Say what you will about the Donald’s third run at the presidency, but the guy’s losing his once-fearsome nicknaming powers.
“Low Energy Jeb” Bush was an instant classic, and cruelly accurate about Bush’s limp public persona. (Remember “please clap”?)
“Crooked Hillary”? Darn right.
She engaged in enough document shenanigans to make even Trump blush and helped set up a primo influence-peddling shop, the Clinton Foundation, that would be the envy of La Famiglia Biden.
Sure, we first saw decline with Trump’s lame “Meatball Ron” and tin-eared “DeSanctimonious” jabs at Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis.
But the peeved-gramma tone of birdbrain proves he’s slipping.
Haley is anything but: calm and effective, with a sound grasp of policy.
She was at least arguably the winner of this first two GOP debates, no easy task for a woman dealing with a pack of shouting men.
That’s why the more GOP voters see of her, the more they like her.
To make matters worse, Trump and his team were so proud of themselves that like schoolkids they came up with a harebrained plan to send a birdcage and some bird food to Haley’s hotel room door in the middle of the night.
Haley’s campaign response was dead-on: “weird, creepy and desperate.”
The Ron DeSantis presidential campaign sure was good while it lasted.
The conventional wisdom has turned so decidedly against the Florida governor that he’s getting buried a couple of months before he even announces.
There’s flaming out on the launch pad, and there’s flaming out while you’re drinking a cup of coffee early in the morning at your home before getting in a car to drive to Cape Canaveral to check in for your mission.
It’s the latter that’s supposedly happening to DeSantis.
This is a bit much. Rumors of his political death are not just greatly exaggerated, they are absurdly overwrought, although that’s what a bout of bad national polling will do.
To listen to the pundits, DeSantis has gone from the political force who steamrolled his way to a historic re-election victory in a large, diverse former swing state to a socially awkward stumblebum who would stay out of the 2024 race if he knew what’s good for him.
It’s wrong to characterize the last couple of months as a loss for DeSantis.
His book was a success, and he’s in the process of racking up an impressive string series of victories during this Florida legislative session.
But there’s no doubt he’s hit turbulence.
A RealClearPolitics polling average said that 50% of Republicans want to elect Trump in 2024. AP
He, in effect, walked back the line in his statement about the Ukraine war calling the fight with Russia “a territorial dispute,” and he’s never forcefully hit back at Donald Trump, even though the former president has made slamming the governor one of his favorite pastimes.
In the RealClearPolitics national polling average, Trump sits above 50%, a formidable position by any standard.
DeSantis is far back at about 24%.
Clearly, some of the shine has come off DeSantis as his re-election win has become more distant, whereas Trump has benefited from getting further away from the debacle of the midterms — and from the free publicity and the GOP sympathy created by the Alvin Bragg indictment.
Still, DeSantis is a strong second in most states and is well-liked in crucial Iowa.
If the Bragg bump wears off over time and DeSantis gets a bump from his announcement — neither is inevitable, but neither is far-fetched, either — it will look like a very competitive race at the top of the field.
Besides the latest polling, much of the new conventional wisdom about DeSantis is driven by the assumptions he will never attack Trump and he will be a poor campaigner.
If either is true, he won’t be the nominee.
Joe Biden is topping Donald Trump in many 2024 polls. REUTERS
But his super PAC is already shooting back at Trump, and if DeSantis isn’t a natural backslapper, he didn’t become the twice-elected governor of Florida by spending all of his time alone at home playing Wordle.
There’s much about the campaign we still don’t know, and will find out as it takes place.
How does the DeSantis announcement go?
Keep up with today’s most important news
Stay up on the very latest with Evening Update.
Does the Bragg indictment — and possible subsequent indictments — continue to buoy Trump or eventually weigh him down?
Who else gets in the race?
How vulnerable is the former president to an electability critique?
Who wins and loses the first debate in August?
Does someone else in the field pop?
If Mike Pence gets in, how much traction does he get in Iowa?
And so on. This is why we have primary campaigns, and they always hold surprises.
What we have definitely learned the last couple months is that Donald Trump isn’t going to fade away.
