The reality TV show that somehow we’re all trapped into living in is a remake of All About Eve. In some quadrant of Hell there’s a stage play called GOP, probably written and directed by Satan himself. It stars Donald Trump. Somehow, through an interdimensional mishap of inconceivable scope, that play has been our reality for seven years now. Man, I don’t even want to think about who broke what mirror.
Trump has a subversive ally, whom he now loathes, just as Margo Channing came to despise Eve Harrington. Except Trump is hipper than Margo was, he sees what Ron DeSantis is doing already.
DeSantis is not really running for the GOP nomination. That would involve taking on Trump and that’s the last thing DeSantis intends to do. Or is capable of doing.
The simple truth is, DeSantis isn’t running. He’s playing understudy, or more accurately, janitor. His plan, and it was underscored today, is not to take Trump on. He’s incapable of that. He knows it. His plan is to be the guy who’s in second place and simply pick up the reins when Trump is finally sentenced or imprisoned, or whatever is going to take place in this macabre Machiavellian play. DeSantis plans to take the role of the incapacitated star and perform it himself. He knows he’s not a star. He just thinks he can position himself to take the lead, anyway. That is all this has ever been, folks.
Take a look and tell me if you agree.
Desantis is given an opportunity today in NH to go at Trump spending $40 million of donor money on lawyers. He is asked about Christina Pushaw’s statement that “MAGA grandmothers were scammed out of money.” He refuses to comment. He isn’t up for this fight at all. pic.twitter.com/cfSuMMzMfu
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) July 31, 2023
He isn’t up for the fight because he has no intention of fighting. He never did. DeSantis is playing a logistical game and making a flaming ass out of himself in the process. That’s the Faustian aspect of all this.
And this is all you’re going to see until the magical day that Ron dreams of, the day that the role is finally his — if it comes. The man is a weakling. The man has no personality. The man is trying to scam his party into giving him a nomination, not one that he earned by dint of qualifications and grit, but one that he got by default, because he was in the right place at the right time when the big orange timber crashed to the ground and burst into flames.
That’s who Ron DeSantis is. He’s a wanna be of limitless dimension. We probably won’t see his like again — if we’re lucky.
That said, he could in fact end up with the nomination. Somebody is. It’s going to be a question of timing more than anything. Mike Pence isn’t going to get it. He’ll be lucky if he gets to debate. I don’t see this era of Republicans voting for Tim Scott, a Black man. I could be wrong. Let’s see. Nikki Haley is running a vanity campaign, I don’t think she’s going anywhere. Maybe Chris Christie will end up the breakout star. That would be something indeed, but don’t rule it out. We are not living in normal times.
In short, there are a pack of bit players and no leading man or leading lady. But I guess one of them will be elevated to the big part soon. Or, maybe the prima Donald will hang onto his starring role until the very end and be defeated — again — in November.
And here’s the Faustian bargain of this. You remember in the movie, after Eve manipulated her way onto the stage, that the critic wrote the next day that it was a night of “fire and music,” the likes of which he hadn’t seen in many a year? When and if DeSantis gets the nomination, clips like these will dominate the airwaves and expose him for who and what he is. This is political sepukku on an epic plane. That’s DeSantis’ future, if he gets what he thinks he so very much wants. DeSantis could go down in history as the most ridiculed candidate for president in our history. He might suffer a Mondale-esque wipeout, if such a thing is even possible in this day and age. If not Mondale-esque, it will be humiliating enough, I have no doubt.
Careful what you wish for, you just might get it.
DeSantis is a failed governor. His state is literally falling apart. Homeowners can’t get insurance, undocumented workers are fleeing the state leaving crops unharvested and construction sites empty, academics fleeing his assinine education policy and climate change turning the ocean into a literal hot tub.
If by some miracle, he does become the rethug nominee, 2024 will be the biggest blowout we’ve seen this century and possibly last century.
From your lips to God’s ears. One thing is certain: DeSantis thinks he’ll magically inherit the MAGAs if and when Trump falls on the battlefield. He won’t. MAGAs will probably sit out the election as they used to do before they got their idol. That leaves regular Republicans, who are probably disgusted by the man. And he’s certainly not winning over Independents.
I think it is a Faustian bargain. DeSantis will be a running joke for many an election cycle if he gets on the GOP ticket. Maybe even if he doesn’t.
Here’s to hoping he’s the gop version of Michael Dukakis.
Funny, but every time Trump fluffer Liz Harrington’s name pops up I can’t help but think of Eve Harrington. Believe it or not I never saw the old classic black & white movie but being involved in musical theater I was quite familiar with that version. (the musical was title Applause) The Broadway musical version had one HELL of a cast, including the incomparable Lauren Bacall as Margot and Anne Bancroft (also incomparable) as Eve. And Bacall’s rendition of the song that illustrates the big moment between them is incredible. Of course, unlike Eve DeSantis will fall flat on his face. But like Eve he doesn’t realize he’s destined for his sins to come back and haunt him. I couldn’t resist posting Bacall performing Welcome Miss Eve Harrington, in part because of some quite relevant lyrics: Welcome to the FLOP you thought would run for years” and “You FOOL! You’ll love it so.” Only unlike Harrington DeSantis’ love will be short lived because unlike Harrington he’s nowhere near able to master the moment when it comes. The cheers and jeers will rain down worse than in his worst nightmares!
I was indeed surprised to learn that depantless was drafting behind a draft dodger.😬😬