Why DeSantis supporters’ response to Trump’s 'groomer' attack is 'hypocritical' and 'pathetic': conservative

10 February 2023

Right-wingers ranging from the Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro to Fox News’ Rupert Murdoch to firebrand author Ann Coulter are very bullish on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as an alternative to Donald Trump for the 2024 GOP presidential primary. But The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson, a Never Trump conservative and former Republican strategist, has a very different viewpoint. Wilson has predicted that ultimately, the GOP will "bend the knee" and give Trump the 2024 nomination after his attacks on the Florida governor grow increasingly vicious.

Although DeSantis has yet to officially declare a presential run, Trump’s attacks on him are — just as Wilson predicted — becoming nastier and more mean-spirited. In a Truth Social post, Trump accused DeSantis of "grooming high school girls with alcohol as a teacher." DeSantis’ supporters were quick to call Trump out, but in a column published by The Bulwark on February 9, Never Trump conservative Tim Miller (a former GOP strategist) accuses them of being "hypocrites" who can dish it out but can’t take it.

"For some MAGA observers," Miller observes, "there is one thing startlingly new-ish about the former president’s latest broadside. It’s his target: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the prized stalking horse of the conservative infotainment industrial complex…. If you missed it, Trump’s latest attack featured a picture in which DeSantis is shown drinking with women who appear younger than him and are allegedly his students. One included the caption 'Here is Ron DeSanctimonious grooming high school girls with alcohol as a teacher.'"

DeSantis and his allies, Miller stresses, have not been the least bit shy about accusing Floridians they don’t like of being "groomers." But now that Trump is doing it to DeSantis, the governor’s supporters are offended.

"You see, Conservatism Inc. is only upset because Trump smeared their precious," Miller argues. "The guy they all hope and pray will lead them into a glorious post-Trump future, filled with corporate tax cuts, lib owning, and election victories.… But what’s particularly galling is the fact that one of the only GOP politicians who has been as wanton in making baseless accusations of pedophilia is Ron DeSantis himself. And DeSantis’ accusations haven’t even been limited to political opponents!"

Miller adds, "He goes after innocent, regular folks just minding their own business, too. Not to mention public servants. Recall that DeSantis’ office accused not just every gay teacher in his state of being a groomer, but went so far as to claim that anyone who opposed his efforts to ban teachers from acknowledging that gay families exist was themselves a pedophile sympathizer."

The Never Trumper slams DeSanctis’ defenders as "hypocritical" as well as "pathetic" and "f*****g weak."

“If anyone should be forced to weather some groomer accusations, it’s the guy whose office mainstreamed the schtick,” Miller emphasizes. “So, either clean up the act, or buck up, Ronbois. What goes around, comes around.”

Read Tim Miller’s full Bulwark column at this link.

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