[Hoot Gibson]

Former President Trump sounds like an idiot every time he calls DeSantis disloyal for considering running against him in 2024. Trump lost an election in 2020 to perhaps the worst Democrat candidate in U.S. history after he had endorsed DeSantis in the 2018 Florida gubernatorial primary. Granted, IMO, Trump actually  narrowly won the 2020 election, but the election should not have been close enough for Democrats to steal.

So, DeSantis would be disloyal to Trump for running against the losing Republican candidate in 2020? I don't think so.

DeSantis Advisors Are Reportedly Preparing For His 2024 Presidential Announcement

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla) is reportedly planning a long-awaited 2024 presidential announcement, as his staff prepares for the potential White House bid.

The Washington Post reported that two Republicans with knowledge of DeSantis’s 2024 plans, said that DeSantis is “laying a foundation for a national campaign” amid meetings and preliminary staffing moves.

The WaPo said that the possible future DeSantis 2024 campaign has “already identified multiple potential hires in early primary states such as New Hampshire and Iowa.”

The Republican also told the outlets that Phil Cox and Generra Peck, two key members of DeSantis’s 2022 re-election team, are involved in talks about 2024.

Cox was the former executive director of the Republican Governors Association, while Crist was the campaign manager for DeSantis’s midterm victory over Democrat Charlie Crist.

However, the Florida governor has repeatedly dodged questions on a potential run despite several reports that he is gearing up for a run in the Oval Office. 

This comes as former President Trump fired shots at a potential 2024 run from DeSantis during his South Carolina rally on Saturday. 

“When I hear that he might [run] I think it’s very disloyal,” Trump said of DeSantis. 

He accused the Florida governor of trying to “rewrite history” regarding their COVID-19 pandemic response, adding that DeSantis “changed his tune” several times when it came to the vaccine. 

“[DeSantis] promoted the vaccine as much as anyone,” Trump told reporters, according to CNN. 

“There are Republican governors that did not close their states,” Trump reminded the reporters. “Florida was closed for a long period of time.”

Nonetheless, Trump brushed off the idea of DeSantis beating him in a possible face-off for the Republican nominee ticket. 
“He won’t be leading, I got him elected. I’m the one that chose him,” Trump added.

[jetpilot]

I'm going to tune out 98% of this election cycle. Just going to read books, watch old movies, listen to music and exercise when I'm not working. Pretty sick of all of it honestly. Going to be hard for any Republican to beat any Democrat in 2024. Dem voters are so thoroughly and completely ignorant and brainwashed that there is nothing their leaders can say or do, no lie they can tell or bad policy they can promote, that would cause them to lose 1 Dem vote. Plus they have become quite good at "finding" enough votes many hours and days after the polls close in swing states to miraculously come from behind to "win". Expect more pipes to break, cameras, printers, voting machines to "malfunction" on election day, and many thousands of Dem votes to miraculously be found long after election day. Meanwhile the country goes to hell in a handbasket. Republicans aren't a whole lot better with the Grahams, McConnells and many others like them. Plus RNC is totally useless and incompetent, probably even corrupt. Only good at raising money (and enriching themselves) and losing elections. So f*ck 'em all in Washington DC. I hope they all burn in the hottest corner of hell. Meanwhile I'm going to enjoy my life, get back to the simple pleasures and tune them out. And the brainwashed idiots who blindly adopt any policy they are told to adopt while eating up every lie and clapping like seals.

[Old School Hound]

Trump's involvement makes this very interesting on the Republican side. He still has a very loyal base of support on the GOP side, though diminished, imo. I think many have tired of his schtick . Does Trump continue to shred his political opponents, like he did when he first ran? If it was just Trump v. Desantis, I think Trump loses but if there's a crowded field he has a chance. I look for his unhinged rants and personal attacks to continue. It won him the nomination previously. I don't see his style changing. If he somehow fails to secure the party's nomination, it will be interesting to see if he disappears into the night or shows up as head of a third party--- the Trump Party--- to try and derail the Republicans.

