Intelligent giant
He’s hip, politically expedient and highly intelligent, says US correspondent David Hammelburg. Not only does DeSantis now have a massive reach medium, but he also has billionaire Musk on his side. Moreover, Trump has remained dutifully silent since the ban on him on Twitter was lifted. “So DeSantis is now taking a chance on him in a Trump world without Twitter.”
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Based on polls, Trump is still one block ahead of DeSantis, even in his home state of Florida. Among party bosses, however, it’s a different story, thinks Hammelburg: ‘They’ve had enough of Trump’s endless repetitions of the stolen election nonsense, but they embrace his political philosophy. DeSantis is a Trumpist, but much less vulgar.”
“DeSantis now seizes a chance in a Trump world without Twitter”
Burning book
What DeSantis sells wholesale is what Hammelburg calls “the modern day equivalent of Nazi-era book burning.” DeSantis is adamantly opposed to anything she has to do with gender, LGBTI and sexuality. Which disappears from textbooks and public libraries. DeSantis has also been on a collision course with the Disneyworld theme park for some time due to the company’s pro-LGBTI attitude. “DeSantis has an Orwellian view of life. The state determines what the souls of poor children can endure. He’s won big with that in his state of him and some conservative states think he’s wonderful. But it’s censorship.”
If DeSantis wins the Republican nomination, does he have a chance against Joe Biden? According to Hammelburg, Democrats have only considered a possible victory for Trump in the primaries. Not with that of a younger candidate. “If Trump is eliminated within his own party, it will be quite difficult for Biden. Due to his early candidacy, there is not even a serious opponent in the Democratic Party.’
“DeSantis is a Trumpist, but far less ordinary”
What can DeSantis’ European allies expect? The same Trumpian ideology, but younger and less vulgar. “He is a brilliant lawyer, graduated with honors, so he will have a better understanding of international legal issues, such as the US role in NATO. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he just adopts or follows Trump’s policies, but without Trump’s boorish street-fighting behavior.”