I confess. This post's title is clickbait.
But I plead for mercy before the court of public probity. The title is merely, ironically phrased after the fashion of Piers Morgan's New York Post column, titillatingly titled "Ron DeSantis rips Trump's character, chaotic leadership style."
Morgan goes on to write that in an "explosive interview," the governor "take[s] the gloves off" in a "blistering attack" on Trump.
That's all very nice, and it would all be very true, too, if the interview had indeed been "explosive," had DeSantis "taken the gloves off," had he "ripped" Trump, and had he "launched a blistering attack."
But between temporal reality and Morgan's sensationalism there sits a bottomless chasm wider than the Pacific Ocean. And so the interview will not, in fact, "ignite a firestorm in the Republican Party."
Nevertheless, Morgan soldiers on, predicting that "Trump’s mood is likely to deteriorate further when he hears what DeSantis now says about him." Alas, DeSantis "has had enough of Trump’s constant baiting," insists Piers. The Donald, though, is more likely to laugh while asking, "Is that all ya got?"
For Gov. DeSantis was as gentle as a sick kitten.
About his manner of "leadership," he said "I get personnel in the government who have the agenda of the people and share our agenda. You bring your own agenda in you’re gone. We’re just not gonna have that. So, the way we run the government I think is no daily drama, focus on the big picture and put points on the board and I think that’s something that’s very important."
This, Morgan describes as DeSantis having "slammed Trump."
Asked for examples of "specific differences between him and Trump," the governor said "I think there’s a few things. The approach to COVID was different. I would have fired somebody like Fauci. I think he got way too big for his britches, and I think he did a lot of damage."
There we have an implicit criticism of Trump. But a "blistering attack"? Even Trump wouldn't defend the good doctor these days, and of course the entire, crackpotted party agrees that Fauci is Satan himself. (Note: "In reality," Trump had no "direct control" over Fauci. [NYT].)
The point being, that was as close to an actual, by-name criticism of Trump as DeSantis came. Not that Morgan failed in trying to rile him.
What, for instance, about that "rude nickname" — Sanctimonious — he asked. The governor said I kinda like it, adding that "we’ll go with that, that’s fine. I mean you can call me whatever you want, just as long as you also call me a winner because that’s what we’ve been able to do in Florida."
DeSantis then repeated his stump banality: "It’s not important for me to be fighting with people on social media. It’s not accomplishing anything for the people I represent. 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."
In other words, DeSantis just told Morgan precisely the opposite of everything Morgan just described, from a "ripping" headline to a party "firestorm" to an attack on Trump's "sleazy behavior."
At least for now, the Florida governor is choosing to leave the drama to Donald — but neither is that the style of the NY Post or Piers Morgan.
The larger point, or rather question, revolves around the duration of DeSantis's tame approach. That will most likely be determined not by the governor per se, but by polling. If his numbers are looking bad as he nears the Iowa and New Hampshire contests, well, so much for gentility — and Piers Morgan will finally get the interview he just described.