A.G. Gancarski
Ron DeSantis is distancing himself from the “isolationist” positions of one of his key Iowa endorsers, saying that despite the divergence on foreign policy, Rep. Thomas Massie represented a “profile in courage.”
The Governor, during a campaign swing through Iowa on Monday, defended the Kentucky Republican who campaigned with him over the weekend.
“I want people in the tent. You don’t have to agree with me on 100% of the issues. And this idea, this tactic of trying to take one position that someone has and trying to smear somebody else quite frankly, is a tired tactic, it doesn’t work and it’s not something that I’m going to stand for,” the Republican presidential hopeful said in Scott County.
The Governor’s comments come after Nikki Haley’s campaign cast doubt on Massie’s position regarding America’s principal ally in the Middle East and whether it reflects DeSantis’ more conventionally Republican stance.
“Ron DeSantis needs to explain to Iowa voters why he is palling around with an anti-Israel congressman who votes to undermine Israel and foster antisemitism,” said Haley spokesperson Nachama Soloveichik. “Iowans deserve to know what Ron DeSantis really believes.”
The Haley camp claims Massie “is the most anti-Israel Republican in the entire GOP and often votes against recognizing Israel’s right to exist, condemning Hamas and antisemitism, and sanctioning Iran.” It cited a vote this month in the House against a resolution condemning antisemitism on college campuses as the most recent evidence.
In Scott County, DeSantis summed up Massie as “basically an isolationist” who “votes against anything having to do with foreign relations,” suggesting that Massie’s issue isn’t with “Zionism,” but is instead with foreign aid altogether.
“We don’t see eye to eye on that. But you know, my 80% friend is not my 20% enemy and we’ve got to stop thinking that way as Republicans,” DeSantis contended.
The Governor lauded the Kentucky Congressman as a “profile in courage” for standing up against “COVID madness” during his remarks.
DeSantis floated Massie’s name for House Speaker earlier this fall, meanwhile, calling him “excellent.”
“I think you have guys like Chip Roy from Texas, who’s excellent, Thomas Massie from Kentucky, who’s excellent, Jim Jordan from Ohio. These guys are all good guys and I think they would do a good job,” the Governor told a South Carolina broadcast outlet, presumably forgetting that a House Speaker would have a lot of sway on issues like Israel policy.
Regarding “smears,” that’s a recurrent DeSantis talking point. He has chastised media attempts to “smear” First Lady Casey DeSantis earlier this year, and he also charged 60 Minutes with “smears” during coverage of alleged vaccine favoritism for donors during the pandemic.
10 comments
Sonja Fitch
December 19, 2023 at 5:27 am
Desantis when a donor doesn’t agree with you, you use that Trump logic.. “THERE
ARE SOME GOOD PEOPLE ON THE THAT SIDE! Rhetoric!!! Hate is Hate! Desantis can’t sugarcoat the hate. What a sad liar DeSantis is!!!!!!
My Take
December 19, 2023 at 6:20 am
Speaking of Israel, CHRISTIAN church officials in Gaza and Italy say and Israrli sniper killed two Christian ladies in the yard of a church in Gaza. (Apparently Gaza has one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, though only about 1000 people.) Mother and adult daughter.
They were headed from the church to a restroom. There was no active fighting in the area.
Has, like Russia, Israel emptyed its prisons and asylums into the army?
Or are they simply barbarians?
My Take
December 19, 2023 at 6:22 am
Israelis — Sand Serbs
Dont Say FLA
December 19, 2023 at 3:01 pm
Netanyahu. says “it was an accident,” same as shooting the three Israeli hostages.
Problem is, it’s no accident. They just do not GAF who they kill as long as they are killing somebody.
Any potential Trump voters, bear that in mind, please. If you die due to Trump getting “them,” he will not give one Fuhh that he killed you, too. Not one Fuhh. See? K?
Dont Say FLA
December 19, 2023 at 7:18 am
Rhonda just admitted he wants people living in tents. This is why Rhonda doth protest too much about tents and doodies on the sidewalks of San Francisco: Rhonda sees doodie, Rhonda pitches his own tent.
The Rocks
December 19, 2023 at 7:48 am
Israel and its allies, if it has any allies left by the time Netanyahu’s done trying to stay out of prison, had better watch themselves.
Bibi is infinitely replenishing the supply of rocks for Palestinians to throw, while simultaneously forcing humans around the whole world exclusively to the side of the Palestinian-born humans. Most folks have always thought there were good people on both sides, but those thoughts are being changed.
**Trump voters:**
Please pay attention to what Netanyahu is doing. This is what it looks like when a very powerful guy wants to stay out of prison. Your guy Trump isn’t President, and he isn’t in prison, so maybe don’t give him the power of the Presidency. He will do this same nonsense, and you might like that idea at first if you share Trump’s racist views, but the part you don’t realize is that you’ll be on the receiving end immediately after Trump’s Victory Day.
You’ve vanquished “the enemy.” Prison still looms. Uh oh. Time to find a new enemy!
Richard Russell
December 19, 2023 at 10:30 am
Stand with Israel 100% because it is the right thing and for no other reason. Israel was viciously attacked by barbarians – if that is not enough reason to stand with Israel, to wipe Hamas off the face of the earth, you have no moral compass!
Tom
December 19, 2023 at 2:17 pm
And how many tens of thousands of non-combatant civilians have to die to meet that objective? Supporting Israel is the right thing to do but slaughtering innocents and starving people to death is not going to win them any friends. This is not going to end well.
My Take
December 19, 2023 at 10:45 am
In keeping with the ever-more-Nazi “flavor” of Trump, one can readily use use the infamous “Drang nach Osten” (“drive to the east”) for the Israeli rightwing and Settlers ‘ covetous lusting for the West Bank, the desire to steal most of the rest of Palestine.
The intents of armed theft are almost identical.
Ron Forrest Ron
December 19, 2023 at 2:49 pm
Rhonda shall not be smeared with Thomas Massie’s Israel position.
The only officially sanctioned item with which to smear Rhonda is Pap.
Don’t tell nobody I said this, but in a pinch, if you have no Pap handy, Preparation H works well too.
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