If you want to understand why Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis represents such a threat to Democrats in the next presidential election, watch his hurricane news briefings – and compare them with Donald Trump’s briefings during the pandemic.
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As Hurricane Ian approached, DeSantis did something Trump seemed unable or unwilling to do: He flipped a switch and became the very model of a chief executive leading in a time of crisis. At his news briefings, he has been all business – updating Floridians on the growing strength of the storm, evacuation plans for those in vulnerable locations, instructions for finding shelter and the deployment of line crews to restore power in affected areas; he outlined plans to address gasoline shortages and cellphone service blackouts and warned citizens not to drive through flooded roads. He demonstrated bipartisanship, praising President Biden’s emergency declaration and pledging to work hand in hand with his administration. “You’ve got people’s lives at stake, you’ve got their property at stake, and we don’t have time for pettiness,” DeSantis told reporters Tuesday. “We gotta work together to make sure we’re doing the best job for them.”
DeSantis understands that in a crisis, when Americans are scared and confused, they want information and they want action – not political theater.
Contrast this with Trump’s daily COVID-19 news briefings, which he reportedly compared proudly to a Mike Tyson boxing match. But frightened Americans didn’t want to watch a prize fight – they wanted reassurance. Instead, they got insults, jarring shouting matches with reporters, attacks on “unappreciative” governors, and stream-of-consciousness speculation about sunlight and bleach. While Americans were terrified of a virus that was killing thousands, they heard Trump boasting about how his “ratings” were incredible. It got so bad that his own his advisers reportedly begged him to halt the briefings.
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Excerpts from Marc Thiessen opinion piece. |
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