It's hilarious, and so ironic that Trump talks about disloyalty. He has no loyalty to any man, to the GOP, or to any political institution, even the Constitution. He is only loyal to Donald Trump.

Trump v. Biden, part II might be entertaining(in a very sad way) but it might be the most gross example of how very f#cked up our politics are in this country.

[Old School Hound]

Apparently, Mr. Trump is considering a short list of potential running mates, all of them women. MTG , Lake, Noem, Stefanik, and Gabbard are all under consideration. I read where MTG really would like to be in that spot but a former aide to Pence has indicated that it is unlikely because she doesn't fit the "looks match" of the shallow ex- President.

Who do guys think Trump will select to be his right hand (wo)man?

[Hoot Gibson]

Apparently, Mr. Trump is considering a short list of potential running mates, all of them women.  MTG , Lake, Noem, Stefanik, and Gabbard are all under consideration.  I read where MTG really would like to be in that spot but a former aide to Pence has indicated that it is unlikely because she doesn't fit the "looks match"  of the shallow ex- President.

Who do guys think Trump will select to be his right hand (wo)man?

I don't think a running mate matters until a candidate has won the nomination. I don't think Trump has much of a chance of winning the nomination. He's attacking DeSantis on his COVID record after he himself stood behind Fauci during countless press conferences. Trump is very vulnerable on his handling of the pandemic and he seems to be totally unaware of that fact.

[Old School Hound]

Apparently, Mr. Trump is considering a short list of potential running mates, all of them women.  MTG , Lake, Noem, Stefanik, and Gabbard are all under consideration.  I read where MTG really would like to be in that spot but a former aide to Pence has indicated that it is unlikely because she doesn't fit the "looks match"  of the shallow ex- President.

Who do guys think Trump will select to be his right hand (wo)man?

I don't think a running mate matters until a candidate has won the nomination. I don't think Trump has much of a chance of winning the nomination. He's attacking DeSantis on his COVID record after he himself stood behind Fauci during countless press conferences. Trump is very vulnerable on his handling of the pandemic and he seems to be totally unaware of that fact.

Definitely agree that self-awareness is not a strong suit for Mr. Trump.

[jetpilot]

Trump Derangement Syndrome and Liberal Mind Virus on full display here. OSH fears another Trump presidency with every fiber in his being. He has to take a shot at Trump in every post he makes. At the same time, his mind is unable to process any bad thought about the Biden crime family or any other Democrat, and is oblivious to all the damage these people are doing to our country on a daily basis. This is what happens when people's minds get hijacked by an "ideology" that is assigned to them by their leaders and they eat it up without a thought.

[Old School Hound]

Trump Derangement Syndrome and Liberal Mind Virus on full display here. OSH fears another Trump presidency with every fiber in his being. He has to take a shot at Trump in every post he makes. At the same time, his mind is unable to process any bad thought about the Biden crime family or any other Democrat, and is oblivious to all the damage these people are doing to our country on a daily basis. This is what happens when people's minds get hijacked by an "ideology" that is assigned to them by their leaders and they eat it up without a thought.

I don't fear a Mr. Trump presidency. I'm hoping he wins the nomination with every fiber of my being.  I doubt that he wins it, though. I think it's Desantis' nomination to lose.

[jetpilot]

Trump Derangement Syndrome and Liberal Mind Virus on full display here. OSH fears another Trump presidency with every fiber in his being. He has to take a shot at Trump in every post he makes. At the same time, his mind is unable to process any bad thought about the Biden crime family or any other Democrat, and is oblivious to all the damage these people are doing to our country on a daily basis. This is what happens when people's minds get hijacked by an "ideology" that is assigned to them by their leaders and they eat it up without a thought.

I don't fear a Mr. Trump presidency. I'm hoping he wins the nomination with every fiber of my being.  I doubt that he wins it, though. I think it's Desantis' nomination to lose.

Hard to buy that. If you really thought DeSantis would be the nominee, you would already be trashing him. I guess lib leaders/media haven't given the order yet.  Anyway, Trump will win the nomination IMO. DeSantis is superior but Trump has 20x the audience.

