'Amateur hour': Report shines light on flaws plaguing Ron DeSantis’ book tour

24 March 2023

A new report has shined a bright light on the flaws plaguing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' (R) book tour.

The Daily Beast's Jake Lahut, Zachary Petrizzo, and Roger Sollenberger have penned a piece with details about what is being described as "amateur hour.”

"It’s the latest in a series of setbacks for DeSantis, as his platoon of supporters and outside financial backers pushes out a 'soft launch' campaign in the shadow of the party’s frontrunner, former President Donald Trump. But Republican observers say that from what they’ve seen, the operation appears to be 'out over its skis.'”

Sharing details about the tour, they wrote, "The tour hit its first bump in Iowa earlier this month, when DeSantis left the critical early-voting state’s Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, hanging for more than 30 minutes, speaking from a podium while she waited for their one-on-one discussion next to an empty wingback chair."

The writers added, "It was another podium-centric blip at the Iowa stop that became a flashpoint. The podium had been removed at some point before DeSantis spoke, leaving him wondering where it had gone — with Reynolds demanding of someone backstage, 'We want the podium back.'”

"The moment, caught on video, was more fuel for the long-running online battle between MAGAworld and DeSantis stans, with the former president himself highlighting the mishap as a sign of the Florida governor’s dependence on stage props," they also wrote.

Republican strategists who worked closely with DeSantis have also weighed in on the condition of anonymity.

“Word is they quietly rescheduled some stuff… but it definitely feels like he’s peeled some back,” a Republican consultant in Florida, who also advised DeSantis, told the news outlet. “I think the soft launch is having an effect. I think it’s gone poorly, I hear nothing but they are unhappy.”

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