Governor Ron DeSantis is going into the lion’s den at CNN to be interviewed by Jake Tapper today at 4PM.
I don’t have a live thread because, as far as I can tell, there isn’t one. But we’ll post the interview and clips from it as soon as it goes online.
I know some of you have CNN and can watch it live, just as I will, and here you can chat about it below in the comments section.
UPDATE: Below is clip one of DeSantis being asked about Trump getting the letter from Jack Smith about January 6th:
WATCH: @RonDeSantis on restoring a single standard of justice in America.
“So here’s the problem: this country is going down the road of criminalizing political differences. I think that's wrong. Alvin Bragg stretched the statute in Manhattan to be able to try to target Donald… pic.twitter.com/7ukocloS57
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) July 18, 2023
UPDATE 2: More clips from the interview:
.@RonDeSantis on ending wokeness in the military: "Well, why do we have the worse recruiting that we've had since the Vietnam conflict?…[Y]ou've had a big problem with morale…I think it is b/c people see the military losing its way, not focusing on the mission" pic.twitter.com/VNFVhAMhT2
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@JakeTapper argues the biggest issues for recruitment (aside from death or time away) is gender, ethnic, and racial discrimination@RonDeSantis: "Not everyone really knows what wokeness is. I mean, I’ve defined it, but a lotta people who rail against [it] can’t even define it." pic.twitter.com/40dNZfEFXw
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@RonDeSantis: "Things like DEI & all that stuff, it hasn't worked in other aspects of society. It very well maybe on the constitutional chopping block…I think that we have seen standards watered down…Obviously they're going to say they're doing a good job." pic.twitter.com/QHvWAHwrxV
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
UPDATE 3: More…
.@RonDeSantis on Ukraine: "A vital national interest…means we would potentially send troops there & I don't think anybody wants to see troops in Ukraine…Our number one threat…is….China…We also have a threat of not being able to secure our own border." pic.twitter.com/uZ9Marjt3r
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@RonDeSantis: "Instead of Europe being the focus since World War II and it was understandable…but now the Asia-Pacific really needs to be to your generation what Europe was…[Y]ou got to care at least as much about your own border as do you about foreign borders." pic.twitter.com/p5ESxtFEmz
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@RonDeSantis on war in Ukraine: "[W]hat the goal should be, a sustainable, enduring peace in Europe but one that does not reward aggression…We will some levers against Russia. We're going to be much more aggressive on energy and export b/c…that's been Putin's lifeline." pic.twitter.com/74UmrBj3UY
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@RonDeSantis on whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan: "[W]hat they would like to see in Russia/Ukraine is a multi-year stalemate & quagmire…[Taiwan] is a strong ally. They are important for us economically and for a variety of other reasons…China respects hard power." pic.twitter.com/87GKJdc4wB
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@RonDeSantis on abortion: "I will be a pro-life president & at the same time I look at what is going on in the Congress & I don't see them making…headway…[T]he danger…is if we lose the election, they're going to try to nationalize abortion up until the moment of birth" pic.twitter.com/ehGqaLIT0r
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@JakeTapper claims GOP pollster believes @RonDeSantis has gone too far right for suburban moms.
DeSantis: "I took a state that had been a one-point state & we won it by 20% pts…Our bread & butter were people like suburb moms. We're leading a big movement for parents rights" pic.twitter.com/W1wGbNInOT
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@RonDeSantis on claims he's too far-right to get elected: "[W]e did a lot of great things….that appeal to huge majorities of the population, so I think that analysis is wrong…I basically was taking fire really non-stop since then b/c…people view me as a threat" pic.twitter.com/dWL4G6Um3m
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@RonDeSantis: "This is a state by state process. I'm not running a campaign to try to juice…natl polls…[W]e're focused on building an organization. You got to get people to come out in the middle of January in Iowa…for you…That is not going to make the same…splash" pic.twitter.com/tjhwFKnqCe
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@RonDeSantis: "There is a narrative…I've been doing poorly…my whole time….'Oh, he has state open. He's going to lose. Then, 'he fought Disney, he's going to lose'…It never works out…I get a kick…when they say he didn't fundraise…when I did more than Biden & Trump" pic.twitter.com/MiSF4uSMhg
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@RonDeSantis on transgenderism: "In the military, it's all about the mission first…People's individuality….you do have to check that at the door…What role does someone that's a man have in women's activities?…I thin it's wrong to have men compete in women's sports" pic.twitter.com/gmaAs8yPjK
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
.@RonDeSantis on whether climate change should be a focus in the military: "How are you going to equip your fighting force to win? Are you going to put those considerations in?…China is not going to use their considerations. If they need to burn more coal…they are" pic.twitter.com/jvQnp2xqDU
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 18, 2023
I will also make this an open thread with a couple of cute Dodo videos: