At least Rudy's was the biggest ego in the landscape parking lot. DeSantis was in third place Wednesday night: both Musk and Sacks are so full of themselves I'm surprised there was any room for DeSantis.
How is his campaign so bad at this? You said what I was thinking, by associating himself with Musk, he gets drawn into whatever controversy he creates next, manufactured or otherwise.
If I was conspiracy minded I might think DeSantis was some sort of stalking horse just out there on Trump’s behalf to block the lesser candidates from getting too close to Trump. Or that Musk was somehow sabotaging DeSantis with this ineffective launch.
I’m sure they’re both such egotists that neither of those can be true.
FDR was able to do the fireside chats almost a century ago and people could tune in and hear it.
When I was younger (born 1950), the local pols (Nassau County, Long Island --- Congressional, County, and Town officials) were the gregarious "meet 'em coming out of the bakery's door after church" guys.
My parents were not political at all, but they were on a first name basis with such pols to "get things done --- potholes, more busses, sewer issues, who passed their wants to staffers, who got things done.
No grand policy issues, jut meeting the needs/requests of constituents.
The great irony is that Obama was accused by his detractors of being a "technocrat" because he seemed aloof. While not as much a "jump-into-the-rope-line" guy like Bill Clinton, Barak knew how to work a crowd, big and small.
Another great strength --- he could laugh at his personal foibles.
I love it when rich morons born on third base who think they hit triples, convinced of their own genius, are revealed to the entire world as the droolers they are.
Ever notice that the people most up in arms about DEI are middle aged mediocre white males who were born on second base, against a right handed pitcher, so they are taking a yuge lead in their attempt to steal third, but feel that they "earned" their station in life?
Presidential campaigns are not just about the candidate but about the staff the candidate chooses to run various aspects of what is essentially a huge media operation. The smoothness, or lack thereof, is an indicator of how the candidate would fare as a potential president and his/her ability to choose qualified people to help the country.
Botching your own rollout, not only speaks to the quality of DeSantis's current team, but also to his ability to surround himself with quality people, and, considering this debacle, is as troubling as anything else.
I agree. I really do believe it was campaign malpractice. Like, even if the candidate wants to do something like this, you have to have people on staff who say "Whoa now...this may not be a good idea."
Bill Clinton wants to take an action on the campaign trail that is totally "governor of Arkansas" oriented.
George Stephanopoulos confers with the "Rajun' Cajun" (James Carville) who pulls Bill aside and says, "Boss, nice thought, but you ain't doin' dat. Yo now on de nation'l stage. Yo mantra is 'It's the economy, stupid!' Nuttin' mo, nuttin' less."
Late to the party, however, it was all so predictable. Who would have thought this was a good idea? Seriously, was not a well thought plan and if the campaign can’t get this right, he’s in bigger trouble than I thought. Jeez. The escalator ride was obnoxious, egotistical and just grated on my nerves. However, it wasn’t botched, unless you are talking about the supposed rapists and murderers. DeSantis has been in politics long enough to know how this should have been rolled out.
DeSantis and his campaign has missed the key point of how they can run against Trump. David Frum captured it well... it was never about the policies and always about the style. If DeSantis was ever going to endear himself to the Trumpista voters, he was going to have to be a better jouster than Trump. Instead he's shown himself time and again to fear the joust and cede the field to Trump. This is the cardinal sin to Trumpistas everywhere. They live for the fight, the anger, the name calling, etc. and DeSantis is just DeScared.
This feels a bit like trying to teach an elderly relative to use FaceTime and the frustration of having the endeavour fail over and over again. Twitter Spaces is a beta product (at best) and certainly not designed for what was tried. The whole thing is a family-sized Charlie Foxtrot that's going to linger for a long while.
Agree,. Steve. I don't think this ends his candidacy or anything but clearly it is a VERY bad look for a campaign desperate to push the "reset" button.
I was on Twitter at the time of the announcement debacle and things were right as rain there. No glitches. So the one they were using must not have to do with the one I was.
