Political parties rise and political parties fall. Something happens in their internal dynamic which causes them to lose their way. This we have seen. What we have not seen is a petty, public squabble between a defeated one-term president, desperate to make a come back, and the rising star of the party. But we’re about to see that now. I refer to Donald Trump throwing down the gauntlet in Pennsylvania last night and christening his rival, “Ron DeSanctimonious.”
Some rivalries are great and defining. I would compare this situation to the famous Joan Crawford/Bette Davis feud except those two were veterans of their professions for many decades. They were lauded as the best and had three Oscars between them. This is more like Kevin Sorbo and Scott Baio vying to see which one can survive in the remainder bin at Blockbuster for another year.
One thing everybody is agreed upon. The timing of this idiotic attack by Donald Trump could simply not be worse.
"Ron DeSanctimonious" pic.twitter.com/b7jek5597R
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) November 6, 2022
The howls of outrage from right-wing media were swift and united. Nobody is on Trump’s side on this one. Daily Beast:
“Calling it now, DeSantis is going to run, and he’s going to beat Trump badly,” Will Chamberlain, the publisher of Human Events and a right-wing lawyer, said in response to the Trump jab. “This is just weak.”
Right-wing Daily Wire pundit Matt Walsh also expressed frustration at Trump over the “dumb nickname.”
“Trump isn’t going to be able to take this one [DeSantis] down with a dumb nickname. He better have more than that up his sleeve,” he wrote. “Also, nice job launching your public attack against the most popular conservative governor in America three days before the midterms when we’re all supposed to be showing a united front.” […]
RedState editor Jennifer Van Laar commented, “Enough, Trump. Stop. Move on,” while a Townhall writer asked what DeSantis has “done to earn Trump’s scorn here right before an election?” “It’s inexcusable and just shows this has always been about him,” the writer added.
Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX) sided with DeSantis, too, writing: “Or… Ron De…SaidNoToFauci… that’s another angle.”
The last one is comical. Roy is trying to figure out a way to mend this broken fence and make it sound like Trump is actually complimenting DeSantis. Dream on.
Tonight is possibly going to tell the tale. Trump and DeSantis are both having rallies in Florida, 240 miles apart. Trump pointedly did not invite DeSantis to his rally. It will be interesting to see what DeSantis says. Will he shine on the comment, not wanting to spark the feud the night before Election Eve? Or, will he take Trump on? We don’t know. What we do know is that Trump is expected to do a Ted Cruz and go after DeSantis’ wife. This is from a Daily Beast article published day before yesterday. It’s probably truer now after Trump’s display last night.
The approximately 240 miles between the two venues could offer some much-needed breathing room for Trump and DeSantis. While each man has largely avoided criticizing the other, it’s been clear to anyone paying attention to GOP politics that something is brewing.
There are a number of ways in which a competition could turn nasty, but perhaps no faster way than Trump going after one of DeSantis’ closest advisers: his wife.
After fighting off cancer this past March, Casey DeSantis’ role has continually grown, according to an outside adviser. She has turned into a de facto point person for the “very insular” campaign, in the words of a person familiar with the operation.
“She is a campaign manager, the political director, and the chief of staff,” this source said.
A Trump adviser noted that the former president’s camp was also aware of Casey DeSantis’ outsized role—and this adviser identified that role as a potential weakness.
“The main thing everyone makes fun of DeSantis for is that everyone knows his wife is the one calling the shots. He’s totally subservient to her ridiculous political opinions,” this adviser said.
The adviser added that Casey DeSantis was an easy target for Trump.
“Trump’s going to end up doing to DeSantis and his wife what he did to Cruz and his wife,” the Trump adviser said, referring to how Trump attacked Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) wife during the 2016 Republican presidential primaries.
Responding to these claims, Trump spokesperson Liz Harrington said theories that Trump would attack DeSantis’ wife were “total bullshit.”
While it’s clear there’s potential for an explosive battle between Trump and DeSantis, it’s also possible DeSantis chooses to pass.
Again, this article was written November 4. How can DeSantis not reply to Trump’s barb from last night’s rally?
The Daily Beast previously reported that Trump intends to hit DeSantis and isn’t backing down anytime soon.
“Trump’s going to end up doing to DeSantis and his wife what he did to Cruz and his wife,” a Trump adviser told The Daily Beast.
“Trump is going to try to destroy him,” an adviser said.
Consider this: one thing we know about Trump is that he is consistent. He is not a man of imagination. He’s predictable. In his 2016 battle for the GOP nomination, his closest competitor was Ted Cruz. He took down Cruz by attacking Heidi — not to mention depicting Cruz’s father as a possible assassination of JFK. It worked then. Why not give it a whirl now?
And Trump is loaded with ammunition. Casey DeSantis gave him the ammunition in the guise of that stupid ad, “God Make A Fighter.” Just today, on one of the Sunday shows, Michael Steele trashed DeSantis’ white Christian nationalist ad. That ad was a horrible decision and it was released with Casey DeSantis’ name on top of it.
I think this is the direction Trump will go. We’re going to find out soon enough. Possibly even tonight.
This is going to be comical, watching these two godless poseurs, both world class phonies, see which one can sell himself as God’s gift to politics, the savior of the GOP and of America. And the GOP does need a savior, that’s a fact. These two are its undertakers, unfortunately.
I wish the goyim would stay away, far away, from the Wailing Wall. It’s not just that they don’t belong there, they don’t know what it truly is for. It is meaningless for goyim like their jesus is to us.
My husband, who recently passed away, was fond of telling that “Hey, he’s one of ours, NOT yours” My beloved was Jewish and he would agree with you spike.
DeSantis is a full-on fascist, he is NOT on the side of Jews.