Leftist Gaslighting: Columnist Claims Media ‘Mostly Fawns Over’ Ron DeSantis
“If your entire premise is ‘the media fawning’ all over him, you should probably cite more than just one example, which according to you is CNBC just quoting him.”
As is often the case with effective Republican leaders, Ron DeSantis has taken a barrage of incoming mainstream media fire during his time as Florida’s governor. As Legal Insurrection has extensively documented, the attacks only intensified after former President Donald Trump left office in January 2021.
The reason for this, of course, is that the Democrat apologists in the press see DeSantis as a threat to the far left’s vision for the future and to Joe Biden’s presidency, with the understanding in mind that if DeSantis were to run for president and win, war would immediately be declared on the woke agendas of Congressional Democrats, much like DeSantis has done with an impressive degree of success in the Sunshine State.
But though we’re a few weeks out from April Fools’ Day, one would think we were already there judging by a recent column from Guardian media columnist Margaret Sullivan, whose resume includes six years working as a media columnist at the Washington Post and before that holding the public editor position at the New York Times for four years.
In her latest piece, Sullivan declares that the “media mostly fawns” over DeSantis and that it must stop before it gets out of hand and helps him get elected to the White House. Or something:
Ron DeSantis is just getting started with his rightwing agenda. That should worry us all, yet the media mostly fawns over him. My latest in @GuardianUS https://t.co/oJBnV8AKgc
— Margaret Sullivan (@Sulliview) March 10, 2023
In the column, she argues that the media’s supposed love affair with DeSantis goes well beyond Fox News. Her lone example was, I kid you not, a CNBC headline that quoted DeSantis directly:
That’s why it’s appalling to see the media lavish him with so much fawning coverage. Fox News has put its calamitous love affair with Donald Trump on ice while it swoons over his younger rival.
DeSantis enjoys glowing treatment from the mainstream press, too. All too predictably, many of the headlines from his recent State of the State speech not only centered on presidential politics but also magnified his boasts. Here’s a skepticism-free example from CNBC:
“‘You ain’t seen nothing yet’: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis touts state record and fuels 2024 speculation.”
“The media should be delving into the substance of that record,” Sullivan went on to write, apparently trapped in a cave somewhere and not aware that is exactly what the press has been doing with DeSantis since the outbreak of the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic, albeit with their typical left-wing slants where they make the worst accusations first before sifting through the actual facts (if they even do that).
We saw it with their wildly distorted contrasts between the respective pandemic managment styles of DeSantis and then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2020, and their bizarre 2021 “60 Minutes“/NBC News hit pieces criticizing DeSantis for alleged “pay to play” for sensibly prioritizing senior citizens for vaccines.
More recently, MSNBC falsely claimed DeSantis didn’t want black history taught in Florida’s public schools.
There’s been a whole lot of partisan press “coverage” against DeSantis in between all that (including the ever-growing “worse than Trump” talking point) as well, but you wouldn’t know it by reading not just Sullivan’s piece but also the praise she received for it from so-called “journalism professors” including Columbia Journalism School’s Bill Grueskin and New York University’s Jay Rosen:
“It’s appalling to see the media lavish DeSantis with so much fawning coverage. Fox News swoons. .. DeSantis enjoys glowing treatment from the mainstream press, too.”
Via @Sulliview https://t.co/d67v4RxUqp
— Bill Grueskin (@BGrueskin) March 10, 2023
Margaret Sullivan used this principle in her critique of the way the national press is covering DeSantis. @Sulliview @guardian https://t.co/BlsS4jFeuQ https://t.co/SunGkUn10C
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) March 10, 2023
Other media figures who suffer from DeSantis Derangement Syndrome also weighed in with praise, including Randi Rhodes’ show producer Shawn Peirce and NBC News senior “reporter” Ben Collins, whose bias against Twitter CEO Elon Musk was so obvious that the network temporarily suspended him from providing on-air commentary about Musk for several weeks in December:
As usual, @Sulliview is correct – especially when she quotes @jayrosen_nyu & judges DeSantis by that metric: "Not the odds, but the stakes."
