Dear Governor DeSantis,
This week, Donald Trump promote his attacks on you to the nuclear level. And I’d like to offer some heartfelt, if unsolicited, warning.
However, I know that you don’t like to listen to advice, which may contribute high employee turnover. You won re-election by a large margin, which may convince you that you have all the answers and that of Florida The reaction is indicative of the rest of America. Above all, you have grown thanks to ignore the mainstream media.
But is this strategy scalable or usable in the presidential campaign? I can’t imagine that it will be. These questions remain: (a) can you withstand tough questions from the national press and resist Donald Trump’s punches, (b) can you play road games without do you not control the venue, and (c) can you win the primaries? Are you lovable enough to win the general election? The purpose of this open letter is to convince you to prepare and address these questions now.
Obviously, your first (and Maybe hardest) is to win the Republican primaries. One of Trump’s superpowers is finding a person’s weakness and then pulling him (or her) down to his level. He achieves this result regardless of whether you (a) allow his attacks to go unanswered, thus allowing him to define your story, or (b) fight back and wallow in mud with him.
So far, you’ve parried him with basically say, “I was too focused on defeating the left to join in attacking a Republican friend.” But is it possible? beat Trump without confronting him directly? Can you say that you are as tough as Trump—while allowing him to say bad things about you? Woodrow Wilson said it could be “too proud to fight.” Well, that strategy unsustainable for him in the long run, and it won’t be for you either.
As one baseball playerYou have been known for your patience at the disc. it’s smart no swaying in every attractive pitch. But at some point, you have to have a swing. There will come a time when you are in a debate and Donald J. Trump is throwing a quick ball and serving chin music. Will you rise to this occasion? That’s when we know you’re ready for the big tournaments.
It’s true that we’ve become somewhat familiar with Trump’s weary tone, which helps explain why his obscene “Ron DeSantimonious” doesn’t move. This particular moniker may seem genuine, but it doesn’t threaten your underlying brand.
Trump’s recent suggestion that something bad happened between you and some of your former high school students, however, maybe. One of the memes that Trump posted on Truth Social this week suggests that you are “grooming” high school girls. While this implication may seem extremely unfair, your political group is the first I know to start loose accommodation of the “groom” slur (and spinning, as they say, is fair play).
Does Trump’s latest allegation align with Ted Cruz’s father’s involvement in the Kennedy assassination, or is there even a hint of something that might emerge after that?
Remember, it doesn’t matter that Donald Trump did everything you’d be accused of doing — and worse still, it doesn’t matter. Trump’s credibility is not based on whether he is virtuous or competent, just as his interests are not based on his avoidance of drama.
The problem with choosing you as “Trump has no luggage” is the request to disappear as soon as your luggage shows up. Then the contrast gets messy, and you reason for existence fall. Donald Trump is a master chef of mud cakes.
It goes without saying that every serious campaign must conduct “opposite research” on themselves. The lethal information is cause enough for a candidate to stay out of the race. But even suspicious actions must be disclosed to your team so they can preempt an attack and/or be ready to react quickly. So if there’s any truth to this, talk it over with your wife and top advisors now.
“As a baseball player, you are known for your patience on the plate. It’s smart not to wobble at all levels of attraction. But at some point, you have to have a swing.“
Assuming that nothing really damaging from your past exists, you can celebrate the fact that you’ve had about eight years to observe Donald Trump as a political candidate.
While candidates like Scott Walker, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz are blinded by Trump’s unorthodox style, anyone vying for the 2024 nomination has plenty of time to research him. .
Your goal is to match or “embrace” Trump in areas where he’s popular with Republican primary voters, while opposing him in areas that benefit you. This is clearly something you understand deeply. But it doesn’t end there. Winning the presidency will likely have to happen in the fall of 2023 with the majority of the Trump coalition backing you And ability to bring home stubbornness Never have Trump conservatives really liked you.
No one said this would be easy.
In the end, the most important piece of advice I can give is to take Trump’s attacks seriously and not assume that your current winning streak (in Florida and the early innings of the general race) this nascent system) means you already understand this game.
In the film Durham beef“Crash” Davis (Kevin Costner) tells his cocky young pitcher, Nuke Laloosh (Tim Robbins), that “You have to play this game with fear and arrogance.” The good news is that you have locked the second part. And when it comes to the fear factor, I’ll be a little humble.