He is the odds-on favorite to be the Republican nominee a third time in a row, and if he is going to be stopped someone is going to have to go out and affirmatively beat him.
Can DeSantis — or in the right circumstances someone else — do that?
It’s an enormous task, but the governor shouldn’t be counted out before he’s in.
UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal led a crowd in a “Let’s go Brandon” chant after losing his final professional fight in Miami Saturday night — as he lavished praise on former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Masvidal, dubbed “The King of Miami,” lost by decision to Gilbert Burns after three rounds at UFC 287.
After the fight the 38-year-old, joined by comedian and UFC commentator Joe Rogan in the ring, announced he will be retiring from MMA after a 20-year career.
After the announcement, Masvidal took the mic to give a shoutout to Trump, 76 — who was at the event ringside following his arrest in Manhattan earlier this week.
A photo circulating on social media showed a motley crew of Trump, UFC President Dana White, boxing legend Mike Tyson and Kid Rock all sitting together in the arena.
After announcing his MMA retirement, Jorge Masvidal shouted out former President Trump and started a “Let’s Go Brandon” chant.Getty Images
“I wanted to say, greatest president in the history of the world sitting right there,” he said, pointing at the ex-president, as the Florida crowd erupted in cheers.
“I love that guy,” he added.
The Miami native then turned his flattery to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis — who has emerged as Trump’s most formidable foe so far as he seeks the 2024 Republican nomination in his re-election bid for the White House.
Masvidal lavished praise on former President Trump who sat ringside next to Mike Tyson at UFC 287.AFP via Getty Images Former U.S. President Donald Trump and musician Kid Rock are seen in attendance during the UFC 287 event at Kaseya Center on April 08, 2023.Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“We also got the greatest governor of all time here in Florida,” he said. “Let’s keep Florida free, a red state…”
The fighter then asked the crowd to join him in chanting the anti-President Biden slogan.
“And let’s take back — you know who, Let’s go Brandon motherf—er … replace him,” he shouted to the crowd of Biden, 80.
Former President Donald Trump and his son Donald Trump Jr. attend UFC 287 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, on April 8, 2023.AFP via Getty Images Masvidal (left) lost by decision to Gilbert Burns, in his final MMA fight at UFC 287 Saturday night.AFP via Getty Images
He then beckoned the crowd to continue chanting “Let’s go Brandon” — to which they happily obliged.
“Let’s go Brandon” dates back to 2021, when an NBC reporter interviewing NASCAR driver Brandon Brown mistook a vulgar chant from the crowd — “F–k Joe Biden” — as “Let’s Go Brandon,” turning the phrase into a conservative viral sensation.
Masvidal holds the record for the fastest knockout in UFC history at just five seconds into a fight.
The J.L. Partners survey shared exclusively with The Post Thursday showed the 76-year-old leading his main prospective rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, 47% to 39% among registered Republicans in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup — with 15% still undecided.
In a six-person GOP field that includes DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the 45th president receives 41% support, followed by DeSantis on 26%.
The pair are followed by Haley on 5% and Pence and Pompeo on 3% each, while entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin each garner 1%.
One-fifth of those polled said they would either back another candidate or were undecided, with 14% saying the latter.
Notably, 70% of Trump supporters said their mind was made up about their choice, while 56% of DeSantis backers said they could be persuaded to change their mind.
Nearly half of Trump supporters (49%) say the Florida governor is their second choice for the nomination, while DeSantis fans are split between Haley and Trump (24% each) as their backup plan.
Former President Donald Trump appeared in Manhattan criminal court on Tuesday, facing 34 counts of business fraud.Steven Hirsch Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has yet to announce a widely-expected run for the presidency.Paul Martinka
“In the first poll of Iowa caucus-goers since the indictment, Trump has a significant — but not insurmountable — advantage in the race,” J.L. Partners co-founder James Johnson told The Post.
“He is helped by a loyal voter base, with seven in ten of his supporters saying they have made up their mind,” Johnson said.
“DeSantis holds the firm position for second place, but his support remains fluid for now with more than half of voters saying they could change their choice.”
