DeSantis’s Debate Dodges
DeSantis’s Debate Dodges
Again and again during the GOP debate in Milwaukee, the uncomfortable Florida governor squirmed and evaded.
POLITICIANS OFTEN DODGE difficult questions. But even when measured against the typical political coward, Ron DeSantis’s performance in the Republican presidential debate on Wednesday was outstanding. In just ten minutes of total speaking time, the Florida governor spectacularly contorted himself to evade four of the debate’s biggest, clearest questions.
1. Climate change.
About half an hour into the debate, one of the moderators, Martha MacCallum, asked the candidates: “Do you believe human behavior is causing climate change? Raise your hand if you do.”
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson raised his hand. Others left their hands down. But DeSantis did neither. Instead, he interjected: “Look, we’re not schoolchildren! Let’s have the debate. I mean, I’m happy to take it to start.”
The debate’s other moderator, Bret Baier, invited DeSantis to start by answering the question: “So do you want to raise your hand or not?”
Again, DeSantis declined to signal either way. “I don’t think that’s the way to do it,” he told Baier. He launched into a string of soundbites about disaster response and “the way the corporate media treats Republicans versus Democrats.”
Vivek Ramaswamy, who was standing next to DeSantis, challenged the governor to “answer the question.” Baier then prompted DeSantis: “Was that a yes? Is that a hand-raise?”
“I think it was a hand-raise for him,” said Ramaswamy.
To which DeSantis replied: “No, no, no. I didn’t raise a hand.”
He never answered the question.
2. Abortion.
A few minutes later, Baier asked DeSantis: “Would you sign a six-week ban federally?”
DeSantis replied: “I’m going to stand on the side of life. Look, I understand Wisconsin is going to do it different than Texas. I understand Iowa and New Hampshire are going to do different. But I will support the cause of life as governor and as president.”
He never answered the question.
3. January 6th.
An hour into the debate, MacCallum asked: “Gov. DeSantis, do you believe that Mike Pence did the right thing on January 6th?”
DeSantis replied: “So here’s what we need to do. We need to end the weaponization of these federal agencies.”
MacCallum and Baier both interjected: “That’s not the question.”
DeSantis went on: “I know, but here’s the thing. This election is not about January 6 of 2021. It’s about January 20 of 2025. . . . I know what the Democrats would like to do. They want to talk about all these other issues. But we’ve got to focus on your future.”
DeSantis blathered on until the bell rang. MacCallum noted that he “did not answer the question.”
Pence refused to let DeSantis off the hook. “The American people deserve to know whether everyone on this stage agrees that I kept my oath to the Constitution that day,” said Pence. He told DeSantis: “So answer the question.”
At that point, DeSantis pleaded in exasperation, “Why are we—Mike did his duty, I got no beef with him.” The governor made it clear he believes that discussing Pence’s refusal to overturn the 2020 election is a waste of time. And DeSantis framed his own evasion of the question as an act of strategic courage. “Democrats would love” a “rehashing” of January 6th, he said. He boasted that as the Republican presidential nominee, he wouldn’t “let them get away with it.”
4. Ukraine.
In the debate’s second hour, Baier noted that the Biden administration was asking Congress for an additional $24 billion in aid to Ukraine. He asked the candidates: “Is there anyone onstage who would not support the increase [of] funding to Ukraine?”
Ramaswamy raised his hand and said clearly: “I would not support it.” No one else raised a hand.
DeSantis gave neither signal. Instead, he raised a hand halfway and began talking. “Europe needs to step up,” he said. “I would have Europe step up and do their job.”
Baier was perplexed. Looking at Ramaswamy and DeSantis, he asked: “You’re saying you would not, too, Gov. DeSantis?”
Again, DeSantis didn’t answer. “I will have Europe pull their weight,” he said. “Right now they’re not doing that.”
Baier persisted: “But you would not support more funding?”
Imperviously, DeSantis droned on: “And I think our support should be contingent on them doing it. And I would have support in China, to be able to take China, and do what we need to do with China.”
Whatever that means. He never answered the question.
On the campaign trail, DeSantis loves to talk about being clear-eyed and resolute. He says he’ll set a bold agenda, make tough decisions, and get things done. But the only decision he made in the debate, again and again, was to duck and cover. If he’s nominated—and if he’s elected—expect more of the same.