100% completely agree with your last sentence! Considering the inept campaign he ran for the GOP presidential nominee, questions should arise if DeSantis is truly the "Knight In Shining Armor" principled conservatives have made him out to be. We should be troubled with Ron's stance that he's "philosophically" in agreement with a guy who is clearly NOT a staunch conservative, but merely a celebrity sell-out//populist-opportunist-at-heart.
Okay, I know many will counter this by comparing/contrasting DeSanits' solidly conservative record as FL. Gov. to the pathetic records of the rest of the RINO state governors in America. But the troubling fact remains, Ron had to know in advance that his unwillingness to campaign HARD against Trump would doom his GOP nominee bid from the start. But yet, he still didn't do it.
So yeah, I'll go one step beyond you Calvin, and ask - Was DeSantis ever truly in-it-to-win-it against Trump for '24? In other words, was Ron's (now aborted) run really about winning today, or was it ONLY about setting himself up to win POTUS 4 years from now. Truth is, it looks like the latter was the case, and it may have been ALL POLITICS with Ron! ..which means he wasn't really sincere in trying to dethrone Trump for this year's nomination, ..which is EXACTLY what principled conservatives wanted & thought Ron was SINCERELY trying to accomplish!!
So if that's the case, then naturally one must ask if ANYTHING is sincere with DeSantis. ...like.... Are all the "conservative" things he's done so far as FL. Gov. actually SINCERE? Or are they merely "posturing" meant to better position himself as "the best conservative" for the '28 Presidential campaign. And I'm sorry, but THAT possibility must be considered now!
The point is - after examining all the reasons for Ron's poor performance in this "campaign," principled conservatives should "trust" DeSantis ..A LOT LESS.. than they did before it began.
But unfortunately, I doubt this will happen. Why? ..because conservatives have totally bought into the -- "poor Ron 'the hero conservative' lost to Trump simply because he was 'victimized' by CON INC out of his chance to win it" -- narrative.
But I don't buy it precisely because this VICTIM-HOOD narrative is too convenient ...too coincidental ...and most all.. ..too HELPFUL a narrative for the rest of Ron's political career.
For me, this all-too-staged victim-narrative/outcome PERFECTLY suits DeSantis for his '28 aspirations, and probably best explains why he "failed" to wage an aggressive campaign against Trump in '24. ..and there are NO coincidences in politics.
I'm sorry, but I believe my explanation is just as possible as any of yours Calvin - because I'm not going to fall into the trap of idolizing DeSantis, ..the same way Trump-supporters idolize the Don.
Edit: One final note in response to this statement - "They have had obvious huge policy differences, but he sees Nikki as a corporate sellout and globalist and, outside of Covid, philosophically agrees with Trump,” the [DeSantis] adviser said. “That decision needed to be made, as far as he is concerned.”
In NO WAY is it REALISTICALLY POSSIBLE for DeSantis or his advisors to believe that 2 politicians who "philosophically agree" with each other, ..could yet end up having "HUGE" policy differences too.
In other words, DeSantis and his advisors are NOT dumb enough to believe that statement. The only reasonable explanation they made it ...is to be purposely DISHONEST with their followers!!
This is yet another window into the REAL DeSantis!!
I don't think I can go that far, but in light of everything that's happened I can no longer in good conscience fault the people who do. Either way, his weaksauce approach hasn't put himself in a great position for 2028 simply because an "I told you so" candidacy depends in large part on how clearly voters remember him telling them so.
But that's the problem - Ron never actually ran an "I told you so" campaign against Trump. And he had to know--at least early on--that a timid approach to Donald could never work against him.
Yet he never changed strategy.
It was never imperative for him to win in '24, ..only in '28.
But like you said, Ron's "weaksauce" now, may be his undoing in '28,
IF Trump somehow wins POTUS again, Maga will probably be stronger than ever 4 yrs from now, and they WON'T choose DeSantis, ..but instead will empower either Don Jr., or Vivek, ..or some other FAKE conservative as heir to daddy Trump.
The only bright light is that Trump very likely won't win POTUS in the general election, and therefore his Maga "brand" will subside or die by '28.