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley is consistently Republicans’ third choice for president.Mark Peterson/Redux for NY Post Trump’s vice president, Mike Pence, is polling in the low single-digits.Getty Images
DeSantis has yet to formally launch his campaign, but is expected to do so sometime next month, after the Florida legislative session.
The poll also reveals a split among potential Iowa caucus-goers on the question of who should be the 2024 GOP vice-presidential candidate, with Haley and failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake tied at 17% each, followed by former HUD Secretary Ben Carson (11%) and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina (10%).
Far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) also cracks the poll as the preferred VP candidate of 4% of respondents.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is polling at 3% among Iowa Republicans.Getty Images Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is tied at 1% with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.Getty Images
Lake is the favored running mate of Trump supporters, with 32% backing her for the No. 2 slot compared to 10% who want Haley.
Among DeSantis supporters, 34% want Haley to be the GOP running mate, followed by 15% who want Scott and 14% who want Carson.
“Below the Trump-DeSantis battle there are interesting moves. Kari Lake is Iowa Republicans’ preference for the VP nomination and the overwhelming choice of Trump’s voters — while Haley has an edge with DeSantis supporters,” Johnson said.
Glenn Youngkin has not announced a run for the White House in 2024.Getty Images For the Vice Presidential nomination, Kari Lake is Iowa Republicans’ preference.Getty Images
The poll also shows the ground could shift further, as 41% of Iowa Republicans said they could be persuaded to vote differently.
But 51% said their mind was made up and only 7% were unsure of their presidential pick.
J.L. Partners surveyed 628 Iowa registered Republicans between March 25 and April 4, the day Trump was arraigned in Manhattan criminal court for allegedly falsifying business records to conceal “hush money” payments to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
Donald Trump’s likely sparing partner in the race for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination said the former prez can call him whatever he wants, including “winner.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was asked by Piers Morgan if he preferred to be called “Ron DeSanctimonious” or “Meatball Ron” by his mentor-turned-rival, in an interview set to air Thursday on TalkTV’s “Piers Morgan Uncensored.”
The Republican told Morgan he didn’t know “how to spell the sanctimonious one.”
“I don’t really know what it means, but I kind of like it. It’s long, it’s got a lot of vowels. We’ll go with that. That’s fine,” he quipped.
DeSantis then added: “You can call me whatever you want, just as long as you also call me a winner.”
Ron DeSantis on his favourite nickname that Donald Trump has given him so far:
“I don’t know how to spell DeSanctimonious. I don’t really know what it means but I kind of like it.”
— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) March 22, 2023
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sat down with Piers Morgan for an interview that will be airing on Thursday.
While DeSantis, 44, has not publicly said that he will run for the White House in 2024, he had been laying the groundwork for his likely candidacy for months and has told allies in private conversations that he will throw his hat in the ring.
Trump, who has a penchant for branding his political rivals and enemies with schoolyard nicknames, said last month he wouldn’t use the “Meatball” moniker for the Italian-American because it was “inappropriate.” He had shortened “DeSanctimonious” to “DeSanctus” for brevity in recent stump speeches.
Trump has also called his former protégé “Shutdown Ron,” a reference to the COVID-19 restrictions the Republican enacted in Florida in the early months of the 2020 pandemic.
DeSantis — who trails Trump by an average of 15% in recent polls averaged by RealClearPolitics — told Morgan to “stay tuned” for an upcoming announcement regarding his bid for the White House, Morgan wrote in aneditorial featured on the front page of The Post Wednesday.
Piers Morgan detailed the upcoming interview in an op-ed published by The Post on Wednesday.rfaraino
In the op-ed, Morgan details his upcoming conversation with DeSantis at length.
The Sunshine State guv, who was re-elected in a landslide last November, told Morgan that Trump’s constant attempts to provoke him are just “background noise.”
“It’s not important for me to be fighting with people on social media. It’s not accomplishing anything for the people I represent,” he said.
“So, we really just focus on knocking out victories, day after day, and if I got involved in all the under tow I would not be able to be an effective Governor.
“So, I don’t think it’s something that makes sense for me.”
Piers Morgan told the Florida governor he made a “fatal error” in his relationship with Trump by becoming “too popular.”Getty Images
DeSantis also seemed to shade the former president’s leadership style, telling Morgan he runs the government with “no daily drama.”
