Did This Florida Democrat Just Hurl a Bitter Clinger Swipe At Her Constituents?

Matt Vespa | April 02, 2020 3:50 PM

So, was this a “bitter clinger” moment? You remember that infamous soundbite then-Sen. Obama made in 2008 about rural Americans.

“They get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

During her interview on CNN, Florida Rep. Donna Shalala (D-FL) ripped President Trump’s response to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak and Gov. Ron DeSantis for his slow response to the crisis. Granted, there is some legitimate criticism there. There should have been a more aggressive push to close the beaches. The governor has been a bit slow in issuing stay-at-home orders; he finally issued one that goes into effect statewide Thursday night. It’s an expansion from his initial order that only dealt with South Florida. DeSantis said that a recommendation from the White House would weigh heavily on a statewide order. Maybe a call was made, maybe not—but the fact is Florida is locked down.

Rep. Donna Shalala: "I don't know why people run for office if they're not willing to make hard decisions. And [Gov. Ron DeSantis] delayed and delayed until he waited for the President of the United States to pick up the phone and call him." pic.twitter.com/lRJgwzi60A
— The Hill (@thehill) April 2, 2020

Rep. Donna Shalala: "The President doesn't seem to have the sensitivity to the most vulnerable people." pic.twitter.com/y0AyoHMhlx
— The Hill (@thehill) April 2, 2020

Yet, Rep. Shalala hit DeSantis for allowing gun stores to remain open and permitting churches to continue holding services.

Well, gun stores are essential and shutting down religious services is a whole other can of worms. You can’t just shut those down, but you can hope that those with any sense would stay away for the time being. I’m not religious in any way shape or form but curbing religious freedoms could lead to serious legal ramifications. While these stay-at-home orders are key to containing the spread, some states are taking how much power they can exert for a spin. This is also something to look out for.

Now, Shalala isn't wrong all the time; she did note that south Florida isn't for Bernie at all, which doesn't bode well for those who are still feeling the Bern.

Democratic Rep. Donna Shalala on Bernie Sanders: "He’s just unacceptable to people in South Florida” https://t.co/C2eD3IeduZ pic.twitter.com/EPLnWNd4gl
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 5, 2020