Gov. Ron DeSantis v. Gavin Newsom debate. (Photo: screen capture, Fox News)
Newsom v. DeSantis Debate: Identity Politics vs. Facts
Gov. Newsom started the debate with a handicap and never recovered
By Katy Grimes, November 30, 2023 10:15 pm
In the Red State vs. Blue State debate, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis skillfully and confidently filleted California Governor Gavin Newsom on the issues that matter most to voters – taxes, the economy, inflation, crime, homelessness, public education, in a Florida vs. California matchup of data and statistics.
Moderator Fox News Host Sean Hannity presented each question with facts – unemployment numbers, inflation, crime stats, taxes – and then asked the governors to debate. But because of the stats and facts, Gov. Newsom started the debate with a handicap and never recovered. So he filibustered and gaslighted, and talked over Gov. DeSantis and even moderator Hannity.
It wasn’t a good look for the guy who believes he’s the heir apparent to the White House.
This debate showed that Gov. Gavin Newsom is a smooth talker who specializes in filibuster-style data-laden word salads, against a DeSantis who is a rather straight-talker, and the governor of a low-tax, freedom loving state, and a guy who knows his stuff.
‘LEFTIST IDEOLOGY’: Republican presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis hammers Gov. Gavin Newsom for how he’s run the Golden State over the last few years. pic.twitter.com/4wubuEtEm1
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 1, 2023
Newsom relied in identity politics and leftist vapidity, and tried to fudge California’s unemployment numbers, crime stats,COVID lockdowns, and homeless spending as if spending is the answer, while DeSantis offered concrete answers to the policies Florida has put in place during his administration bolstering public education, while addressing illegal immigration, crime, homeless, etc.
What was curious is that during the debate, Gov. Newsom acted as if he’s a member of the Biden Administration, propping up their policies, and even trying to piggyback on them. Newsom claimed Biden is “doing fantastically.” He said Joe Biden “is 100% up to the job.”
“How are those interest rates? How is the grocery store receipt,” DeSantis asked, deflating Newsom’s association and claims. While most people saw what Newsom was doing, he was oblivious to the falsehoods. Newsom claimed inflation is only 3.2% when it’s actually about 17%. And he said he would take Biden 100% any day over DeSantis.
Is Newsom delusional? Not likely. He’s a presidential candidate-in-waiting, so he’ll declare the party line in order to be the first choice come DNC convention time.
*VOTE NOW — WHO DO YOU THINK WON?* https://t.co/R7kk557VZh
— Sean Hannity 🇺🇸 (@seanhannity) December 1, 2023
Newsom and DeSantis argued over the COVID policies in their two very different states. DeSantis said, “You were a lockdown governor during COVID. While kids were out of school your kids went to private school. Why were you closed for so long?”
Newsom filibustered, talking over DeSantis, never answering.
Hannity jumped in pointing out that Gov. Newsom issued the first stay-at-home order in the nation. “But your states death rates were nearly identical,” Hannity said. Newsom claimed that isn’t true.
Hannity even addressed that California was locked down much longer than Florida – three years. But Newsom immediately attacked DeSantis for his early lockdown, and school closures, even though Newsom was the first governor in the country to make his COVID lockdown declarations.
“Newsom accuses DeSantis of shutting down schools. According to Burbio’s tracker, Florida was 3rd out of 50 in reopening schools. California was 50th out of 50,” Rep. Kevin Kiley reported on X. In fact, California’s K-12 student enrollment has fallen to its lowest levels in more than 20 years. California has not recovered yet from Newsom’s COVID lockdowns.
Gavin Newsom pivoted to claiming that he is “reimagining our schools.” Yet California kids can’t read or do math at grade level. Newsom claimed California students outperform Florida kids. Nope – not even close. California’s students can’t read at grade level, but they can tell you what the 72 genders are.
Gov. DeSantis brought a prop – the cartoon book Gender Queer – to demonstrate just one of the pornographic books allowed into California schools under Gov. Newsom. As I Tweeted, “Newsom’s allowing pornographic books into elementary schools is indefensible. He claims DeSantis is demeaning LGBT people by protesting the porn books. That’s a straw man argument. The books I’ve written about show sex acts – instructions on how to… Indefensible. Newsom deflects. Can’t answer…”
Newsom's allowing pornographic books into elementary schools is indefensible. He claims DeSantis is demeaning LGBT people – how. That's a straw man argument. The books I've written about show sex acts – instructions on how to… Indefensible. Newsom deflects. Can't answer…
— Katy Grimes (@KATYSaccitizen) December 1, 2023
Newsom is accusing Florida of "banning books" in its schools. While he is very interested in what young Florida children are reading, he's doesn't seem to care that many California kids can't read at all.
California has the lowest literacy rate in the country. There are 800…
— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) December 1, 2023
When Hannity announced China, DeSantis immediately said “we banned China buying land in Florida. We got the Confucius Institutes banned.” DeSantis said he would not go to China and grovel – the way Gov. Newsom did. Ouch! Gov. Newsom tried to pivot – tried to ignore China. When that didn’t work, he claimed he confronted Xi on Fentanyl. Yeah, right. Newsom’s visit to China was embarrassing for the United States and California.
DeSantis said he’d been to San Francisco recently and was thanked by some SFPD officers for being pro-police. He also brought another prop – San Francisco’s defecation map, which was almost entirely brown. DeSantis jabbed Newsom and said in California freedom means “the freedom to defecate in the streets.”
There is so much more to unpack, which we will do in the next few days. In the meantime, feel free to review my Twitter threads on the debate. And please share your thoughts.