Doing that, it's clear DeSantis is an authoritarian, hungry for more power – which he must be denied. https://t.co/lrOPF2MOUx
— Shawn Peirce (@_silversmith) March 10, 2023
The 🐐 has reappeared with a new column. https://t.co/lUN4hEQNvC
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) March 10, 2023
Fortunately, sanity prevailed—at least on Twitter, anyway—as evidenced by the pushback on Sullivan’s gaslighting, including by some who were even DeSantis fans:
If your entire premise is “the media fawning” all over him, you should probably cite more than just one example, which according to you is CNBC just quoting him.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) March 10, 2023
I can't believe she typed this out, and hit 'Tweet' button afterwards.
I mean…do you literally want to look like a fool? The media has been attacking RDS (often unfairly) for months. Fawning? That is gaslighting of the first degree. https://t.co/rLseACsPAK
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) March 10, 2023
The solitary examples in this article of the the media "fawning" over DeSantis are… Fox News and a single headline from CNBC. https://t.co/Qelyv3rdl9
— Yair Rosenberg (@Yair_Rosenberg) March 10, 2023
another example of why almost no one takes the MSM seriously any more. other than Fox no major media company *fawns* over DeSantis.
they rip him to shreds constantly. and i can say this as someone who thinks he's a jackass. 😂 https://t.co/RHVBL7W0Nn— Steven Spencer (@sspencer_smb) March 11, 2023
I found the most delusional take on Twitter for today. https://t.co/fNLDjjhU4u
— Jonathan Cumberland (@81sportsfan) March 11, 2023
Ironically, it is pieces like Sullivan’s, where the writer is so far removed from reality on the topic, that help drive more people DeSantis’ way, just like the volumes of media hit pieces against Trump helped grow his fanbase in 2016. So if the Margaret Sullivans of the world really want to throw a cloud over DeSantis’ political star status, they’ve sure got lousy ways of showing it.
— Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter. —
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Comments
I’d like her to describe how the media treated Obama.
He is black so they treated him horribly, with a huge amount of systemic racism of course. Any memory you have to the contrary, text or video that doesn’t comport with that assessment is probably induced by your habitual use of psychedelics. /sarc
Actually… what I saw was the soft bigotry of low expectations. He was not at all a good president, but, no matter what he did, the parrot media clapped their hands and said, “Oh what a good boy is he!”
Yep. That sums it up nicely.
But…but…he was “clean and articulate “
One of the most cringe-making lines ever spoken given these times when one is expected to tread on eggshells around the Number One Protected Class.
Yeah, but that was said by their pedophile so they didn’t pay any attention to it.
Ironclaw: it was said by a Democrat. That is the main thing.
This is like people claiming the BBC supports Israel anytime the BBC isn’t quite critical enough of Israel.
It’s total and utter bullshit.
That this so called journalist actually tweeted this tells you she actually believes this is true.
“media mostly fawns”
From the same filing cabinet holding the file “2020 protests were mostly peaceful.”
Well we know many blogs that fawn over DeSantis….
They may not be legacy media, but in fact they are media…
I was waiting for the DeSantis article, it was late in coming…
You know President Trump put out an excellent economic plan forward…
Just saying
Maybe he is praised because he is actually accomplishing things in the office to which he was elected.
Just like in California, having a super majority is a boon to accomplishments. DeSantis has taken good advantage. Is it transferrable with an impeachment legislature?
Also, what is the relationship between DeSantis and Ryan? That would be helpful to know.
He was elected the first time with a paper-thin victory. He has an advantage because he BUILT the advantage. DeSantis spent four years cleaning up the Florida electoral as well as going after the Democrats on numerous issues. He showed great leadership during COVID. He took on woke leftists at every opportunity.
All of that was reflected in his near 20-point win in a state that was always the definition of “swing state.” Give him some credit.
Give him some credit? The comment was neutral.
In fact, DeSantis was/is the beneficiary of a super majority legislature. They will pass a law that allows him to stay as governor while he runs. Or is that inaccurate? All that makes things much easier. Imagine if the Florida Legislature tried to throw him out, time and time again.
No comment on his relationship, if any, to Paul Ryan?
As if President Trump did not?
All the wonderful things he did despite the horror unleashed upon him?
As if we wouldnt be in an excellent place in our collective American history of the election was not stolen?
This fawning over DeSantis will come to bite you in the butt of you do some research on him amd what he has been up to and how he’s been handled the last year
Who’s talking about Trump? The topic is De Santis.
Gonzo can’t help it. He’s obsessed with claiming other people are obsessed.
Why didn’t Trump fire Fauci? I keep asking those of you who fawn over Trump that question, and none of you ever give a straight answer.
