Some unknown political consultant told Ron DeSantis it would be a great optic to show up at a Rodeo in Oklahoma and announce his presence. The event atop the bleachers came replete with grand trumpets to announce his entry.
The cringe-factor was already off the charts when Top Gov grabbed the microphone and announced, “Hello Oklahoma, great to be wit ya. Greetings from the free state of Florida, we appreciate what you do here“… and things went rapidly downhill from there as the audience turned to see King Meatball, deliver his prose. [video below]
This latest exhibition takes place as the Daily Mail notes donors are increasingly apoplectic as the “awkward” and “gaffe prone” campaign strategy rolls out – seemingly under the control of Casey Desantis.
[Via Daily Mail] – Ron DeSantis’s campaign wants him to meet and take more questions from ordinary voters to overcome fears about his temperament, DailyMail.com has learned.
The 44-year-old has so far shied away from Q&A sessions on the road, despite being a standard feature of U.S. politics. The Florida Governor, who is currently in a distant second place behind Donald Trump in opinion polls, has also evaded media scrutiny at his public events.
He recently exploded at one reporter in New Hampshire who door-stepped him and asked why he failed to take unscripted questions from the audience, raising doubts about his temperament.
And during a campaign event in Iowa last month, footage of DeSantis laughing manically about the cost of running a vintage Porsche triggered online jokes.
Now, three DeSantis staffers have said they have concerns about the Navy veteran’s presentational style after being overshadowed by his wife Casey at rallies.
They are now figuring out ways to overcome his rigid appearance as he makes trips to more diners and meets with smaller groups of voters in his bid to nail down the Republican nomination.
‘He just needs to chill out a bit and be less stiff,’ one source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said. ‘He always looks awkward and needs to get out and meet more people.’
Another senior member of Team DeSantis fumed: ‘If his wife is a former TV reporter and she can’t teach him, who can?’
A third source said that they even had to coach the Florida governor on ‘when to smile’ when trying to interact with ordinary Americans. (read more)
Keep in mind, ABC News reported last month that Ron DeSantis will skip the exploratory committee phase and go straight into full campaign mode. However, the best part of the information provided from within the DeSantis operation is this, “The team has been paying close attention to how to help manage the governor’s facial reactions in the upcoming debate.” Too funny.
Nothing screams authenticity quite like taking political lessons in controlling your facial expressions. However, given the outcomes, as represented in the Iowa appearances, the face control classes didn’t work out too well. Casey must be big mad.
The problem DeSantis has is a matter of authenticity. In the big picture, authenticity is an outcome of believing in your message. President Trump is exceptionally authentic because his America First message is his. President Trump believes his message. Juxtapose this with the brutally inauthentic Ron DeSantis, and you’ll find the outcome of a candidate who is selling the message created by others.
The Florida governor is a manufactured outcome of consultants, advisors and brand image managers who create the message that DeSantis has to sell. The result is something very weird, inauthentic and cringe. WATCH the Twitter Video:
I have no sympathy for them. They are doing it to themselves; but I told you this would happen.