[Old School Hound]

Trump Derangement Syndrome and Liberal Mind Virus on full display here. OSH fears another Trump presidency with every fiber in his being. He has to take a shot at Trump in every post he makes. At the same time, his mind is unable to process any bad thought about the Biden crime family or any other Democrat, and is oblivious to all the damage these people are doing to our country on a daily basis. This is what happens when people's minds get hijacked by an "ideology" that is assigned to them by their leaders and they eat it up without a thought.

I don't fear a Mr. Trump presidency. I'm hoping he wins the nomination with every fiber of my being.  I doubt that he wins it, though. I think it's Desantis' nomination to lose.

Hard to buy that. If you really thought DeSantis would be the nominee, you would already be trashing him. I guess lib leaders/media haven't given the order yet.  Anyway, Trump will win the nomination IMO. DeSantis is superior but Trump has 20x the audience.

I hope you're right, but I don't think you are. I know Trump still has a hold on the fringe right, but I think his influence over the more moderate conservatives has waned. I think they are disgusted by him and would never support him over a better candidate. And let's face it, almost anyone is a better GOP candidate than Trump. A Trump nomination might be the only way Corvette Joe stays President. Go Trump,  go!!!!! I'm his biggest fan right now.

[jetpilot]

Got to love OSH purporting to tell us what conservatives think.

[TheRealThing]

^^^ LOL. The 'fringe' right he says. All 75 million of them.

[Old School Hound]

^^^ LOL. The 'fringe' right he says. All 75 million of them.

^^^^
Some folks are about as fringe as they get.

---

Give 'em hell, Mr. Trump!!!! Take 'em down one by one!!!

[TheRealThing]

Just to be clear, and I know how comforting the support of all your liberal brethren must seem, but your own self delusions about our founding, and our heritage, and the record, and your misperceptions of current events notwithstanding: the truth is still the truth.

I know my country and I know my history. Frankly I believe the only real difference between us is your disdain for the truth. But you and I have been here before, have we not?  I lament the change in our country on moral grounds that's true. But though I do not approve, mine is not to try and make everything right. I am to warn people and to resist the lie of secular humanism, of which we find ourselves under dread sway as we speak.

You were raised better, and you know better. If you can run over your own conscience, there is little I could prevail upon you with in any case.

[Hoot Gibson]

Trump Derangement Syndrome and Liberal Mind Virus on full display here. OSH fears another Trump presidency with every fiber in his being. He has to take a shot at Trump in every post he makes. At the same time, his mind is unable to process any bad thought about the Biden crime family or any other Democrat, and is oblivious to all the damage these people are doing to our country on a daily basis. This is what happens when people's minds get hijacked by an "ideology" that is assigned to them by their leaders and they eat it up without a thought.

I don't fear a Mr. Trump presidency. I'm hoping he wins the nomination with every fiber of my being.  I doubt that he wins it, though. I think it's Desantis' nomination to lose.

Hard to buy that. If you really thought DeSantis would be the nominee, you would already be trashing him. I guess lib leaders/media haven't given the order yet.  Anyway, Trump will win the nomination IMO. DeSantis is superior but Trump has 20x the audience.

I hope you're right, but I don't think you are. I know Trump still has a hold on the fringe right, but I think his influence over the more moderate conservatives has waned. I think they are disgusted by him and would never support him over a better candidate. And let's face it, almost anyone is a better GOP candidate than Trump. A Trump nomination might be the only way  Corvette Joe stays President. Go Trump,  go!!!!! I'm his biggest fan right now.

You are truly clueless. Donald Trump is a populist whose supporters cover a large portion of the political spectrum. He is not a conservative and never has been. Your constant efforts to smear conservatives is and always has been intellectually dishonest. I will also continue to criticize Trump for his unfair, but legal, political attacks on conservative Republicans such as Ron DeSantis.

