We don’t know of anyone who would compare failed presidential contender Florida man Ron DeSantis with statesman, savior of world civilization and Nobel laureate in literature Winston Churchill. Except for DeSantis, who invoked Churchill as he quit the Republican primary race, not from cold Iowa, where he should have folded his shredded tent last Monday night after being obliterated by Donald Trump, or from snowy New Hampshire, where will he will be crushed tomorrow, but from warm Tallahassee via Twitter/X at 2:57 yesterday.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” quoting the great Briton by a man who will not continue and didn’t have the courage to quit a week ago when he was thrashed. DeSantis’ selfishly tardy exit finally allows for the crucial one-on-one between Trump and Nikki Haley for the future and the soul of a once great party that risks becoming a personality cult for a dangerous man who has only contempt for democracy and American governmental and political traditions.
DeSantis was deluded in believing that a 20-point landslide reelection in 2022 as governor would make him attractive on the national stage. He then placed all his chips on Iowa. His campaign knocked on 947,000 doors across the Hawkeye State. He visited all 99 counties. He then lost all 99 counties to Trump and Haley, squeaking past her for a second place finish, but as we wrote days ago, he was “humiliated” and would have to get out of the race.
Haley was right to refuse to debate with DeSantis alone in New Hampshire last Thursday and last night, since he wasn’t really running. Before he gave up he wasn’t making the minimum 10% to get any New Hampshire delegates. Even his withdrawal was a confused mess. On Saturday, DeSantis canceled Sunday morning interviews on NBC and CNN and wiped clean his public schedule. He then showed up in a short video three minutes before kickoff of his hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers being hosted by the Detroit Lions.
As he bowed out, DeSantis said to camera that “it’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” endorsing the former president. Not so fast, Ron.
Trump does not yet have the backing of a majority of Republican primary voters. Yes, in Iowa, Trump did get 51% thanks to the collapse of DeSantis, while the polls in New Hampshire show Trump struggling to get a majority.
He can bring out crowds, but then he mixes up Haley with Nancy Pelosi (they are both women he doesn’t like, aren’t they?) even as he focuses with nasty nativist intent on the first name Haley’s Indian immigrant parents gave her. Classic Trump. Trump makes a lot of hay of President Biden’s age and memory, using it as a weapon. How about his own mental state?
New Hampshire will now have a two-person contest. Haley was endorsed by the conservative Union Leader, the largest newspaper in the state, and she’ll be out campaigning all day today. Trump will be in Manhattan, taking the stand in the E. Jean Carroll defamation trial.
The Lions beat the Bucs, making it the first time that Detroit has won two playoff games since 1957. Underdogs sometimes win.