Why don’t you tell everyone the answer to your rhetorical question?
Is the question, in fact, rhetorical? I’ve asked myself the same thing.
Then you were also asking a rhetorical question. As if Trump knew that Fauci was being deceptive behind the scenes? So much anti-Trumpism. Will it next be that Trump knew what Fauci was doing and did nothing anyway?
Grow up.
Oh I’m fully grown
Groan…!
Sorry, accidental downvote. Meant to upvote you.
(LI, come on, can you guys fix your comment system? It’s like something from 2006. I suppose I shouldn’t complain, because at least you’re not using DISQUS.)
No problem – I’m just really starting to get tired of Gonzo’s clown act.
Praise for him here is because he is achieving things in the most important battle of our time.
Trump is the only one that withstand the slings and arrows
DeSantis is bought
You will eventually come to realize this, unfortunately, I hope it’s not too late cause my family’s future, as this great Country, depends on Trump winning
Who specifically bought him, what were the amounts paid to him, when were those amounts paid and what specific promises were made to each in return for the cash?
Vague claims ‘the globalists bought him’ doesn’t cut it. Please be so kind as to provide the necessary specificity and evidence to support your claim. I am more than willing to give the evidence you cite a look and a fair hearing. Lots of other folks will too but you have to provide it and not just say it exists b/c some other website claims it.
For example if you claim ‘the globalists’ gave DeSantis $250 million then you should be able to produce a disclosure from DeSantis PAC or affiliated PAC or combination of all the above that shows the receipt of such amounts. If you claim a specific company gave money then their financial reports should list that contribution.
She is on a Boshevik inspired crusade against an anti-CRT crusader named Ken Griffin who is openly on an anti-CRT in school crusade and has backed major enemies of CRT like Ron DeSantis.
I used the term Bolshevik because the only bad thing she has ever managed to say about him is that he is a billionaire.
Suggesting a billionaire is evil because he is a billionaire instead of based on what they are doing is bolshevism.
Gonzo, I and many others here readily give President Trump for his major and undeniable policy accomplishments.
I’m curious, though — can you speak to how you believe President Trump is going to win over the voters situated outside the GOP tent who are necessary for any GOP candidate to win the White House? I mean, any GOP candidate needs (unfortunately) Dumb-o-crat and Independent voters, in order to win. That’s the simple mathematical reality.
My concern is that President Trump simply doesn’t appeal to the Dumb-o-crats and Independents whose votes are needed. The dude’s popularity outside of his loyal and enthusiastic base is fairly at issue.
“I and many others here readily give President Trump **credit** for his major and undeniable policy accomplishments.”
Missed a word, above.
He won 76 million votes in 2020, probably more
No way Biden got 81, no way
Peole want the sanity back of feeling safe, feeling proud, knowing our President puts us first and not the big time donors like Griffin, Koch, the globalists
There are 1,000 illegals violently pushing their way over the bridge in El Paso as I write
We are tired of being afraid, we are tied of ilegals coming and murdering us, taking our money and destroy our culture
Yes, I believe in a fair election President Trump will win again for the 3rd time
And yes, I wish he wasn’t so thin skinned about DeSantis betraying him, I hate his name calling, but you get the whole enchilada, with Trump, and I think people want 2016 back, warts and all
Your response to guyjones at 9:35 didn’t even attempt to answer his question. I’ll repeat it.
“I’m curious, though — can you speak to how you believe President Trump is going to win over the voters situated outside the GOP tent who are necessary for any GOP candidate to win the White House?”
You went on about how they cheated, said that “in a fair election” Trump would win, but you DIDN’T ANSWER THE QUESTION. Try again.
Actually, he did answer the question. The answer is a fair election.
He did not withstand anything.
2016-Hillary won more total voters, he won entirely because Hillary did not consider WI, MI or PA to be in play and he ran uncontested in those states and notably won fewer votes in his 2016 victory in WI than Romney in his 2012 defeat there. I am glad he eeked out barely winning in the electoral college, but it was not a strong showing landslide it was barely a victory in the electoral college and it was a defeat in the popular vote (46% is nowhere near 50%+1). In fact multiple European countries like France would have required a runoff for 2016. I am glad we won that year but stop deluding yourself about 2016.
2018-Massive blue wave
2020-Decisive Democrat victory
2022-He managed to prevent the red wave.
