Thursday, alleged comedienne and noted political scholar Samantha Bee blessed the world with her razor-sharp analysis about former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. In a Twitter rant of Olbermann-like proportions, she frantically tweeted about a recent straw poll in which the governor edged out Trump as Republican voters’ choice for the 2024 presidential nomination.
“But before you celebrate Republicans turning away from Trump, take a look at all the ways Ron DeSantis could be…so much worse!” Bee wrote in a tweet that included a video of her playing a failed comic as she went on a tirade about DeSantis. Predictably, other leftists also chimed in, echoing Bee’s sentiments.
But here’s the question: Are they right? In a word, yes.
Allow me to explain. The Democrats know they are in trouble. Their chances of holding both chambers of Congress in 2022 are almost nil. If President Joe Biden continues to ruin everything he touches, the left will be in for a rude awakening come 2024.
Trump has not yet indicated whether he will run or continue in his newfound role as kingmaker. But if he decides not to take another shot at the Oval Office, DeSantis, so far, is the clear frontrunner, which should make Democrats as frightened as Sheldon Whitehouse driving through Atlanta.
Here’s the thing, Gov. DeSantis is not the squishy establishment Republican type that has been thoroughly rejected by the conservative base. Unlike the Mitt Romneys, John McCains, and Cheneys, he is not willing to let himself be pushed around by the activist media and Democratic politicians.
Similar to Trump, DeSantis has a refreshingly pugnacious attitude when it comes to politics. Indeed, one of the traits that the former president possessed that endeared him to the base while simultaneously driving the left batty was his willingness to get in the dirt and brawl with his political opposition.
However, DeSantis’ strengths seem to lie more in what he doesn’t do than what he does do. Regardless of how one feels about Trump, they have to admit that while he was a proficient political pugilist, he often gave the left ammo with his ill-advised Twitter feuds and odd comments. This is not behavior that DeSantis has exhibited.
To put it simply, DeSantis has all of Trump’s strengths and none of his weaknesses. He won’t be as easy a target for the activist media. Indeed, the governor has not hesitated to verbally savage them when they concoct lies about him.
Remember that kerfuffle with CBS’ “60 Minutes” in which they aired a blatantly dishonest piece about DeSantis? The governor took every opportunity to pulverize them in the media and during press conferences.
Moreover, DeSantis has a distinctly America First approach to governance. His platform closely resembles that of Trump’s, which has already ingratiated him with the base.
So yes, from the left’s point of view, DeSantis is worse than former President Trump. Why? Because they believe he poses a more dire threat. And they are probably right.