He also spoke of how his relationship with Trump soured, with Morgan telling him he made a “fatal error” by becoming “too popular.”
Piers Morgan compared DeSantis and Trump’s relationship to Frankenstein and his monster. Getty Images
Morgan then alludes to Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein, telling DeSantis, “Dr. Frankenstein creates a monster then loses control of the monster and then the monster ends up killing him. You know the parallel I’m making…”
DeSantis responded, “Let’s put the country first rather than worry about any personalities or any type of individual,” adding that it isn’t about him, but the people he represents.
The interview between Morgan and DeSantis will be airing Thursday on Fox. Piers Morgan Uncensored
“That’s true,” Morgan said in his piece. “But you’re up against somebody who definitely cares who gets the credit, and who’s desperate to want to win back the White House.”
DeSantis then replied: “Well, I’m not up against anybody quite yet.”
Billy Porter delivered an impassioned speech on today’s episode of The View, decrying the ongoing attacks against the transgender community as he boldly bashed the “civil war of the mind” that’s overtaking our country.
Porter — an actor, singer and writer who is openly gay and known for his dogged LGBTQ+ activism — was last on the show in July 2022, when he discussed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ complaint that a Miami restaurant was putting on drag shows not fit for children.
“What do you make of the fact that we’re still talking about this and that it’s happening in other states, too, not just Florida?” Joy Behar asked her guest, before noting, “there’s this war against trans people.”
Porter added, “And LGBTQ+ people, and people who are othered and cabaret people.”
Behar asked, “Why are they doing it?” and Porter immediately replied, “For power. Everything is about power, and you can always trace it back to the money … it’s very hypocritical. The leading cause of death in children are guns!”
Raising his voice, Porter repeated, “They’re guns!” before adding, “I know it’s the morning and I’m not supposed to be screaming, but they’re guns, not drag queens. Leave us alone!”
He continued, “It’s a distraction. It’s a distraction on purpose. We don’t know what to pay attention to. Our justice system is convoluted, it’s hard to understand on purpose. Let’s be clear about that.”
Porter later added, “What are we talking about and what are we doing? And everybody’s so scared because, ‘Oh, if we do that then we might have a civil war.’ We’re already in a civil war, y’all. It’s a civil war of the mind.
“They’re messing with our minds. We’re already in it,” he continued, before pausing to cool off for a moment. Reaching for the arms of co-hosts Behar and Sunny Hostin, who were seated beside him, Porter said, “I’m sorry, y’all get me so riled up! I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
Hostin brushed off his apology, telling the Pose star, “But you’re making the right points.”
Behar agreed, adding, “A civil war of the mind is a very good point,” while Porter gestured to his own forehead and insisted, “It’s already here!”
DeSantis pointed out at a news conference that lawmakers can introduce measures independently and said he was surprised he became associated with state Sen. Jason Brodeur’s proposal that would require bloggers who cover government to register with the state.
“Every person in the legislature can file bills,” the governor said after delivering his “State of the State” address.
“I see these people filing bills and there are these articles with my face on the article saying that bloggers are going to have to register with the state and they’re attributing it to me.
“That’s not anything I’ve ever supported, I don’t support,” added DeSantis, a likely 2024 presidential candidate. “I’ve been very clear about what we are doing.”
“I don’t control every single bill that has been filed,” he went on.
Gov. Ron DeSantis delivers his “State of the State” address at the State Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla., on Tuesday. AFP via Getty Images
Brodeur’s bill – introduced earlier this month – would have required bloggers who write about the governor, members of his Cabinet or state legislators to register with the state and file monthly reports on who paid them and the amount of compensation — on pain of up to $2,500 in fines.
The legislation immediately came under attack for violating the US Constitution’s free speech guarantee.
Ron Kuby, a First Amendment lawyer, predicted the law wouldn’t pass court muster.
“It’s hard to imagine a proposal that would be more violative of the First Amendment,” Kuby said. “We don’t register journalists. People who write cannot be forced to register.”
“The idea that bloggers criticizing a politician should register with the government is insane,” Gingrich said in a Twitter posting Sunday. “It is an embarrassment that it is a Republican state legislator in Florida who introduced a bill to that effect.
