Biden and Trump deserve attacks on their character. But why Gov. Ron DeSantis?
As a Florida resident, I’m stumped by why Gov. Ron DeSantis’ character is under such constant and heavy attacks.
Sure, challenge his policies if you don’t like them. He governs as a conservative—something that too often is grounds in progressive minds for personal attacks. But, good grief, why is he not qualified to be president because he’s supposedly “standoffish,” “distant,” “selfish” and “the biggest dick we ever knew.”
Here’s a headline on an Esquire trashing: “Ron DeSantis Is a Man Of No Qualities.” Here are some more:
I could go on. It’s self-evident that DeSantis has been the target of a smear campaign. The following is an example of making-stuff-up in order to attack him.
The author is someone named Alex Reimer, writing in something called Queerty. The headline: “Wow, Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis somehow managed to out-embarrass himself in another awful TV interview.”
The article praises CNN anchor Kaitlin Collins for supposedly out-dueling DeSantis during a TV interview. Judge for yourself by watching (below) the part of the interview that Reimer analyzes. Her accusation against DeSantis is that he’s too afraid to make an issue of Trump’s character. So he supposedly dodges it.
As Reiner described it:
[Collins] “That’s not answering the question about Trump’s character…
“That’s not a concern of mine,” replies DeSantis.
The former White House reporter then asks the natural follow up: “Why is it not a concern?”…
As Collins explains, DeSantis is running against Trump. Doesn’t that mean he thinks he’s a better choice?
First, the flailing candidate deflects.
“Because I clearly believe I would be a better president than he is. I don’t need to take potshots at his character,” he says.
To her credit, Collins keeps pressing the issue.
“It’s not potshots. The character of a president matters, does it not?” she asks.
Finally, DeSantis kind of answers… with cliches. [My emphasis.]
In other words, Collins thinks that attacking a candidate’s character is somehow required and she’s angry that DeSantis won’t. Quite clearly, DeSantis says he won’t do it because he thinks that issues and his accomplishments are more important.
So while Americans say they are sick and tired of personal attacks in political campaigns, Collins and Reimer insist that not making a personal attack is, in itself, a personal flaw.
Collins wasn’t doing great journalism. It’s called badgering. She was hectoring DeSantis like a trial lawyer who’s angry because the witness isn’t answering the question like she thinks he should. Move along.
In Reimer’s mind, DeSantis’ answers are just a bunch of “cliches.” But one can hardly claim that the governor is the only politician who talks in banalities. Maybe Reimer has a better idea of how DeSantis should explain his beliefs. If Reimer is capable of accurately describing them.
I doubt it because Reimer incorrectly, if not intentionally, wrongly refers to a law that DeSantis signed as the “Don’t Say Gay” act. In fact, The Parental Rights in Education Act isn’t anti-gay; it’s focus is on protecting parents from having their kids’ minds figuratively kidnapped by woke brainwashers.
As for Biden’s and Trump’s characters, that’s a legitimate campaign issue because Trump is a scary egomaniac. And Biden’s character—well, it’s a compliment to call him a malleable empty suit who is manipulated by whomever is running his administration.
As for DeSantis, we in Florida are mostly grateful for how he protected us from the extremes (e.g. economic shutdown, closing schools and mandated vaccinations) inflicted by Democrats in Blue States. Whatever the polls say about him elsewhere, what he accomplished here was endorsed by a record-breaking majority vote. For that, I’m thankful.
Dennis Byrne is a retired journalist and author who variously was an op-ed columnist, editorial board member, assistant financial editor, science and technology reporter, special projects writer and urban affairs and transportation reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News. You can reach him at dennis@dennisbyrne.net.