Donald Trump is a loser.
He did not withstand the slings and arrows.
DeSantis has received the same slings and arrows and has so far survived where Trump lost.
DeSantis walked into a swing state and turned it red, that is an impressive record when you realize he did it by standing firm on the issues that matter most.
Danny: “eked” out. Unless he jumped up on a chair upon seeing a mouse and exclaimed.
:-{)}}}
It’s such a bitch when the opposition keeps racking up Ws like Mickey Mantle, simply because he knows his damn job.
Yawn
“Yawn?” That’s your response? DeSantis keeps winning, and that doesn’t impress you?
At some point, some of these people walled up inside their own echo chambers become completely unable to offer any analysis or even converse with those outside. They really think the democratically elected governments of Italy and Israel are right-wing extremists, but the people in Atlanta throwing firebombs are just activists. To them, anything short of shrieking hatred towards DeSantis is positive coverage, anything within artillery range of neutrality is “fawning.”
I absolutely can not stand someone who is a traitor to another person who has done nothing but make them the success they are
People that do that, people that take millions from the globalists, I’m sorry, you can not trust them
Yes, DeSantis has done great things in florida.. to a point, but he turned on his mentor almost immediately.
They came calling when he had a few successes and he took the 30 shillings of silver
He begged and used President Trump to win his governorship and almost immediately laid down with the slime
He .will.sell.us.out….
He already has
So I get Trump, cause I’m the same way, I will do anything for you if I can, just don’t turn around and put a knife in me…
You’re shreiking. Take a trazodone and enjoy your nap. Assuredly, we will.
.
How dare you use the term traitor.
2018 was a blue wave year, nobody who won in a swing state owes that win to Trump.
DeSantis went on from 2018 to shatter expectations in 2022.
DeSantis was up against the medias anointed successor to Obama.
Trump endorsed DeSantis. So what? DeSantis had already endorsed Trump for 2016.
You don’t own someone for all eternity because you endorsed them once.
And how dare you keep spouting your god damned bolshevism here we are not a bolshevik party bolshevism is one of the great evils of history and I am sick to death of hearing it from you.
Ken Griffin worked hard for his fortune it doesn’t make him evil.
He is working hard for us pushing CRT out of public schools.
What the hell have you ever done that compares to what Ken Griffin is doing for the cause?
Ken Griffin is in the process of leading a crusade to push CRT out of public schools.
You are attacking him because he is a billionaire.
Whatever floats your boat but stop with the bolshevism already. Ken Griffin doesn’t deserve your insults which are being sent at him for the purpose of demonizing DeSantis someone who unlike Trump is an asset not a liability.
Trump lost every election for us since 2016, which he only won because of a major strategic blunder by Hillary Clinton.
Even in 2016 he lost the popular vote when up against someone who was hated.
He is unpopular, and everyone has made up their mind about him.
If we chose to re-elect Biden I will vote for Trump. He will still lose.
Re: Ken Griffin, also the Kochs. They have been the greatest defenders of freedom and civil liberties in the past few decades, but gonzo and her gang hate them because they dared to oppose Trump, and because they are billionaires.
Yes, just as the media allegedly “fawned” over candidate/President Trump, and, harshly criticized narcissist-incompetent, Obama. Two absurdist and mendacious fantasies that couldn’t be further from objective reality.
The brazen dishonesty of these Dumb-o-crat propagandists/lapdogs/lackeys is truly something to behold.
This is the kind of crap President Trump has to put up with day in and day out
Because he’s the one
This woman is mentally I’ll
Amd being promoted like the crazy Kavanaugh “rape victim “
They never stop
Never
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/03/clinton-appointed-judge-allows-hollywood-access-tape-into-e-jean-carrolls-garbage-rape-case-against-trump/
Aunt of Jan/6 political prisoner
https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1635009357825069058?s=20
The MSM’s hysterical attacks on Trump were one of the main reasons he got elected. It seems they have not learned anything
The legacy media has been uniformly hostile to DeSantis who they view as Trump’s successor and a far more formidable candidate to any Democrat
What they do to him doesn’t seem like “fawns over” to me, but I’m behind on my kink-slang since leaving the Left Coast.
No, I’m not looking it up, and don’t tell me.
I used to listen to Mark Simone, WOR-710-AM, until he turned into a relentless anti-DeSantis hack.