opinion
Donald Trump's campaign has drawn the ire of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after comments he made in a private call emerged suggesting he was not interested in serving as vice president.
NBC News reported on the phone conversation with supporters in which DeSantis urged Trump to avoid “identity politics” in choosing his running mate while rejecting calls for him personally to join the ticket.
“I want someone who, if something happens, the people who voted for us will be happy to know that they will continue the mission,” DeSantis said.
“I've heard they're looking more at identity politics. I think that's a mistake,” he added. “I think you should just focus on who's going to be the best person for the job, and then do it accordingly.”
This is actually a reasonable concept and it's something Republicans have complained about and it's what drives Democrats in every decision they make — on race and gender.
RELATED: Trump releases new campaign ad attacking DeSantis' 'candy fingers'.
DeSantis on being Trump's running mate: 'I don't do it'
According to the NBC report, DeSantis has also squashed the idea of joining Trump's campaign as vice president.
“People would remind me. ‘I don’t do that,’” he said.
DeSantis has long insisted that he would not join the Trump ticket even after leaving the presidential race. He also expected Trump to provide the White House with “yes men” who would carry out his orders.
“I think the way he operates in the White House, how he operates in the administration, is going to be really, really important,” DeSantis said. “I think he would probably find people who would be more accepting, rather than people who would reject.”
RELATED: Donald Trump teases Tim Scott as running mate
Trump's campaign is on fire again
To say the Trump campaign did not appreciate DeSantis' comments would be a gross understatement.
Campaign spokeswoman Carolyn Leavitt responded, saying, “Ron DeSantis has failed miserably in his presidential campaign and has no voice in the selection of the next Vice President of the United States.”
“Instead of taking cheap shots from distance, Ron should focus on what he can do to shoot [President] She added: “Joe Biden and making America great again.”
Levitt's response was much more moderate than that of another Trump aide, senior adviser Chris Lacivita.
“Chicken fingers and candy cups are what you'll remember, sad little man,” Lacivita wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
A Daily Beast report from last year claimed that DeSantis had a strange eating habit regarding candy.
Two anonymous sources from the left-wing newspaper claimed that once, four years ago, DeSantis “enjoyed a chocolate pudding — by eating it with three of his fingers.”
The Trump campaign turned it into a bizarre political ad against the Florida governor.
Trump airs disgusting ad featuring Ron DeSantis eating candy with his fingers. pic.twitter.com/QWAPI21AjU
– Mike Sington (@MikeSington) April 14, 2023
Trump has introduced some names to his list of vice presidential nominees, including Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, and South Carolina Gov. Kristi Noem.
He actually included DeSantis on that list during a Fox News town hall event earlier this week.
During the private call, DeSantis refused to rule out another run for the White House in 2028.
“Oh, I haven't ruled anything out,” he said. “I mean…we're still in this election cycle. So it's an assumption to say, you know, this or that. I think a lot is happening in politics.”
Hopefully, he will learn from the mistakes he and his incompetent campaign strategists have made over the past year.
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