As far as DeSantis making an impression with his 'Coming Out' party on Twitter it served to support all the news we have been inundated with about how he is running Florida. Anyone who was queueing up to hear the announcement wasn't going to get a new and different guy. We have real life examples of how he governs and what his hot buttons are and how he uses the system to bully his positions into law. Trump put a bunch of lackeys into all the Departments heads because he thought rich people could rule better. DeSantis will put his lackeys into those positions because they support his warped concept of Democracy. What we will not get is a team of leaders who want to steer the country towards the future where we remain number 1.
“I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback.” is MAGA 2.0.
I’d put that event right up there with Rudy’s Four Seasons gig.
It might have been worse since a) it involved the actual candidate and b) it was his ANNOUNCEMENT speech!
At least DeSantis didn't have a convicted sex offender speaking. So progress?
At least Rudy's was the biggest ego in the landscape parking lot. DeSantis was in third place Wednesday night: both Musk and Sacks are so full of themselves I'm surprised there was any room for DeSantis.
fnord
Yup. It's a bizarre decision to have guest appearances at one's presidential campaign. launch.
How is his campaign so bad at this? You said what I was thinking, by associating himself with Musk, he gets drawn into whatever controversy he creates next, manufactured or otherwise.
It was a colossal screw up. Trying to be edgy has its risks.
I agree, Chris. But what is edgy about going to a dying social media platform to be second fiddle to its owner??
Surprised he didn't announce on Truth Social??
It may have something to do with his sociopath wife being in charge.
If I was conspiracy minded I might think DeSantis was some sort of stalking horse just out there on Trump’s behalf to block the lesser candidates from getting too close to Trump. Or that Musk was somehow sabotaging DeSantis with this ineffective launch.
I’m sure they’re both such egotists that neither of those can be true.
FDR was able to do the fireside chats almost a century ago and people could tune in and hear it.
Two highly intelligent but socially clueless individuals conspired to blow themselves up!
Trying for a unique announcement format, and it certainly was unique.
DeSantis should fire his entire Campaign Staff and seek to hire some experienced Pros, if any will want to work for him!
Excellent point, Tim.
When I was younger (born 1950), the local pols (Nassau County, Long Island --- Congressional, County, and Town officials) were the gregarious "meet 'em coming out of the bakery's door after church" guys.
My parents were not political at all, but they were on a first name basis with such pols to "get things done --- potholes, more busses, sewer issues, who passed their wants to staffers, who got things done.
No grand policy issues, jut meeting the needs/requests of constituents.
The great irony is that Obama was accused by his detractors of being a "technocrat" because he seemed aloof. While not as much a "jump-into-the-rope-line" guy like Bill Clinton, Barak knew how to work a crowd, big and small.
Another great strength --- he could laugh at his personal foibles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qv7k2_lc0M
That would mean firing his wife.
And David Sack revealed himself as the Little Bully from A Christmas Story.
Good one...which character would DeDumpster-Fire be in that movie??? Maybe Flick, the idiot who put his tongue on the frozen iron pole.
I like your casting idea. :-)
Chris, I think we're missing the biggest takeaway from all this.
How did Trump settle on Meatball Ron or Ron DeSanctamonious, when Desaster was right there??
VERY good point. Question now is whether he sticks with DeSanctimonious or goes to DeSaster.
I love it when rich morons born on third base who think they hit triples, convinced of their own genius, are revealed to the entire world as the droolers they are.
Ever notice that the people most up in arms about DEI are middle aged mediocre white males who were born on second base, against a right handed pitcher, so they are taking a yuge lead in their attempt to steal third, but feel that they "earned" their station in life?
Very good analogy.
Yeah, I need to write about it, as being in tech, I see this shit every day
Good idea! Let me know when you do - I'll be interested, since I have dealt with those types myself.
Presidential campaigns are not just about the candidate but about the staff the candidate chooses to run various aspects of what is essentially a huge media operation. The smoothness, or lack thereof, is an indicator of how the candidate would fare as a potential president and his/her ability to choose qualified people to help the country.
