Just minutes into MSNBC’s post-GOP debate analysis late Wednesday night co-hosts Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace, and Alex Wagner declared Florida governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis one of the night’s losers.
“Can I just say something? I think DeSantis was absolutely terrible,” Maddow proclaimed as if anyone on the Republican side of the aisle cared what she had to say.
Wallace chimed in to pile on: “What’s happening is that he has lost the fancy donors who were like DeSantis is gonna answer our Trump coup plotter problem.” “No, he’s not! He didn't do anything tonight to change that,” Wallace added.
Maddow continued:
I was surprised, I'm not rooting for him or rooting against him, but as a candidate who has run in and won a lot of elections and been in a lot of debates, and has been running for President, and has been the number two person under Trump in the polling for so long, I really thought like he was performing and forgive me at kind of a Doug Burgum level.
“I was shocked by how bad Ron DeSantis is at playing politician,” Maddow added.
Wagner jumped in to agree with Maddow and Wallace and proclaimed DeSantis is “so bad at politics.”
She said this despite presumably knowing that DeSantis won reelection in Florida by 20 percentage points.
“I think like wow, I guess not closing Florida schools is the reason anyone even considers you a serious contender because that’s basically what got him reelected in Florida which is why he had the donor base which is why he was seen as a Trump alternative,” Wagner snarked. “Maybe that's the reason, cause it certainly not any talent for talking to people, retail politics or actually explaining why he’s a viable candidate.”
This segment was made possible by Allstate. Their information is linked.
To read the transcript click "expand":
MSNBC’s Decision 2024: GOP Debate Analysis
8/23/2023
11:11:50 p.m. EasternRACHEL MADDOW: Can I just say something? I think DeSantis was absolutely terrible.
NICOLLE WALLACE: Yeah, I mean I think what’s happening is that he has lost the fancy donors who were like DeSantis is gonna answer our Trump coup plotter problem. No, he’s not! He didn't do anything tonight to change that.
MADDOW: I was surprised, I'm not rooting for him or rooting against him, but as a candidate who has run in and won a lot of elections and been in a lot of debates, and has been running for President, and has been the number two person under Trump in the polling for so long, I really thought like he was performing and forgive me at kind of a Doug Burgum level.
WALLACE: Less likable though.
MADDOW: You've put him among those candidates, if you don't know where their podiums were you would put Asa Hutchinson and Doug Burgum, and Ron DeSantis all of them together as being similar performers.
WALLACE: Totally.
MADDOW: And that is not, you can't do that if your podium actually is in the middle of the stage if you wanted to stay there. I was shocked by how bad Ron DeSantis is at playing politician.
ALEX WAGNER: He's so bad at politics. Also, I think like wow, I guess not closing Florida schools is the reason anyone even considers you a serious contender because that’s basically what got him reelected in Florida which is why he had the donor base which is why he was seen as a Trump alternative. Maybe that's the reason, cause it certainly not any talent for talking to people, retail politics or actually explaining why he’s a viable candidate.
