Liberals love to pull the race card out every chance they get, and they did just that when 2024 GOP presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis (Fla.) commented on NBA players.
Left-wing outlets accused DeSantis of racism after gushing about his love for baseball, praising it as a "meritocratic" game where people of different sizes and skill levels can perform well at various positions. He later compared the sport to basketball.
"I think there's kind of a place for everybody in a baseball team if you're willing to work hard if you're willing to practice… I kind of thought it was always a very democratic game, a very meritocratic game," the Florida governor said.
Calling basketball players "incredible athletes," DeSantis said he views them as freaks of nature. However, in baseball, the governor explained how players may not necessarily be the best athletes but possess the skills that allow them to compete at the highest level.
However, in Democrat's eyes, DeSantis focused on the NBA's predominantly all-Black players.
USA Today columnist Mike Freeman decried the governor's remarks, accusing him of pushing pushing "racist tropes" and calling him "one of the most prominent anti-Black politicians alive."
"DeSantis was essentially talking about two leagues, and how the mostly Black one, the NBA, is full of freaky athletes with fast-twitch muscles and apparently not as democratic or meritocratic or whatever-cratic as baseball players," Freeman claimed." Then, according to DeSantis, there's baseball, or the MLB, the mostly white sport, full of OK athletes, but gosh darn, do they work hard and form democracies and meritocratic-ocracies-republics? They're not freaks at all. They're real Americans."
A reporter for The Root, Candace McDuffie, echoed Freeman's "racist trope" comment, claiming DeSantis is encouraging white supremacy in the U.S.
"DeSantis decided to obviously disparage the mostly Black league by relying on a disgustingly racist trope; it has been around for centuries and reduces the value of Black people to their bodies," McDuffie said. "However, the GOP has relished being the party of white supremacy, so the Florida governor's latest remarks check out."
However, conservatives blasted the liberal reporters saying everything should not be about race.
"DeSantis is correct in that basketball is a game of athleticism," Outkick's Bobby Burack said. "Baseball is less so. Turn on both the NBA and MLB; no one can dispute that claim… Freeman only sees color. He views every story and comments through a racial lens. Race permeates every thought he publicizes."
Join the conversation as a VIP Member