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The Ron DeSantis Mayhem Only Continues

Brad Slager
Brad Slager  |  Mar 17, 2023
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

03.17.23

Reporting on the Mirror - CNN

If there is anything at CNN that typifies the dysfunction throughout the network, it has to be the beleaguered morning show, "CNN This Morning." As CTM goes, so goes the rest of CNN, given how much internal attention has been applied and how much in disarray the program has been.

In just the latest, co-hostess Kaitlan Collins has been reported to have dumped her agent and switched to another agency entirely.

Why? It turns out she was sharing an agent with her on-air partner, Don Lemon, who she cannot stand and has attacked her.

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Pathological Media Amnesia – MEDIAITE

In jumping on the bandwagon of sites jumping on Fox News for not being a "real" news outlet, Mediate takes a bit of a wrongheaded tack. In slamming the network for not properly covering Donald Trump (something Fox used to get slammed over), Colby Hall writes about how Fox is in the wrong these days because they are avoiding Trump's latest rantings.

I'm sorry, but we have been told that Trump's words were killing our democracy. It seems that not covering the man is the proper course these days.

Both Kinds of Standards – POLITICO

There has been no shortage of hand-wringing in the press when it was announced that Axios fired Florida reporter Ben Montgomery for his caustic response to the Ron DeSantis team in response to a press release sent out. Montgomery responded to the comms team that it was "propaganda," and the DeSantis camp shared his response on social media to display the reporter's bias.

The firing has led to many reports like this in Politico, blaming the DeSantis team for getting him dismissed. There was no push from the governor's people, and there is little blame being leveled at the reporter.

DNC PR Firm – NEW YORK MAGAZINE

Everyone saw the Daily Beast report alleging Ron DeSantis ate pudding with his fingers and had the same reaction – AYFKM?!

Everyone, that is, except for Margaret Hartmann of New York Magazine. Maggie is convinced this will be the downfall of Florida's governor.

  • The Florida governor "struggles with basic social skills" required of a politician. But I'm calling it now: This story will follow DeSantis like pudding sticks to fingers.

Low Octane Gas Lighting – PUCK NEWS

  • Stories like this put the anger over immigrant flights in perspective.

Over at Puck, Tara Palmeri speculates on a deeply trenchant potential problem with Ron DeSantis – the man appears to have dropped weight since his inauguration in January. That's it; that's the alleged "scandal."

How this is a problem, what the import of such news is, or why anyone would consider this in any way to be a negative or important story is never addressed. Her entire theorizing that this was somehow drug-induced is entirely crafted in her imagination.

But…we are supposed to care.