I will continue to defend Trump from dishonest and illegal attempts by the lunatic left fringe to turn him into a political prisoner. Your refusal to call out the Biden family for its many obvious and genuine crimes is disgusting. Nothing is more important for the sake of this country than for its citizens to understand the distinction between honest political differences of opinion and criminal acts - and to take appropriate actions when our criminal laws have been broken.

[Old School Hound]

Trump Derangement Syndrome and Liberal Mind Virus on full display here. OSH fears another Trump presidency with every fiber in his being. He has to take a shot at Trump in every post he makes. At the same time, his mind is unable to process any bad thought about the Biden crime family or any other Democrat, and is oblivious to all the damage these people are doing to our country on a daily basis. This is what happens when people's minds get hijacked by an "ideology" that is assigned to them by their leaders and they eat it up without a thought.

I don't fear a Mr. Trump presidency. I'm hoping he wins the nomination with every fiber of my being.  I doubt that he wins it, though. I think it's Desantis' nomination to lose.

Hard to buy that. If you really thought DeSantis would be the nominee, you would already be trashing him. I guess lib leaders/media haven't given the order yet.  Anyway, Trump will win the nomination IMO. DeSantis is superior but Trump has 20x the audience.

I hope you're right, but I don't think you are. I know Trump still has a hold on the fringe right, but I think his influence over the more moderate conservatives has waned. I think they are disgusted by him and would never support him over a better candidate. And let's face it, almost anyone is a better GOP candidate than Trump. A Trump nomination might be the only way  Corvette Joe stays President. Go Trump,  go!!!!! I'm his biggest fan right now.

You are truly clueless. Donald Trump is a populist whose supporters cover a large portion of the political spectrum. He is not a conservative and never has been. Your constant efforts to smear conservatives is and always has been intellectually dishonest. I will also continue to criticize Trump for his unfair, but legal, political attacks on conservative Republicans such as Ron DeSantis.

I will continue to defend Trump from dishonest and illegal attempts by the lunatic left fringe to turn him into a political prisoner. Your refusal to call out the Biden family for its many obvious and genuine crimes is disgusting. Nothing is more important for the sake of this country than for its citizens to understand the distinction between honest political differences of opinion and criminal acts - and to take appropriate actions when our criminal laws have been broken.

Hoot, I will criticize Biden when it has been shown he has committed a crime. Any politician, regardless of political affiliation, should be punished when he breaks the law. If I break laws I damn sure would be punished and so should Trump, Desantis, McConnell, Biden, Pelosi , or anyone else. When a court provides indisputable evidence of Biden's criminal acts, then I will be as critical as anyone. REAL evidence, Hooterville. You've been on here for a couple decades spouting your conspiracy theories with ZERO genuine evidence to back up your claims. Just propaganda from far right fringe websites. You think Lindsey Graham believes the nonsense you espouse? McConnell? Chris Christie? Other mainstream conservatives? No way!!!  People of your ilk watch Fox News and far right propagandists six or eight hours a day , obsessing over Hunter Biden's Laptop, when no one with a sane mind gives a damn.

I was reading in the P&R forum of a Cinci Reds message board the other day and someone brought up Hunter Biden and his laptop. There was, seriously, one poster(ONE) out of about 85 or 90 posters who cared about Hunter Biden. Yet, people like you and other fringe elements obsess about such things. If these people are proven to have committed criminal acts, then I say put them in jail. You're no lawyer, Hoot Gibson. Your not privy to any evidence that Joe Biden has committed crimes. Maybe he has and maybe he hasn't. But you don't have evidence of it. You never have the evidence. Only conspiracies and decades of brainwashed delusions.

[jetpilot]

^^^This reads like something from an emotionally unstable junior high student. I don't know where to start LOL. Every single sentence is nuts in about 5 different ways. Long day ahead and don't have time. One question OSH. Hoot told you the difference between populism and far right and your hijacked mind couldn't and wouldn't even attempt to process it. You throw out words like "far right", "fringe" and "extremist" without even thinking or knowing what they mean because your lib leaders and lib TV tell you to. So tell us what the difference between those words you spew because your leaders spew them and the plain ol' regular conservatives you see all over the place every day is. You can't/won't, because you don't know and don't care to know. Answer my question and it will be the first time you have answered one.

