The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
What can you say about the guy? That Ron DeSantis was obnoxious? That he came off as weird? His failure to replace Donald Trump as the likely Republican nominee for president seemed preordained. His mistake was copying Trump’s penchant for cruelty without absorbing any of the ex-president’s talents as a performer.
When they were handing out the charm, DeSantis was off drowning kittens.
The apparent rationale for the Florida governor’s campaign was that he would be right-wing like Trump without the baggage of having lost an election and supporting an insurrection. But then he broke into the Samsonite store and loaded up on a set of carry-ons, garment bags and a steamer trunk.
Leaders sometimes have to be tough. They have to put forth tough policies that some won’t like because certain things have to be done. DeSantis made tough decisions simply because they looked tough. Worse, they were also stupid.
Exactly why he launched a holy war against COVID vaccines remains a mystery. He even mocked Trump for a program to fast-track development of the vaccine, one of the administration’s few glories.
He said about Dr. Anthony Fauci, advocate of the shots and medical adviser to President Joe Biden, “Someone needs to grab that little elf and chuck him across the Potomac.” He’s quite the hombre.
DeSantis pushed through a law that forbids private companies from mandating that employees be vaccinated. In another intrusion into business decisions, he backed a measure to stop cruise lines from requiring that passengers be vaccinated. This is an industry that serves many older, medically vulnerable passengers and packs them in close quarters. And there was a pandemic going on.
The annals of American politics offer few equivalents of DeSantis’ attack on The Walt Disney Co. Not only was the basis for it absurd; it wasn’t even explainable.
Disney’s “sin” was publicly disagreeing with DeSantis on some piece of legislation regarding gay people. The governor couldn’t let the company disagree.
He sent the lawyers after Disney, stripping it of an agreement that the state had made giving the entertainment company special status. The argument that it gave Disney unfair power could have been made, but this was a transparent act of revenge over nonsense. DeSantis imagined he had scored some ugly points by punishing the state’s largest private employer, one that’s associated with family fun.
He also seemed to think that the public enjoyed his threats against Miami hoteliers for letting drag queens perform on their private property.
In trying to squeeze to Trump’s right, DeSantis leaves Florida with some of the debris. To win over a pro-life minority, he made abortion nearly illegal in that state. And that means the following: Middle-class Floridians wanting to end an unwanted pregnancy can obtain an abortion elsewhere. Poor or dysfunctional women, on the other hand, are being forced to have children that they don’t want and can’t afford.
Abortion bans have proven to be highly unpopular even in socially conservative states. Florida’s cosmopolitan mix of opinions is undoubtedly even more supportive of reproductive rights.
DeSantis signed a law letting residents carry concealed loaded weapons without a permit. Just what Florida does not need — more lunatics walking around with hidden guns. DeSantis tried to gussy up the measure by calling it “Constitutional Carry.”
You wonder whether DeSantis could even get reelected governor in Florida, especially if Democrats put up a breathing candidate next time.
Trump may be corrupt, treasonous and losing his marbles, but he knows how to entertain his crowds, whereas DeSantis hasn’t a clue.
After pulling out of the race, DeSantis, of course, obediently endorsed Trump.
Perhaps he can use the freed up time to repeat some grades in charm school.
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