Again, I have to ask, if the GOP base wants someone who owns the libs, nobody does it better than Donald Trump. And if they want more moderate policies, Ron DeSantis certainly isn’t offering any. So what’s DeSantis doing by trying to out Trump Trump?
Gov. Ron DeSantis is often called “Trump 2.0” for his embrace of conservative policies and his take-no-prisoners style of politics.
And ahead of the 2024 presidential election — as both Florida men vie to lead the party and ultimately the nation — they have openly feuded over Covid-19 and vaccines and whether DeSantis is truly loyal to the former president, whose 2018 endorsement helped the Florida governor win election.
But the men are also very similar in their approach to issues like critical race theory, China and especially their criticism of Democrats and President Joe Biden.
How similar? POLITICO collected some of Trump’s and DeSantis’ quotes. See if you can tell who said it.
1.(On fellow Republicans)
“Some of these Republicans, they just sit back like potted plants, and they let the media define the terms of the debate. They take all this incoming because they’re not making anything happen.”
Ron DeSantis
That sentence construction is far too educated for Donald Trump. DeSantis needs to work on mangling his syntax.
2.(On Anthony Fauci)
“I’m just sick of seeing him. Someone needs to grab that little elf and chuck him across the Potomac.”
Ron DeSantis
That’s better. Violence and personal insults is the way to go, Ron.
3.(On the current conservative-dominated Supreme Court)
“The Supreme Court has lost its honor, prestige, and standing, & has become nothing more than a political body, with our Country paying the price.”
Ron DeSantis
This could have gone either way. Trump sometimes delivers lines like this from his script. But he would have added another, “our country is paying the price” in that weird sing-song voice he uses sometimes.
4.(On Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas)
“The gold standard for a Supreme Court appointment on the current court is Clarence Thomas, who is a faithful constitutionalist, possesses the ability to articulate key principles in a compelling fashion and has a backbone made of steel.”
DeSantis — the moderate
5.(On health care)
“We’ve really become the health care party — the Republican Party.”
Donald Trump
Only he could come up with something so fatuous.
6.(On masks)
“The CDC is advising the use of nonmedical cloth face covering as an additional voluntary public health measure. So it’s voluntary. You don’t have to do it. They suggested for a period of time, but this is voluntary. I don’t think I’m going to be doing it.”
Donald Trump
April 3, 2020 as the health care system was collapsing.
7.(On China)
“They want to take your throat out, they want to cut you apart. These are tough people. I’ve dealt with them all my life.”
Donald Trump
Of course.
8.(On Russia’s War on Ukraine)
“This is a war that never should have happened, but it did. The solution can never be as good as it would have been before the shooting started, but there is a solution.”
Donald Trump
He said this last April. He’s never shared his alleged solution, just insisted that he has one.
9.(On President Joe Biden’s September 2022 speech on extremism)
“I thought it was one of the most disgusting speeches an American president has ever given.”
Ron DeSantis
Of course he does.
10.(On abortion)
“These are babies with beating hearts, who can move, taste, see and feel pain. Proud to defend life!”
Ron DeSantis , tweeting on April 14, 2022 after signing Florida’s 15-week abortion ban into law.
He’s now announced that he will sign a 6 week abortion ban.
11.(On transgender rights)
“The left-wing gender insanity being pushed at our children is an act of child abuse. Very simple.”
Donald Trump
This is an example of Trump following DeSantis.
12.(On Cuba)
“I stand in total solidarity with the freedom fighters in Cuba and the brave Cuban Americans who have watched their families suffer in the motherland at the hands of this heartless and brutal regime.”
Donald Trump
Scripted, obviously.
13.(On gas stoves)
“You’re not taking our gas stoves away from us. That is your choice! And I know many people who cook a lot do not want to part with their gas stoves. … Anything they can get away with, they’re going to get away with.”
Ron DeSantis, really laying it on thick.
14.(On tech censorship)
“Today they may come after someone who looks like me. Tomorrow they may come after someone who looks like you.”
Ron DeSantis Lololololololol!!!!!!!
15.(On education)
“There’s no failed policy more in need of urgent change than our government-run education monopoly.”
Donald Trump
16.(On Nancy Pelosi)
“They’re producing this slop up in Washington, you have people like Nancy Pelosi, who by the way, you wanna talk about putting an entire donkey out to pasture, you can get that done very soon.”
Ron DeSantis being a nasty little bitch
17.(On critical race theory)
“Earlier this year, the Biden administration issued new rules pushing twisted critical race theory into classrooms across the nation, also into our military.”
Donald Trump following mini-me again.