
DeSantis Defends Anti-LGBTQ+ Campaign Video
Do you support the DeSantis campaign?
What's the story?
- Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis shared an anti-LGBTQ+ ad as part of his media campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
- The online ad, since deleted, was made by the Twitter account Proud Elephant and shared by the DeSantis War Room Twitter account on the last day of Pride Month. It criticized opponent Donald Trump for being lenient on LGBTQ+ issues, calling him the former president "who did more than any other Republican" to celebrate Pride Month.
- The video had been viewed more than 22 million times as of Monday. Watch portions of the clip here.
- FiveThirtyEight published polling data that shows DeSantis at a 23% approval rating, down from 37% at the beginning of the year.
What is in the video ad?
- The ad features a segment of DeSantis with laser beams coming out of his eyes, clips of shirtless male bodybuilders, and club music.
- It features headlines about DeSantis' anti-trans policies, like "DeSantis Signs 'Most Extreme Slate of Anti-Trans Laws in Modern History'" and it praises him for signing a draconian anti-trans bathroom bill.
- The ad draws parallels between DeSantis and the heroic figure in the film "Top Gun," Jordan Belfort in the film, "The Wolf of Wall Street," and Christian Bale's serial killer character in the film "American Psycho."
What are people saying?
- The video ad has been criticized by Democrats and Republicans alike. Richard Grenell, Trump's national intelligence director and the first openly gay cabinet member, said the ad was "undeniably homophobic."
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said:
"I'm going to leave aside the strangeness of trying to prove your manhood by putting up a video that splices images of you in between oiled-up shirtless bodybuilders and just gets to a bigger issue that is on my mind whenever I see this stuff in the policy space, which is, again, who are you trying to help? Who are you trying to make better off?"
- Steven Cheung, Trump's campaign spokesman, said the ad was:
"[Part of] a desperate DeSanctus campaign, with a flailing candidate, in its last throes of relevancy."
- DeSantis justified the ad, saying:
"Identifying Donald Trump as really being a pioneer in injecting gender ideology into the mainstream, where he was having men compete against women in his beauty pageants – I think that's totally fair game because he's now campaigning saying the opposite."
Do you support the DeSantis campaign?
—Emma Kansiz
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HELL NO!!!!! He's a fascist pig who needs to be removed from his position.
I haven't seen the ad, only what has been reported about it. I think it highlights DeSantis' hate and bigotry. He & tRump will continue to battle it out for how low the bar can be set. Meanwhile, the Republican Party should be ashamed & embarrassed that these two clowns are their top polling candidates! Ewe!
Yes
Do I support? NO! Time to kick these "Sleepy", white, racist, bigoted, homophobes out! And that pretty much represents my views on my own state and national Reps. down here in Texas! Hear me Reps.?
DeSantis is just another fascist like Trump.
DeSantis is just another adolescent, ignorant bully. I'm looking for mature,wise,experienced adults only!
DeSantis is a freaking Nazi.
I don't think we have to look very far to know the source of this odious character who spouts repellent rhetoric and perpetuates pitiful demagoguery.
Stop focusing on the symptoms like DeSantis and Trump, focus on the disease which is popular discontent among the constituents. These two characters are playing an outsized role in this sad chapter of our history. The only way to defeat them is at the polls and in stabilization of a turbulent period which by all accounts is being achieved by the current Democratic Party goals and initiatives.
So don't be distracted by the noise of their rhetoric and keep pursuing solutions instead of chasing grievances.
Maybe DeSantis needs to tend to Florida business instead of culture wars. The 4th insurance company has pulled out of Florida (home, auto, umbrella).
In addition Florida has the highest insurance rates. Homeowners is 3X the national average, and costs are rising faster than any other state.
"On Tuesday [7-11-54] Farmers Insurance informed the state it was dropping home, auto and umbrella policies across Florida, potentially affecting tens of thousands of people. It’s the fourth company to leave the Florida market in the last year — most citing rising risks from hurricanes."
"Farmers said the decision to withdraw affects about 30% of its overall policies around the state"
"The company declined to speak on the record about how many people would lose coverage. Figures from Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation show that Farmers has about 93,000 current home and auto policies, but an industry source suggests that number is currently closer to 100,000."
"Florida homeowners pay the highest premium in the U.S. at an average of $4,231 per year, more than triple the U.S. average, according to Mark Friedlander, spokesperson at the Insurance Information Institute."
"Florida property insurance costs rising faster than any other state"
https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2023/06/07/florida-property-insurance-costs-rising-faster-than-any-other-state/?outputType=amp
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/homeowners-insurance/florida-best-homeowners-insurance/
https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2023/07/11/farmers-insurance-florida-leaving-hurricanes-insolvent/
I'm not too fond of the political process, and its lies and bigotry. DeSantis panders to those who fear anyone different from their idea of normal. This is not new, but the fear has been unveiled. People can openly hate others because they do not fall within their concept of normality.
Intelligent people know that everyone is different, and true freedom allows people to be themselves as long as it does not overtly harm others. DeSantis is even afraid of ideas, evident by the book bans in Florida and other hyper-conservative states. When we restrict ideas, we diminish freedom.
People need to be free to be themselves; ideas need to be challenged; Trump and DeSantis need to become nasty memories.
DeSantis just another anti-democracy, nation dividing, hate teaching American Taliban- aka Republican.
Also, morphed himself into being a Trump sodomite.
You know the type, lawn sign purchasing, manhood compansating, big truck driving morons with their proud to be a Trump sodomite flags flying from the beds of their dolled up, pretty pickups.
The fact the add was removed, and DeSantis dropped 15% in the polls says it all. Of course DeSantis is trying to blame the press for all his failed policies.
Interestingly, posted on the last day of Pride Month just like signing Florida's restrictive abortion legislation at midnight. Is DeSantis hoping no one notices but he can brag about it on far right media that only the far right listens to?
Another Putin wantabe with shirtless photos, and references to disgusting serial killers and Wall Street crooks? And pictures of DeSantis drinking beer with his female high school students Yet, walking in NH parades with his wife and kids trying to look like a family man?
DeSantis is clearly a homophobe and transphobe, and the fact that he dropped this horrid video on the last day of Pride Month and then responded to the criticism by removing it shows that he knows exactly what he's doing.
DeSantis is losing popularity, especially among women, in Florida, so I don't know how he thinks he's going to win a general election, if he can even get past the primary. He's too extreme, too intolerant of the LGBTQ community, and too tone-deaf on what Americans really support.
I hope he fails miserably.
Republicans are all alike they all want to take over the country and love Putin