https://ace.mu.nu/We can "counterpunch" too, Shutdown Don.
Let me show you how good we are at counterpunching.
"Ron DeSantis didn't shut down hard enough and murdered old people" is of course the leftwing attack line on him, and I'm 100% not surprised to hear Trump repeating the left's attack lines at all. We already saw him using the left's "Medicaid and Social Security cuts lines."
And I and other friends predicted this long ago. Trump has several big problems with voters on the right, where he takes the position opposite the great majority of Republican, conservative primary voters.
Because Trump never admits he's wrong -- TRUMP IS ALWAYS RIGHT! -- he cannot say that he was wrong on these issues.
He's going to have to claim he was right to take the leftwing position on these issues, and that anyone taking the opposite view -- like Ron DeSantis -- is a "right-wing extremist" or bigot.
For a start: Trump is now repeating all the left wing Democrats' lies that Florida is a place of "misery and despair," enlisting, get this, a leftwing blogger to write the hit piece on DeSantis, who in turn gets his "facts" from leftwing sources.
As a potential announcement for president in 2024 from Gov. Ron DeSantis nears, former President Donald Trump's campaign has ramped up attacks against the governor.
After a blitz of endorsements from representatives in DeSantis' home state, Trump's campaign Friday released "The Real Ron DeSantis Playbook," which contains a long list of reasons Florida "continues to tumble into complete and total delinquency and destruction."
"The real DeSantis record is one of misery and despair," campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said. "He has left a wake of destruction all across Florida and people are hurting because he has spent more time playing public relations games instead of actually doing the hard-work needed to improve the lives of the people he represents."
The campaign focused on Florida reportedly being "one of the least affordable states to live in the country" and linked to a Substack post from frequent DeSantis critic Jason Garcia who argued the governor raised taxes by more than $1 billion during his first term.
Garcia noted that the governor cut taxes by "more than $4 billion overall."
In February, DeSantis proposed an additional $2 billion in tax relief. Last year, he signed one of the largest relief packages in state history.
They cited other media reports on the rising cost of living in some Florida cities.
Several of their cited reports came from left-leaning sources.
The Florida Policy Institute was cited, which was founded in 2014 as a "left-leaning policy research and advocacy organization."
So was Oxfam, a "left-of-center" organization.
They also cited the National Low Income Housing Coalition, whose president and CEO is Diane Yentel, a supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris.
...
They went on to reference other claims and reports that DeSantis ranks low on economic opportunity, in places to retire, in places to raise a family, in fair taxes, for energy affordability, to rent a home, to be a teacher, to be a doctor, and even to be a police officer.
But Trump is repeating a lot of leftwing attack lines lately.
For example, Trump repeatedly embraced the LGBT Alphabet Mafia and, when North Carolina was getting boycotted for trying to make bathrooms single-sex again -- because some leftwing cities had passed laws requiring all bathrooms to be open to transgenders and, well, anyone -- Trump took the side against the state government, telling them to "leave them the way they are," that is, leave the bathrooms open to anyone of any gender.
Comments
Where's Joe?
NBC last week reported that DeSantis' political operation was calling Republican members of the Florida congressional delegation to consolidate support after four members publicly backed Trump.
The article said Reps. Aaron Bean, Vern Buchanan, Kat Cammack, Mario Diaz-Balart, Laurel Lee, and Greg Steube were called and asked to hold off on making any endorsements in the near future.
"There is clearly some angst from the DeSantis camp that so many members of the state's congressional delegation are throwing their support behind Trump," said a GOP consultant for one of the members contacted by DeSantis' team. "Gaetz going with Trump is one thing, but Byron's endorsement of the former president undoubtedly rattled some cages."
Donalds said in an interview earlier this week that he was supporting Trump because the U.S. needed someone "ready for prime time."
"There is only one leader at this time in our nation's history who can seize the moment and deliver what we need," Donalds said in his statement at the time. "That is why I'm honored to endorse Donald J. Trump for President in 2024, and I ask my fellow Americans to join me."
Joey is sitting in the WH.