A hand-wringer on Daily Kos commented that, in a Biden-Desantis matchup, all voters will see is a doddering 80-year old and a 45-year old. Why, I asked, would they not see a straight shooter vs. a guy who couldn’t look anyone in the eye if his kids’ lives depended on it? Or someone who cares vs. someone who sneers? I’m not a Republican, so take this for what it’s worth, but it’s hard to see Desantis succeeding in the retail politics crucible of the early primaries and caucuses.
I know I'm painting with a broad brush. I used to peruse DK myself at one point, and I know there are dissenting voices here and there to counter some of the more egregious progressive echo-chamber cacophony.
While I’m sympathetic to many progressive policy proposals, I dislike the general attitude that anyone who doesn’t see it their way is morally bereft. Also, that they are the loudest critics of Democratic Party messaging is a great irony considering how bad their messaging can be.
I actually still think of myself as a progressive, albeit a moderate leaning one. But I'll be blunt – from a political standpoint, progressives are often delusional and can be downright stupid at times. When they started screaming how they wanted to primary Joe Manchin, that was such a classic example of how they react on ideological impulse without thinking things through.
There was much cheering of Sanders’ op-ed in the Charlottesville (WV) paper that attacked Manchin and purported to speak for West Virginians. In reality, the article was pure grandstanding that played into Manchin’s hands no matter how much it ginned up Sanders supporters.
Perhaps it is because the media in general runs on "if it bleeds it leads" and therefore refuse to report on all the good Biden and/or Dems might be doing for the majority of Americans, instead picking on something like age to make the better man look worse (better/worse is obviously objective of course). And Dems have never never never been even a little good at messaging in the face of GOP lying and ruthlessness (which is what wins elections these days, esp if helped by Russian hackers).
Yeah, I think DeSantis runs into problems in a wide open field. Right now he's the not-Trump vote, but if Trump flames out, there's going to be a lot of spine growing in republican circles and there'll be plenty of not-Trump candidates to chose from.
I still think DeSantis is ripe to be skewered by any Republican that wants to call him out for being stupid to spend Florida resources to fly people from Texas to Martha's Vineyard. "Hey, his heart's in the right place, but 0 out of 10 for effectiveness." Same for plenty of his other stunts. "I'm against CRT in schools, but passing laws that violate our sacred Constitution and quickly get embarrassed in court isn't the way to do things." "I'm no fan of Disney's woke agenda, but using government to punish free speech isn't the way to beat wokism, and if you've noticed, Disney is still around."
The problem is that the mouth-breathers do not care if the action or policy was effective. This stuff doesn't stay visible in the news cycle long enough for that to be a consideration.
What was important was that the Libs got triggered. That the right people appeared to get hurt (even if it was actually the wrong people--like the taxpayers who would have to eat Disney's debt).
DeSantis can do all the stupid (and ineffective) stuff that he wants. That is the MAGA trademark (Trump did mostly stupid and ineffective things, despite being President). Remember it is the SHOW that is important and not the outcome. All is good so long as the Libs are visibly owned and those Other People are put in their place (even if it is only show).
The problem is that DeSantis has the charisma of a really bad case of tinea cruris.
I don't think the Constitution (the real one) is all that much a fan favorite on the Right, especially in MAGAland. The Real American Constitution is, though.
Perhaps so, but along the lines of it being a show, they'll tune in to see the battle. DeSantis would have a near impossible task of stealing the limelight from Trump, but other non-trump people could steal it from DeSantis, and I think in part by zinging him for being stupid. I'm kinda surprised that Trump hasn't done it already. He's pretty much got that, "not smart" put down trademarked.
A hand-wringer on Daily Kos commented that, in a Biden-Desantis matchup, all voters will see is a doddering 80-year old and a 45-year old. Why, I asked, would they not see a straight shooter vs. a guy who couldn’t look anyone in the eye if his kids’ lives depended on it? Or someone who cares vs. someone who sneers? I’m not a Republican, so take this for what it’s worth, but it’s hard to see Desantis succeeding in the retail politics crucible of the early primaries and caucuses.
Because it's the Daily Kos, and Biden isn't Bernie.
Fair enough, although plenty of Bernie skeptics comment on DK. His fanz can be maddening, no doubt.
I know I'm painting with a broad brush. I used to peruse DK myself at one point, and I know there are dissenting voices here and there to counter some of the more egregious progressive echo-chamber cacophony.
While I’m sympathetic to many progressive policy proposals, I dislike the general attitude that anyone who doesn’t see it their way is morally bereft. Also, that they are the loudest critics of Democratic Party messaging is a great irony considering how bad their messaging can be.
I actually still think of myself as a progressive, albeit a moderate leaning one. But I'll be blunt – from a political standpoint, progressives are often delusional and can be downright stupid at times. When they started screaming how they wanted to primary Joe Manchin, that was such a classic example of how they react on ideological impulse without thinking things through.
There was much cheering of Sanders’ op-ed in the Charlottesville (WV) paper that attacked Manchin and purported to speak for West Virginians. In reality, the article was pure grandstanding that played into Manchin’s hands no matter how much it ginned up Sanders supporters.
Perhaps it is because the media in general runs on "if it bleeds it leads" and therefore refuse to report on all the good Biden and/or Dems might be doing for the majority of Americans, instead picking on something like age to make the better man look worse (better/worse is obviously objective of course). And Dems have never never never been even a little good at messaging in the face of GOP lying and ruthlessness (which is what wins elections these days, esp if helped by Russian hackers).
DeSanctimonious also utterly lacks anything resembling charisma. That's why you never see him glad-handing constituents, dude can't do it
Yeah, I think DeSantis runs into problems in a wide open field. Right now he's the not-Trump vote, but if Trump flames out, there's going to be a lot of spine growing in republican circles and there'll be plenty of not-Trump candidates to chose from.
I still think DeSantis is ripe to be skewered by any Republican that wants to call him out for being stupid to spend Florida resources to fly people from Texas to Martha's Vineyard. "Hey, his heart's in the right place, but 0 out of 10 for effectiveness." Same for plenty of his other stunts. "I'm against CRT in schools, but passing laws that violate our sacred Constitution and quickly get embarrassed in court isn't the way to do things." "I'm no fan of Disney's woke agenda, but using government to punish free speech isn't the way to beat wokism, and if you've noticed, Disney is still around."
The problem is that the mouth-breathers do not care if the action or policy was effective. This stuff doesn't stay visible in the news cycle long enough for that to be a consideration.
What was important was that the Libs got triggered. That the right people appeared to get hurt (even if it was actually the wrong people--like the taxpayers who would have to eat Disney's debt).
DeSantis can do all the stupid (and ineffective) stuff that he wants. That is the MAGA trademark (Trump did mostly stupid and ineffective things, despite being President). Remember it is the SHOW that is important and not the outcome. All is good so long as the Libs are visibly owned and those Other People are put in their place (even if it is only show).
The problem is that DeSantis has the charisma of a really bad case of tinea cruris.
I don't think the Constitution (the real one) is all that much a fan favorite on the Right, especially in MAGAland. The Real American Constitution is, though.
Perhaps so, but along the lines of it being a show, they'll tune in to see the battle. DeSantis would have a near impossible task of stealing the limelight from Trump, but other non-trump people could steal it from DeSantis, and I think in part by zinging him for being stupid. I'm kinda surprised that Trump hasn't done it already. He's pretty much got that, "not smart" put down trademarked.