Nobody on Reds forums cares about Hunter's laptop is the single worst argument ever made on here. Trump impeached with no evidence over debunked Russian collusion hoax and discredited Steele dossier garbage you were 100% on board with but clear evidence of Biden family selling US secrets and gov't policy to the highest bidder, your mind can't/won't even attempt to process. Much less Henter's gun felonies, drug felonies, and hooker/stripper crimes. Insane, unhinged, and worst of all...utterly and completely ignorant. None of your "arguments" ever hold a speck of water OSH. I'll wait patiently for you to answer my question above - which will never come.

[jetpilot]

Just want to add that liberals not caring if liberals are prosecuted for crimes they commit is well known and is not an argument for not prosecuting their crimes.

[Hoot Gibson]

I don't fear a Mr. Trump presidency. I'm hoping he wins the nomination with every fiber of my being.  I doubt that he wins it, though. I think it's Desantis' nomination to lose.

Hard to buy that. If you really thought DeSantis would be the nominee, you would already be trashing him. I guess lib leaders/media haven't given the order yet.  Anyway, Trump will win the nomination IMO. DeSantis is superior but Trump has 20x the audience.

I hope you're right, but I don't think you are. I know Trump still has a hold on the fringe right, but I think his influence over the more moderate conservatives has waned. I think they are disgusted by him and would never support him over a better candidate. And let's face it, almost anyone is a better GOP candidate than Trump. A Trump nomination might be the only way  Corvette Joe stays President. Go Trump,  go!!!!! I'm his biggest fan right now.

You are truly clueless. Donald Trump is a populist whose supporters cover a large portion of the political spectrum. He is not a conservative and never has been. Your constant efforts to smear conservatives is and always has been intellectually dishonest. I will also continue to criticize Trump for his unfair, but legal, political attacks on conservative Republicans such as Ron DeSantis.

I will continue to defend Trump from dishonest and illegal attempts by the lunatic left fringe to turn him into a political prisoner. Your refusal to call out the Biden family for its many obvious and genuine crimes is disgusting. Nothing is more important for the sake of this country than for its citizens to understand the distinction between honest political differences of opinion and criminal acts - and to take appropriate actions when our criminal laws have been broken.

Hoot, I will criticize Biden when it has been shown he has committed a crime. Any politician, regardless of political affiliation, should be punished when he breaks the law. If I break laws I damn sure would be punished and so should Trump, Desantis, McConnell, Biden, Pelosi , or anyone else. When a court provides indisputable evidence of Biden's criminal acts, then I will be as critical as anyone. REAL evidence, Hooterville. You've been on here for a couple decades spouting your conspiracy theories with ZERO genuine evidence to back up your claims. Just propaganda from far right fringe websites. You think Lindsey Graham believes the nonsense you espouse? McConnell? Chris Christie? Other mainstream conservatives? No way!!!  People of your ilk watch Fox News and far right propagandists six or eight hours a day , obsessing over Hunter Biden's Laptop, when no one with a sane mind gives a damn.

I was reading in the P&R forum of a Cinci Reds message board the other day and someone brought up Hunter Biden and his laptop. There was, seriously, one poster(ONE) out of about 85 or 90 posters who cared about Hunter Biden. Yet, people like you and other fringe elements obsess about such things. If these people are proven to have committed criminal acts, then I say put them in jail. You're no lawyer, Hoot Gibson. Your not privy to any evidence that Joe Biden has committed crimes. Maybe he has and maybe he hasn't. But you don't have evidence of it. You never have the evidence. Only conspiracies and decades of brainwashed delusions.

Your standard of evidence of crimes seems to be an order of magnitude higher for Biden than it is for Trump. FYI, I rarely watch Fox News - probably less frequently than you do and certainly much less frequently than you tune in to left-wing propaganda sources such as CNN and MSNBC.

