By EDUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
McALLEN, Texas | Next Wednesday's debate will tell the tale of Ron DeSantis and his presidential bid. It's that tenuous, 50-50. He'll either score enough points to salvage a collapsed campaign, or he'll go full-bust and ship the travel luggage home.
It's where this guy is today.
As many as nine 2024 presidential candidates may make the August 23rd debate in Milwaukee. Ron DeSantis hopes to star that night, especially if indictments-saddled Donald J. Trump is a no-show, as he has threatened.
This about that from politico.com: [ Thanks to his stunning 20-point reelection as governor of Florida, cementing the formerly purple state as a Republican stronghold, Ron DeSantis entered the presidential primary as the prospective preeminent challenger to Donald Trump. Just three months into his frankly disappointing campaign, however, DeSantis axed a slew of terminally online staffers and embraced the adversarial media that made him a rising star in the first place, promising his donors a proper pivot into a campaign capable of beating the incumbent, Democrat Joe Biden.
Hence, a leaked memo from pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down is frankly baffling.
"There are four basic must-dos," the memo says. "1. Attack Joe Biden and the media 3-5 times. 2. State [DeSantis's] positive vision 2-3 times. 3. Hammer Vivek Ramaswamy in a response. 4. Defend Donald Trump in absentia in response to a Chris Christie attack."
What the hell? ]
Lost in the strategy outlined in the memo is the Ron DeSantis who rose to prominence in Florida, the brawler quick to engage corporate biggies such as Disney and entrenched state educators he deemed too-Liberal. Fighting Ron DeSantis disappeared once he began rolling-out his campaign for president.
Defend Donald J. Trump? What will that get him? Nothing. He'll just be seen as another Republican low-flyer kowtowing to Trump. Ass-kissing, in other words.
The memo has been roundly laughed-at by pundits and Republican operatives who saw it as a losing proposition. Following that, did DeSantis say anything about the memo.
No. He didn't even acknowledge it, which was probably wise.
DeSantis needs a strong debate night.
He needs to show he is more than a bagful of emotions. That has led to characterizations of his being a bully and a hothead. Both are no-nos.
Is he - or has he been - presidential?
No.
Big NO...
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