Hugs And Hurricanes

Ron DeSantis knows what he’s doing.

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It’s strange yet true that two different Republican governors, each with national aspirations, ruined their careers by hugging a Democratic president.

Even stranger, neither one actually hugged him.

Stranger still, a third Republican governor may have just cemented his viability as a presidential contender by … hugging a Democratic president.

Except they didn’t really hug either.

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  1. Paul Daniel

    You are 100% correct. Thanks for the observations.

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  2. Belisarius Aves

    What is missing from all this is the man who started the right wing movement of FL - Jeb Bush. Timing and forevermore tagged by a school yard bullies taunt. Thought he was always far more conservative and effective than brother and father. And as a bonus the first latina first lady as a Republican.

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  3. Belisarius Aves

    There is a link of Christie and Trump. In 2016 IA caucuses the great populist finished third in a crazed race involving double digit candidates. Rubio was the hope to take out Trump. However in the next debate, Christie, knowing his presidential aspirations were through, and probably with an eye towards the AG spot in Trump administration took Rubio apart in a manner fitting for an ex prosecutor. If Christie had fires his bile on Trump instead of Rubio, well that is for the “what if” dustbin of history.

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    Rajeev

    I think both the Chris Christie and Charlie Crist stories deserve context. Charlie Crist was a popular governor but moreover a man of honor. He kept the polls open late in 2008 to allow people’s voices to be heard. That benefitted Obama and so Republicans we’re mad at him as a way to deflect from being accountable for their poor actions.

    Christ Christie was popular as ever but his second term as governor lowered his popularity so much he wasn’t viable anywhere. Bridgegate and the photo of him on the beach during the state fiscal battle was the end of him. The Obama embrace had little to nothing to do with it.

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    Dante Longfellow

    So--what is the scenario when RDS wins Iowa and Trump claims that the caucuses were rigged?

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    Pradyag

    I appreciate your ability to expand upon an emerging green shoot….we are pointed in the direction of ‘back to normal.’ Politicians performing the art of bipartisanship in a way that is win-win for them, at least compared to their alternatives, with the added benefit of snuffing out the flames of the extremes. Or at least not adding embers to those always smoldering fires.

    Your outline of the DeSantis 2024 strategy is another hopeful sign the way out of the mess of the GOP is forming. Cheney relentlessly launching attacks on Trump, while competence enters the discussion may allow the ‘we need to look forward’ crowd some breathing room to shift the mindset away from grievance. It helps that reality of his record of incompetence (Georgia Senate race, et al) is starting to get a fair hearing - thank you Herschel.

    Nick you make me think…and you are helping to restore a sense that I am not crazy to be hopeful we will move back to just cynical self centered politicians practicing the arts in a more traditional manner.

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    Blake

    I agree with basically everything Nick says about Descantis - I do think he seems like the only possible person who could knock Trump out permanently. It all works on paper. But I just can’t think of a time in my whole life that the person we’re talking about having a party’s nomination two years out ends up with it. Ok, other than Hillary in 2016 maybe. But even that felt more like everyone just letting her have it, and even then BERNIE almost beat her, which certainly no one saw coming in 2014, right?

    But outside of that example, I can’t think of another. To be fair, I’ve been wrong on maybe every political prediction I’ve made since 2008 haha.

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  8. Alex Kostovetsky

    This is one of the most insightful articles by Nick who is always very insightful

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  9. Kaybmorrow

    Hardly remember the Crist hug, I changed my vote to Rubio because of his conservative message. Wish Rubio would be more outspoken now.

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  10. LLCoolBeans

    Haha, anti-anti-Trumpers absolutely HATE being called that. We see you Steven Miller! (The terminally online Twitter hipster, not the Trump appointee).

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