Hunter Biden's laptop and the cover-up of the evidence thereon is not important because Hunter Biden is the son of President and former Vice President Joe Biden - it is important because of the criminal allegations made by Hunter against his father. The laptop is also important because of the efforts of our federal government to cover-up its contents and to influence media coverage to influence a presidential election.

You, as always, are being hypocritical to an extreme in accusing anybody else of accusing a politician of criminal activity. As "they" say, if it were not for double standards, you would have no standards at all.

[TheRealThing]

OSH doesn't come on here to in any way objectively assess the president's (or any Dems for that matter) performance. And on the other side of the coin neither did he, in any way, give a scintilla of credit to Trump. He comes on here to question and otherwise diplomatically smear, any thing or anyone who would dare to objectively assess Biden's performance. Just as he came and continues to come on here, in order to refute any thing positive that Trump did.

I can't imagine who'd actually buy the act. But in the interest of fairness allow me to fly this Chinese reconnaissance balloon--- I hope OSH will repost by way of quote, anything good he said about Trump so we can be reminded.

[Hoot Gibson]

OSH doesn't come on here to in any way objectively assess the president's (or any Dems for that matter) performance. And on the other side of the coin neither did he, in any way, give a scintilla of credit to Trump. He comes on here to question and otherwise diplomatically smear, any thing or anyone who would dare to objectively assess Biden's performance. Just as he came and continues to come on here, in order to refute any thing positive that Trump did.

I can't imagine who'd actually buy the act. But in the interest of fairness allow me to fly this Chinese reconnaissance balloon--- I hope OSH will repost by way of quote, anything good he said about Trump so we can be reminded.

You are exactly right about OSH. I can't recall a single instance when OSH expressed his explicit approval of anything that Trump did, nor do I recall him explicitly criticizing anything that Joe Biden has done with any specificity.

I personally don't like Trump. I thought that he did a poor job both hiring and firing staff and I disapproved of his handling of the COVID pandemic. However, I approved of pretty much all of the policies that he either implemented or attempted to implement during his term. I also think that Trump's political enemies have committed many crimes in trying to undermine his presidency and then corrupting the electoral process. Seeing politicians through bright red or bright blue lenses of political allegiance, as OSH does, is an abdication of responsible citizenship.

The Chinese reconnaissance balloon provides OSH with another great opportunity to finally criticize Joe Biden for something. The excuses that Biden and the Department of Defense, which he has undermined at every opportunity, have given for not shooting down the balloon make no sense. We should be figuring out how to puncture the balloon and capture it intact, if possible. Otherwise, shooting it down is a no brainer.

[TheRealThing]

Last night Kudlow said we in fact do have the ability to 'capture' the balloon and bring it down safely, with the onboard electronics intact. I mean from my point of view it would be in this country's best interests to find out what China's looking for. Much less guarantee the darn thing safe passage.

[jetpilot]

Or borders are wide open, Biden administration decided to open up our airspace as well. But they are fighting for Ukraine's borders and airspace. Thoroughly corrupt to the point of being evil.

Biden surrenders to Chinese balloon:
https://babylonbee.com/news/biden-announ...se-balloon

[Hoot Gibson]

President Biden takes decisive action against Chinese spy balloon. What courage! What leadership! Don't you agree OSH?

U.S. Shoots Down Spy Balloon As It Was Getting Too Close To Ukraine

U.S. — The Pentagon officially went ahead with their plan to shoot down the Chinese spy balloon as it was getting too close to Ukraine's borders, sources confirmed Saturday.

"We sent a strong message to China," said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. "So long as the spy balloon stayed over America, we had peace. But the moment that spy balloon got a little too close to Ukraine - boom! We had to take it out."

General Austin proudly reported that the most high-tech missile defense systems in the world had been waiting to blow up the balloon for days. "Trust me, the Chinese are going to regret floating that balloon within thousands of miles of the Ukraine border. They should have kept that balloon where it was safe, floating over the U.S. and spying on American citizens."

Despite the Pentagon's assurances, many Americans have questioned why the military didn't shoot the balloon down over the U.S. "Were we, like, out of bullets?" asked local Carolina man Nate Maldonado, watching the balloon float overhead. According to sources, yes, we are out of bullets - because we sent them all to Ukraine.

