bahamas as example of distance. He’s correct to say the U.S. would not tolerate constant missiles being lobbed from a close geographical neighbor. His intent isn’t difficult to comprehend.
When we, as liberals, suspend critical thinking to pretend we believe DeSantis literally means the Bahamas are an enemy that needs flattening,, we degrade our credibility.
No one despises DeSantis more than me. I created LittleDicRon.com. But his example, in this case, is correct and we look stupid and unfair when we distort what he said for political gain.
Garvin the Hellraiser
November 27, 2023 at 7:52 am
I agree in some cases you would interpret the governor’s language as a joke however a more accurate joke or hypothetical situation IF He said that the US government will not tolerate the Hawaiian indigenous people fighting against them to regain their territory of Hawaii now that would have been a more accurate hypothetical JOKE.
My Take
November 29, 2023 at 12:39 pm
Çuba & USSR/Russia
Russia could claim victory (and probabbly does).
We removed missiles pointed at them from Turkey.
We secretly promised not to invade Cuba.
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