100% completely agree with your last sentence! Considering the inept campaign he ran for the GOP presidential nominee, questions should arise if DeSantis is truly the "Knight In Shining Armor" principled conservatives have made him out to be. We should be troubled with Ron's stance that he's "philosophically" in agreement with a guy who is clearly NOT a staunch conservative, but merely a celebrity sell-out//populist-opportunist-at-heart.
Okay, I know many will counter this by comparing/contrasting DeSanits' solidly conservative record as FL. Gov. to the pathetic records of the rest of the RINO state governors in America. But the troubling fact remains, Ron had to know in advance that his unwillingness to campaign HARD against Trump would doom his GOP nominee bid from the start. But yet, he still didn't do it.
So yeah, I'll go one step beyond you Calvin, and ask - Was DeSantis ever truly in-it-to-win-it against Trump for '24? In other words, was Ron's (now aborted) run really about winning today, or was it ONLY about setting himself up to win POTUS 4 years from now. Truth is, it looks like the latter was the case, and it may have been ALL POLITICS with Ron! ..which means he wasn't really sincere in trying to dethrone Trump for this year's nomination, ..which is EXACTLY what principled conservatives wanted & thought Ron was SINCERELY trying to accomplish!!
So if that's the case, then naturally one must ask if ANYTHING is sincere with DeSantis. ...like.... Are all the "conservative" things he's done so far as FL. Gov. actually SINCERE? Or are they merely "posturing" meant to better position himself as "the best conservative" for the '28 Presidential campaign. And I'm sorry, but THAT possibility must be considered now!
The point is - after examining all the reasons for Ron's poor performance in this "campaign," principled conservatives should "trust" DeSantis ..A LOT LESS.. than they did before it began.
But unfortunately, I doubt this will happen. Why? ..because conservatives have totally bought into the -- "poor Ron 'the hero conservative' lost to Trump simply because he was 'victimized' by CON INC out of his chance to win it" -- narrative.
But I don't buy it precisely because this VICTIM-HOOD narrative is too convenient ...too coincidental ...and most all.. ..too HELPFUL a narrative for the rest of Ron's political career.
For me, this all-too-staged victim-narrative/outcome PERFECTLY suits DeSantis for his '28 aspirations, and probably best explains why he "failed" to wage an aggressive campaign against Trump in '24. ..and there are NO coincidences in politics.
I'm sorry, but I believe my explanation is just as possible as any of yours Calvin - because I'm not going to fall into the trap of idolizing DeSantis, ..the same way Trump-supporters idolize the Don.
Edit: One final note in response to this statement - "They have had obvious huge policy differences, but he sees Nikki as a corporate sellout and globalist and, outside of Covid, philosophically agrees with Trump,” the [DeSantis] adviser said. “That decision needed to be made, as far as he is concerned.”
In NO WAY is it REALISTICALLY POSSIBLE for DeSantis or his advisors to believe that 2 politicians who "philosophically agree" with each other, ..could yet end up having "HUGE" policy differences too.
In other words, DeSantis and his advisors are NOT dumb enough to believe that statement. The only reasonable explanation they made it ...is to be purposely DISHONEST with their followers!!
This is yet another window into the REAL DeSantis!!
I don't think I can go that far, but in light of everything that's happened I can no longer in good conscience fault the people who do. Either way, his weaksauce approach hasn't put himself in a great position for 2028 simply because an "I told you so" candidacy depends in large part on how clearly voters remember him telling them so.
But that's the problem - Ron never actually ran an "I told you so" campaign against Trump. And he had to know--at least early on--that a timid approach to Donald could never work against him.
Yet he never changed strategy.
It was never imperative for him to win in '24, ..only in '28.
But like you said, Ron's "weaksauce" now, may be his undoing in '28,
IF Trump somehow wins POTUS again, Maga will probably be stronger than ever 4 yrs from now, and they WON'T choose DeSantis, ..but instead will empower either Don Jr., or Vivek, ..or some other FAKE conservative as heir to daddy Trump.
The only bright light is that Trump very likely won't win POTUS in the general election, and therefore his Maga "brand" will subside or die by '28.