Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday for a meeting between Republican governors and Donald Trump. At some point after the event, DeSantis took some questions from the press and ended up blasting the journalists for coming after Trump for supposedly politicizing the California fires.
DeSantis defended Trump and was quick to point out how the press will give a free pass to Democrats like California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass while coming after Republicans.
Transcript via Real Clear Politics:
REPORTER: Is it appropriate for a president-elect or a president to be criticizing –GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): Is it appropriate for people in your industry to try to create division and to try to create narratives anytime these things happen? Now, you’re not as interested in doing that because Newsom is a D. If Newsom was a Republican, you guys would go try to, you would have him nailed to the wall for what they’re doing over there.And I know we’ve dealt with it. We just assume in Florida, anytime something happens, it’s going to be politicized by the media. So you guys sitting in judgment of Donald Trump, I mean, excuse me, I think your track record of politicizing these things is very, very bad.REPORTER: But Trump said Newsom should resign and that the wildfires are all his fault. So do you agree with those comments?DESANTIS: I’ve had — I remember when we had the Surfside Tower collapse.I had people from the Washington Post trying to blame me for it immediately without having any facts or anything. Oh, he didn’t declare a state of emergency. First of all, state of emergency doesn’t mean you can’t respond.It’s all that.REPORTER: Biden didn’t.DESANTIS: Excuse me?REPORTER: Biden didn’t. That’s what she said.DESANTIS: Well, but what I’m telling you is you guys are trying to make an issue of it. When I have watched from this seat, in fact, when I got elected governor, I was meeting with some of the other Republican governors and what they would say is, “Hey, if you have a natural disaster, just know media’s coming at you.”They’re going to do it. It’s not the same. That mayor of LA, if that were a Republican mayor, I can only imagine what that would do.
Watch the video. This is great. DeSantis has a talent for dealing with the media.
DeSantis, who is arguably the most effective governor in the country, has offered Florida’s assistance to California despite the fact that Gavin Newsom has repeatedly tried to use him as a political foil. Funny how none of the reporters asked about that.
FOX News reported:
DeSantis halts rivalry with Newsom, offers aid to besieged blue state governorRepublican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has offered to assist California as Gov. Gavin Newsom is grappling with multiple fires ripping through Los Angeles County this week.”Our prayers are with everyone affected by the horrific fires in Southern California. When disaster strikes, we must come together to help our fellow Americans in any way we can,” DeSantis posted to X on Wednesday morning.”The state of Florida has offered help to assist the people of California in responding to these fires and in rebuilding communities that have been devastated,” he added.DeSantis’ offer of support to California comes after he recently led his state through Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene last year. The two governors have frequently traded barbs with one another in recent years, most notably when Florida was open for business during the pandemic, and California implemented strict lockdown orders and mandates.
Featured image via YouTube.
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