DeSantis rewrites media rules for Republicans

How to break the mainstream media’s stranglehold on the narrative: pic.twitter.com/jgF0OggGVY

— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) July 23, 2022

Florida state politics entertain me because it is saturated with newspapers that are saturated with fatheads.

Today, Republicans held a summit -- a primary candidates debate -- at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Ron DeSantis, who as governor is the party's de facto leader, invited only those media outlets that treat Florida Republicans like human beings.

He told the rest to pound sand. Fortunately for them, Florida has 825 miles of sandy beaches.

Via the Daily Wire, he said, "I’m not going to have a bunch of left-wing media asking our primary candidates a bunch of gotcha questions."

This is the opposite of Donald John Trump's approach. He took on all questions from all comers. And what did it get him?

The Russiagate Lie and a refusal to consider seriously his questions about the 2020 election.

DeSantis had Mark Levin host the debates among the various candidates for office.

The Daily Wire reported, "In a surprise move, DeSantis moderated the morning debates with Levin, asking candidates which of the Supreme Court justices they favored the most and their thoughts on Dr. Anthony Fauci."

Now for the entertainment portion of the post. The media reaction was whack.

Jacob Ogles who freelances for the Advocate and Florida Politics, tweeted his tears. Go get your popcorn. I'll wait.

Ogles said, "I won't pretend not to be butthurt here. But I'm gonna just hammer on the fact this truly is a disservice to congressional candidates."

LOL.

He tweeted, "This isn't simply a slap at media. It's a disservice to candidates who could be knocking doors in their district and instead are pre-gaming a political speech by the Governor in front of a bunch of people who cannot vote for them. And there's no media to report what they do."

I am so glad that he is so concerned about the time of Republican candidates whom he decided would be better off going door-to-door sweating in the Florida sun.

He tweeted, "It would be one thing if local media from these districts was covering the debates. Or if outlets that share or syndicate content, like ours, could be in the room. 

"Instead, candidates are reduced to performing for Breitbart and Co.

"Good luck with that."

I am not a Florida Republican but as a West Virginia Republican the last thing I would read for information is the local newspaper. Breitbart is a credible source for news. 

The Daily Kos isn't. It said, "DeSantis’ fascism continues. Now his office is censoring the press."

Nope. No censorship. Write what you want. The DeSantis administration said so.

Christina Pushaw, the governor's press lady, tweeted, "It has come to my attention that some liberal media activists are mad because they aren't allowed into #SunshineSummit this weekend. My message to them is to try crying about it. Then go to kickboxing and have a margarita. And write the same hit piece you were gonna write anyway."

She has become Kellyanne Conway but without the fat, jealous husband.

The Tallahassee Democrat headlined its report on being shut out, "DeSantis barring many media outlets from big election-year gathering. Is Trump the reason?"

It is a Gannett outlet. The Big G stands for gawdawful.

As I said, Trump tried to make nice with these loons. DeSantis doesn't bother. 

The media reaps what it sows. It refuses to be objective. It refuses to be fair. It refuses to be journalists.

They changed their rules.

Conservatives should change ours.

DeSantis has.