Botching your own rollout, not only speaks to the quality of DeSantis's current team, but also to his ability to surround himself with quality people, and, considering this debacle, is as troubling as anything else.
I agree. I really do believe it was campaign malpractice. Like, even if the candidate wants to do something like this, you have to have people on staff who say "Whoa now...this may not be a good idea."
Let's go back 30 years...
Bill Clinton wants to take an action on the campaign trail that is totally "governor of Arkansas" oriented.
George Stephanopoulos confers with the "Rajun' Cajun" (James Carville) who pulls Bill aside and says, "Boss, nice thought, but you ain't doin' dat. Yo now on de nation'l stage. Yo mantra is 'It's the economy, stupid!' Nuttin' mo, nuttin' less."
Reminds me of the 1950's NASA rocket sitting on the launch pad, 3, 2, 1 -- All that happens is the escape chute pops out the top.
Talk about failure to launch....
The rocket analogy is too apt given Musk and Space X!
Late to the party, however, it was all so predictable. Who would have thought this was a good idea? Seriously, was not a well thought plan and if the campaign can’t get this right, he’s in bigger trouble than I thought. Jeez. The escalator ride was obnoxious, egotistical and just grated on my nerves. However, it wasn’t botched, unless you are talking about the supposed rapists and murderers. DeSantis has been in politics long enough to know how this should have been rolled out.
Chris, the title of your Substack is all the commentary that was needed on DeSantis’s announcement, but thanks for going beyond the bare necessities.
I meant “So What?” not “The DeSaster.”
DeSantis and his campaign has missed the key point of how they can run against Trump. David Frum captured it well... it was never about the policies and always about the style. If DeSantis was ever going to endear himself to the Trumpista voters, he was going to have to be a better jouster than Trump. Instead he's shown himself time and again to fear the joust and cede the field to Trump. This is the cardinal sin to Trumpistas everywhere. They live for the fight, the anger, the name calling, etc. and DeSantis is just DeScared.
As I have said before about DeSantis... Jeb!
Except, Jeb was never as ignorantly evil!!
I couldn't help but think of a self-driving Tesla being a metaphor for this launch.
Or when Elon threw the rock through the Cybertruck!
Or one of his many rockets that have blown up on the launchpad.
This feels a bit like trying to teach an elderly relative to use FaceTime and the frustration of having the endeavour fail over and over again. Twitter Spaces is a beta product (at best) and certainly not designed for what was tried. The whole thing is a family-sized Charlie Foxtrot that's going to linger for a long while.
Agree,. Steve. I don't think this ends his candidacy or anything but clearly it is a VERY bad look for a campaign desperate to push the "reset" button.
Let us vet the amazingly spectacular Wannabe Mussolini failure on so many levels:
1. a. "I want to be the Leader of the Free World...but I need to have the richest person in the entire world in on my announcement."
1.b. "If elected president promise I will be the best Robin to Elon Musk's Batman, when he gives me the go ahead to do so."
2. "I will choose the best and the brightest advisors...like the third tier political consultants I've hired for my campaign."
3. "I want to show that I can do retail politics...and will do so from an out-of-the-top-ten commercial social network."
4. "I will show I am a humble and a human-type-of-guy...but I'll blame the people around me and woke Dems for my failure."
"I want to show how tech savvy and competent I am by letting tryhard David Sacks derail my announcement speech."
I was on Twitter at the time of the announcement debacle and things were right as rain there. No glitches. So the one they were using must not have to do with the one I was.
As far as DeSantis making an impression with his 'Coming Out' party on Twitter it served to support all the news we have been inundated with about how he is running Florida. Anyone who was queueing up to hear the announcement wasn't going to get a new and different guy. We have real life examples of how he governs and what his hot buttons are and how he uses the system to bully his positions into law. Trump put a bunch of lackeys into all the Departments heads because he thought rich people could rule better. DeSantis will put his lackeys into those positions because they support his warped concept of Democracy. What we will not get is a team of leaders who want to steer the country towards the future where we remain number 1.
“I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback.” is MAGA 2.0.