[TheRealThing]

Looked to me like the missile shot hit the surveillance payload rather than the balloon itself. So as the result, rather than getting back anything of value we're dealing with little pieces spread out over a 7 mile long debris field.

[LOOKAYANNER]

Trump would have won in a landslide in ‘20 if the Chinese originated pandemic had not occurred. That totally sidetracked his campaign and he didn’t handle it very well in the beginning. Even Jane Fonda commented that covid was “a gift from God to the Democrats”.
That being said, Trump would be the worst choice the Republicans could nominate to represent the party in 2024. He cannot win. Too much baggage working against him. I voted for him twice but I’m going with DeSantis if he chooses to run, and will try to convince as many of my friends to get behind his campaign.
Democrats want Trump to get the nomination. They will probably secretly funnel money into his nomination campaign if possible, he’s their easiest route back to the White House regardless who their party chooses to run against him (with the exception of Harris).

[TheRealThing]

^^ Lookayanner I respect you and please don't take this as any kind of slam.

If the Dems really wanted Trump to get the nomination they wouldn't be working day and night trying to figure out how to frame him with something.

[TheRealThing]

One more comment on the balloon and I think I'm done. There is also another possibility with regard to how it was shot down. The balloon could have been armed with explosives that could have been set to self destruct should the balloon have dropped below a certain altitude; or any number of strategic scenarios Chinese military planner may have dreamed up. Who knows?

[Hoot Gibson]

It's not taken long for Trump to launch a smear campaign against DeSantis. This kind of thing that I absolutely hate about Donald Trump. The lies that he perpetrated about Ted Cruz in 2016 nearly put Beto O'Rourke into the U.S. Senate. His core supporters still demonize Cruz and refer to him as "Lyin' Ted," despite Trump and Rubio having been the candidates who were lying about Cruz and his family. Regardless of which Republicans run in 2024, Trump will be at or near the bottom of my list of preferences. He wants to win badly enough to say anything to get elected, IMO.

'He would never do such a thing!' Trump posts photos of Ron DeSantis as a teacher, allegedly partying with high school girls, as he ramps up attacks on Republican rival

[Old School Hound]

Nothing is out of bounds for Mr Trump. He will go to any length to win, and he will do so shamelessly, and I hope, successfully.

---

From the 2022 NYT article:

[color=var(--color-content-secondary,#363636)]Several students described Mr. DeSantis as having an air of superiority.
[color=var(--color-content-secondary,#363636)]“Mr. DeSantis was kind of a smug guy,” Mr. Arne said. Students were well aware that he had just graduated from Yale, he said. “It was like a, ‘I’m kind of better than you,’” he said. “And we were all just kids.”[/color]
[color=var(--color-content-secondary,#363636)]Several students recalled that Mr. DeSantis was a frequent presence at parties with the seniors who lived in town. Most spoke about socializing with him on the condition of anonymity because they feared backlash for speaking publicly about it.[/color][/color]

[color=var(--color-content-secondary,#363636)][color=var(--color-content-secondary,#363636)]“As an 18-year-old, I remember thinking, ‘What are you doing here, dude?’” one former student said.[/color][/color]
[color=var(--color-content-secondary,#363636)]Ms. Minis said that when she was a senior, the fall after Mr. DeSantis left, she found a memo on a teacher’s desk reminding the staff that fraternizing with students was inappropriate, even after they graduated.[/color]
[color=var(--color-content-secondary,#363636)][color=var(--color-content-secondary,#363636)]“‘That’s got to be about Mr. DeSantis!’ That’s what I remember everyone saying,” she said.
[/color][/color]



[color=var(--color-content-secondary,#363636)][color=var(--color-content-secondary,#363636)]When you've played and partied with kids and you are  a political rival of  the former President , Mr. Trump will make you pay for your past sins. Mr Desantis  better have balls of steel , unlike all the weak losers Trump took down in 2016.[/color][/color]