When Donny met Ronny
Donny said tomato, Ronny said tomahto. Then suddenly, after a breakfast meeting, the man Donald Trump used to refer to as “Ron DeSanctimonious” is now his new bosom buddy. What led to this unlikely marriage of two of the most repellant human beings on earth? Trump wants to be president again in 2024, DeSantis wants to be president in 2028. So they set aside their mutual hatred in the name of getting what they want.
“I am very happy to have the full and enthusiastic support of Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida,” Trump crowed to the MAGA cretins on his “Truth” Social platform Monday afternoon. “We had a great meeting yesterday, arranged by mutual friend Steve Witkoff, at his beautiful Shell Bay Club in Hollywood, Florida.”
DeSantis himself was quick to point out that he doesn’t want to be Trump’s running mate and prospective vice-president. This is a rare instance where I actually believe him. Ordinarily a 2024 running mate bid would be an excellent springboard for a full scale presidential run in 2028. But I think DeSantis suspects what Trump does not: Trump’s 2024 is going to be an unqualified disaster, radioactive to anyone associated with him. In effect, DeSantis announced support for Trump and is now, metaphorically speaking, running for cover.
I think DeSantis suspects that Trump is heading for prison. Prison is a political black hole from which no light can escape. It’s a common misconception that prison is a mere inconvenience from which Trump can still mount a successful run for the presidency and still make daily headlines. But no one campaigns from prison.
If Trump is found guilty and sentenced to prison in his current election interference case, Judge Merchan may deny Trump bail pending an appeal and send him directly to lockup. That would probably not only mean instant political death for Trump, but an end to everybody too closely associated with him. Without his daily messages of hate to sustain them, Trump’s MAGA base will drift away, and the stigma of a prison sentence will drag Trump and his associates to the bottom of the proverbial political ocean. Over the next four years the Trump name will become anathema. I think DeSantis sees this.
DeSantis wants nothing to do with a long term Trump, hence his otherwise baffling disavowal of running mate ambitions. DeSantis might actually be smarter than he looks. He’s hedging his bets. A rapprochement with Trump now probably isn’t going to hurt him. After all, DeSantis can betray, or at least ignore, his newfound “friend” later if Trump is sent to jail. Meanwhile he’s happy to throw what supporters he can Trump’s way. He’s trying to get the best of both worlds, and from a standpoint of strict political expediency, he may be right to do so. And, as ever, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, comrades and friends, stay safe.
Robert Harrington is an American expat living in Britain. He is a portrait painter.