Considered a possible front-runner for the 2024 presidential race, 44-year-old Florida Ron SenSantis has been the target of Democrats and the press, calling him a hypocrite for taking 79-year-old President Joe Biden’s federal disaster help for Category 4 hurricane Ian. Ian slammed into Florida’s west coast Fort Meyers area creating death and destruction in its path, leaving some 2.6 millions Floridians homeless or without power. Instead of focusing on Ian’s destruction and need for federal disaster assistance, the Democrat-friendly media talks about DeSantis’ controversial airlifts and bus convoys of illegal migrants to Democrat strongholds like Washington D.C., New York City and Martha’s Vineyard, home to former President Barack and Michelle Obama. Democrats and the media talk about DeSantis going after Biden politically, forgetting that the White House has gone after DeSantis as Trump’s clone.
Democrats and the press have been far more critical of DeSantis than anything critical coming from the 44-year-old Florida Governor. Now that he’s managing a multibillion dollar disaster requiring coordination with all levels of government including the White House. “At the end of the day, I view this a something that you’ve got folks that are in need, and local, federal and state, we have a need to work together,” DeSantis said a briefings yesterday. DeSantis praised FEMA for doing everything possible to help hurricane-ravaged Florida residents. DeSantis and Biden already worked together to deal with the June 23, 2021 Surfside12-story residential building collapse that killed 96 residents. Biden and DeSantis spoke Thursday offering Florida residents all the federal disaster relief necessary in dealing with potentially trillions in damages, one of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history.
Why the media makes every effort to put everything in a political context is anyone’s guess. DeSantis and Biden have a job to do to help hurting U.S. citizens who’ve lost everything in Ian’s destructive path. “We’re going to build it back with the state and local government.” Biden said. Democrats fault DeSantis for voting against federal assistance in 2012 hurrican Sandy.. Whatever the past, DeSantis has stepped up his game to get Florida everything it needs to recover from Ian. “He’s just got to get the job done,” said Richard Conley, University of Florida political science professor. “The question will be: Going forward, does he look very statesman-like? Does this help him with an eventual 2024 run? I don’t know. It remains to be seen,” Conley said. DeSantis has a responsibility to the people of Florida to do what it takes to get them everything possible to help in the recovery effort.
Democrats and the press slammed DeSantis for shipping off migrants to Democrat-controlled cities to underline the border crisis. Unlike former President Donald Trump, Biden has put the immigration on the backburner, ignoring damage done to border communities around the country. When it came to the Covid-19 crisis, DeSantis didn’t go along with mask and Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] guidance for mandatory mask requirements and to shutter Florida businesses. DeSantis was criticized by Florida school boards for passing legislation to prevent districts from requiring masking of all students. DeSantis prevented Disney from operation independent of state law, over its treatment of LBGQT, critics called “Don’t Say Gay.” Democrats portray DeSantis as a Trump-light politician, advocating for traditional American values.
DeSantis’ Democrat rival former Florida Gov. Charlie Christ slammed DeSantis for his extreme views. “It’s amazing to me what he’s willing to do for the sheer political gain,” Chris said. Conley, who wrote a book about Trump and populism, said there’s a big difference between DeSantis and Trump when it comes to discipline. “He may say controversial things, but I don’t think he’s going to sit around at 3 or 4 in the morning and contemplate how to get back [Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell or something,” Conely said about Trump’s late night Tweets. Democrats and the press don’t want DeSantis to look competent with the White House managing hurricane Ian’s destruction. Whatever happened with Trump’s management of hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, Democrats and press want DeSantis to look equally irresponsible. So far, DeSantis looks competent and in control.
DeSantis stepped up in the wake of Ian to get his state everything necessary to start the slow and costly process of rebuilding. No matter how much Democrats and the press try to equate DeSantis with Trump, there’s just no comparison, as Conley says, De-Santis has more political discipline. “These are resilient folks,” DeSantis said. “They will bounce back, but we just want to make sure that we can kind of pave the way for them,” showing that he’s on top or recovery efforts. Whatever political stunts to underline the border crisis, DeSantis has been all business, coordinating with the White House to bring Florida everything possible from FEMA. DeSants plans to survey the damage on the causeway from Ft. Meyers to Sanibel Island, where Florida residents are currently trapped with no way out. Stepping up to the challenge, DeSantis has only helped his future political plans.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