As the Conservative Political Action Conference — or the CPAC — begins to wrap up its four-day-run of speeches and events, there’s still one major speaker left: Former President Donald Trump, who will be delivering this year’s keynote speech.
The controversial businessman-turned-politician is set to close out the convention this upcoming Saturday, March 4. Leading up to his keynote speech, GOP politicians like Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, Congressman Matt Gaetz and Trump’s Republican challenger Nikki Haley, as well as Donald Trump Jr. and Dr. Ben Carson, have spoken at the event. Meanwhile, Former VP Mike Pence and Gov. Ron DeSantis, who are expected to go up against Trump in the 2024 presidential race, decided to sit out as they attend a donor conference in Florida.
As for what the former president is set to discuss, he said, “We’re going to be talking about very serious subjects, but we’ll have some fun doing it,” in a promotional video, per USA Today.
If you’re looking to get all caught up on Trump’s remarks (presumably before The View covers it all the following Monday), here’s everything we know about how you can watch it live:
WHEN IS DONALD TRUMP’S 2023 CPAC SPEECH?
Trump is set to deliver his speech from the Potomac Ballroom at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland on Saturday, March 4. The speech is set to last from 5:25 p.m. to 6:25 p.m. ET. You can find the full schedule on the CPAC website.
HOW TO WATCH DONALD TRUMP’S CPAC 2023 ONLINE:
While this year’s convention will not be broadcast on live TV, you can still tune in via the CPAC website, which is livestreaming all events and speeches for free, including Trump’s keynote address.
Plus, you can stream it live from the Epoch Times YouTube channel, which is offering its own daily CPAC 2023 livestream.
Florida has doubled its number of law enforcement recruits — to 1,400 — since December as police departments across the country are struggling to find new hires.
“In Florida, our number one priority is to protect Floridians, and the best way to do that is by supporting the law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a statement Wednesday.
“My administration will continue to deliver on our promises by prioritizing law-and-order policies and making Florida the best state to be a law enforcement officer.”
The Sunshine State has attracted a slew of new officers since DeSantis launched the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program last year, which offers a one-time $5,000 bonus to new police hires in the state.
To date, 431 recruits have relocated to Florida, including 155 from New York, California and Pennsylvania, DeSantis said, adding that crime in his state is at a 50-year-low.
Florida has doubled its new law enforcement recruits since December.Ronen Tivony/SOPA Images/Shutterstock DeSantis’ program has attracted new police hires from 45 states.AP
DeSantis, 44, has embarked on a nationwide pro-police tour, blasting liberal bail policies in Democrat-run cities like New York City, ahead of his widely expected 2024 presidential run.
“If you’re disenchanted, if you don’t think things are going to turn around wherever you are — not just in New York, wherever — just know that there’s a state that’s doing it right. “There’s a state that will value your service,” DeSantis told cops during a visit to Staten Island Feb. 20.
In 2022, the NYPD saw 3,701 cops retire or resign — the most since the post-9/11 exodus in 2002, when 3,846 cops said goodbye to the job, according to data obtained by The Post.
Bail reform, resentment for the city’s vaccination mandate, the defund-the-police movement, cops feeling disrespected and the lure of higher pay and lower stress has forced New York’s Finest into retirement or to other police departments.
Florida’s surging police recruitment is an anomaly compared to national trends.
Once again displaying her total obliviousness, Republican National Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel announced Sunday that 2024 presidential candidates will likely have to pledge to support the winner in the general election, or they’ll be kept out of the primary debates. Who cares?
This is nothing but a lame attempt to paper over the party’s stark divisions over ex-President Donald Trump, one of three declared candidates so far. The simple fact is that many GOP voters won’t support him if he’s the nominee, and some of his voters likely won’t show for any other Republican.
And all GOP politicians will jump whichever way they think serves their interests best. That includes the candidates themselves: Coming up with excuses to break your most solemn pledge is Politics 101, all across the spectrum.
The real questions turn on what, if any, third-party challenge the loser(s) mount, and who’s peeved enough to spend the general election dumping on the winner.
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