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DeSantis Needs to Take Scalps at CNN
National Review ^ | July 16, 2023 | LUTHER RAY ABEL

Posted on 07/17/2023 9:56:45 AM PDT by conservative98

CNN was the kingmaker in 2016; why shouldn’t it be now? In a shift for his campaign, Ron DeSantis plans to sit down with CNN’s Jake Tapper to discuss the Florida governor’s vision for America. It will no doubt make CNN some cash that the network apparently needs. Like a quickly arranged fight between two spendthrift boxers, both the network and the campaign have a sense of urgency.

While I remain unconcerned about DeSantis’s prospects, the early success of DeSantis’s campaign in national and state-level polling has slipped ever since Trump regained the news cycle, in the wake of investigations and splashy bombast. DeSantis initially eschewed confrontational media hits, but he now has the opportunity to harvest more than a few cuts of red meat for a base that hasn’t seen as many gladiatorial trophies from the gator governor as they may have expected.

JUST ANNOUNCED: GOP presidential hopeful and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will sit down with @CNN’s @JakeTapper on the campaign trail in South Carolina for an exclusive interview. Tune in to @TheLeadCNN on Tuesday 7/18 at 4pmET for the full interview. pic.twitter.com/7ixiejqFaR— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) July 16, 2023

But is CNN the place to start for a DeSantis media blitz? Yes, even though a lousy showing would be costly. While there may be friendlier or less skeptical interviewers than Tapper — on a Daily Wire or Joe Rogan Experience appearance, say — many primary voters either watch CNN or hate CNN, and they would like to see Tapper, the network’s face, humiliated. Fogies have opinions about CNN one way or the other. DeSantis is 20 points behind Trump in that elder segment, compared with a 50-point gap with the youngest voters, but there are no more than seven GOP voters under 25, and three of them are Trump grifters (good work if you can get it). So while the Trump–DeSantis gap is narrowest with the older electorate, there are a great many voters in the bloc who remain unconvinced of DeSantis’s future.

If DeSantis has any chance of unseating Trump, he needs the free press that a CNN appearance offers. The New York Times, the Washington Post, Fox News, and ABC will all have opinions about his appearance there that they wouldn’t even comment on if he went to a podcast or Web-based news outlet — old media loathe new media, after all.

DeSantis grappling with Tapper will prime the network windbags, and there’s nothing better for a ship’s sails than Favonius’s blessing.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cnn; desantis; desantisinterview; desantistownhall; echochamber; jaketapper; lutherrayabel; nationalreview; townhall
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1 posted on 07/17/2023 9:56:45 AM PDT by conservative98
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To: conservative98

LUTHER RAY ABEL, National Review, Team Desantis
2 posted on 07/17/2023 9:57:05 AM PDT by conservative98
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To: conservative98
he now has the opportunity to harvest more than a few cuts of red meat for a base that hasn’t seen as many gladiatorial trophies from the gator governor as they may have expected.

I suspect the GOP base isn't tuning in to CNN, and won't for a candidate interview.

3 posted on 07/17/2023 9:59:42 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: conservative98

“the early success of DeSantis’s campaign”

what the heck has this clown been smoking?

Florida Man never went anywhere, and is going further downhill from here.

Roll MAGA, roll!


4 posted on 07/17/2023 9:59:45 AM PDT by Macoozie (Handcuffs and Orange Jumpsuits)
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To: conservative98

Trump was on CNN, so natural that DeSantis and others go on. It’s campaign season and all of the candidates should be on all of the networks. What is more interesting is to see the ones that they avoid.


5 posted on 07/17/2023 9:59:55 AM PDT by Reno89519 (DeSantis 2024. Successful Governor, Honorable Veteran, Respectful, Respected.)
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To: conservative98
“ It will no doubt make CNN some cash that the network apparently needs.”

I don’t see how. At this point in the cycle I doubt it would make much of a blip in the ratings.

6 posted on 07/17/2023 10:01:23 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: conservative98
CNN was the kingmaker in 2016

How so? Only in the sense that Trump TRASHED CNN helping him to get elected President in 2016.

7 posted on 07/17/2023 10:02:48 AM PDT by Jim W N (MAGA by restoring the Gospel of the Grace of Christ (Jude 3) and our Free Constitutional Republic!)
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To: conservative98

DeSantis hope is the President Trump will be put in prison...


8 posted on 07/17/2023 10:03:18 AM PDT by Wpin ("I Have Sworn Upon the Altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny...")
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To: conservative98
Also flashback to all the BLOWHARDS on websites saying Trump was making a mistake by doing a CNN town hall.

And how wrong they were. The Trump CNN Town hall was seen as a quasi-ending point for the primary.

9 posted on 07/17/2023 10:03:29 AM PDT by conservative98
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To: conservative98

DeSantis will feign preference for discussion of his own platform. But he will willingly succumb to Tapper’s relentless funneling of the conversation over into criticism of Trump.

The interview will be all about Trump after the first minute or two.


10 posted on 07/17/2023 10:04:15 AM PDT by Migraine
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To: conservative98

It will be interesting to see how many viewers turn in.


11 posted on 07/17/2023 10:04:17 AM PDT by JayGalt (Convenience is the bait in which the true poison is concealed.)
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To: Wpin

The trial for the documents won’t likely be heard until early 2025. If Trump wins, there won’t be a trial because he can pardon himself.


12 posted on 07/17/2023 10:06:24 AM PDT by dforest
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To: conservative98

Looks like a pencil neck goob.


13 posted on 07/17/2023 10:06:59 AM PDT by dforest
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To: conservative98

That boy needs some checkered pants.


14 posted on 07/17/2023 10:10:14 AM PDT by JonPreston ( ✌ ☮️ )
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To: conservative98

Huh?

Desantis wants to play ball for CNN.

Hey fellas, no made up stories from past high school classmates that say I did something inappropriate at a party right?


15 posted on 07/17/2023 10:10:31 AM PDT by WeaslesRippedMyFlesh (Wake me up when somebody tells the truth.)
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To: Reno89519

Trump isn’t avoiding anyone. In another round of election interference the networks are blacklisting him. He said to CNN, let’s do it again and they fired the CEO. Hahaha


16 posted on 07/17/2023 10:10:36 AM PDT by wiseprince (Me)
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To: Reno89519
Team Desantis and Team Desantis on FR had a different opinion a couple months ago.

Hey @ChristinaPushaw, what changed?

Just a couple of months ago you were attacking Trump for going on CNN.

Now you’re celebrating DeSantis going on? pic.twitter.com/UHmD03LU3M— Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) July 16, 2023


17 posted on 07/17/2023 10:10:51 AM PDT by conservative98
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To: conservative98

The summer beard.

Looks glued on.


18 posted on 07/17/2023 10:11:43 AM PDT by WeaslesRippedMyFlesh (Wake me up when somebody tells the truth.)
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To: conservative98

I have to laugh because some mini meatballs said Meatball fired Pushaw. I guess it was a lie to make people think he did. He probably just moved her elsewhere.


19 posted on 07/17/2023 10:12:55 AM PDT by dforest
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To: 1Old Pro
I suspect the GOP base isn't tuning in to CNN, and won't for a candidate interview.

CNN's Trump town hall draws 3.3 million viewers

20 posted on 07/17/2023 10:19:58 AM PDT by Mr.Unique (My boss wants me to sign up for a 401K. No way I'm running that far! )
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