Predictably, the @sacbee_news editorial board claims Newsom "trounced" DeSantis. But admits Newsom was on defense from the start. So how did he "trounce" DeSantis? pic.twitter.com/QZe0UZ8nqY
— Katy Grimes (@KATYSaccitizen) December 1, 2023
More to come…
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I think DeSantis won this. He stated the obvious facts about the state of California and all Newsom could do is bloviate and filibuster with a bunch of gibberish statistics without directly answering questions posed by Hannity. But the Wall Street Journal has compiled some interesting numbers comparing California to Florida. Let’s start with employment: Since January 2019, employment in Florida has increased by over 1 million people while employment in California has declined by 85,000; amid Mr. Newsom’s prolonged Covid lockdowns, businesses and workers moved to places with a lower tax burden and cost of living. Florida’s population is now 22.2 million while California’s population is 39 million and falling. In unemployment, despite a shrinking labor force, California’s 4.8% jobless rate is the second-highest in the country and nearly twice as high as Florida’s 2.8%.
Electricity prices are twice as high in California as in Florida, Californians also pay $1.80 more for a gallon of gas on average than Floridians do, gas prices have increased about $0.70 more per gallon under Newsom than under DeSantis. State and local taxes in California add up to about $10,167 per capita versus just $5,406 per capita in Florida.
California has 171,521 people living on the streets while Florida only has 26,000 homeless people and again, California doesn’t have twice the population of Florida.
Mind you, this is from the Wall Street Journal.
And Florida’s climate is equal or probably better actually because the whole state is pretty warm for most of the year whereas the Northern California climate is wet and chilly for much of the year.
URGENT::: December 1, 2023 Failure @GavinNewsom has bankrupted California – Legislative Analyst Reports: California Facing $58 Billion Budget Deficit Over Next Few Years
https://californiaglobe.com/fl/legislative-analyst-reports-california-facing-58-billion-budget-deficit-over-next-few-years/
Now that’s what I call good TV- a massive beatdown of Gov. Newsom who’s glib lies and social justice talking points were destroyed by the much more straightforward and fact based arguments of Gov. DeSantis.
Newsom should fire whomever on his staff urged him to debate or helped him prepare for the debate. Lying and smirking is not a winning strategy.
Was extremely pleased with Gov DeSantis’ performance. He did everything he needed to do when he needed to do it in a persistent and forthright way that was very knowledgeable about Newsom and the crippling and enduring problems in California for which Newsom is responsible. Agree that Newsom was rattled early on by this pointed and forthright approach by DeSantis and never recovered. Also appreciated that Hannity gave background when asking a question. I’m sure we will hear people whine about that, saying it was two against one. But what are Newsom & Friends going to say? That it wasn’t fair? Ha ha.
It was an energetic event. Energy was all that Newsom could offer. If only energy won debates, Newsom would have had the upper hand. Unfortunately, the facts are against Newsom and the constant challenge is to present the facts in a straightforward manner. I liked when Newsom tried to use the “how dare you” line in the defense of how Kamala Harris’s name is pronounced. This missed opportunity in my opinion was in the area of China. The Chinese lab could have been brought up and exploited. I have yet to hear Newsom make a public statement on that matter. It would be interesting to hear one from his mouth.
It wasn’t a debate, it was a brawl. It was more or less like all three GOP debates to date, but worse, in my opinion, because Hannity was too hands off. Newsom was irritating for his haughtiness (tone of voice, pointing his finger, dismissive expressions). The thing that frustrates most, though, is that he doesn’t answer questions.
Desantis needs to lose his smirks, and when Newsom lies (which he did/does often), it’s not enough to repeatedly call him a liar. All in all, disappointing.
Best DeSantis comment of the evening, IMHO, was pointing out Newsom’s father in law had moved to Florida because of better governing.
Katy,
once again hitting the nail on the head. I’d suggest you run for president but it looks like you’re having too much fun pointing out truths that politicians, (re: dems/newsom), hate because to them, either truth hurts or doesn’t mean anything to them. The thought of Newsom as POTUS should scare the crap out of people, look what he’s done to California and his Aunt pelosii) has done to ruin EVERYTHING….
But at least Newsom knows the correct pronunciation of “Kamala.” That clearly makes him the best presidential candidate. (Major sarcasm intended.)
No kidding, Fed Up, pronouncing ‘Kamala’ right — very important! (*eye roll*)
I thought it was funny that Newsom is so out of touch with how shocking CA appears to the rest of the country that he likely expected HE would be the talk of the town today — you know, his hair, how articulate he is —- when actually the talk of the town for normal Americans turned out to be the S.F. “poop map” that DeSantis whipped out and used as a prop. Ha ha
Fed-up, Yes, Newsom correcting the pronunciation of her name only emphasizes how stupidly petty and childish he is.
But Newsom is committed to protecting the freedom of Californians to poop anywhere. Someone should create a meme of Newsom pooping on a map of California – or maybe our state flag.
Seems fitting, because that’s what Newsom has done.
“heir apparent” or HAIR apparent…
I tried to watch, and had to shut it down early because my BS meter was PEGGED in the red-zone every time Newsom opened his mouth… His eyes must be dark brown from all the BS that he spews… the guy is a PATHOLOGICAL LIAR and a BULLY, just as he tried to project DeSantis as….
I just hope that the majority of Americans saw WHAT A TYRANNICAL BS-ARTIST the current California Governor is, and 2024/2028 Presidential anointment-candidate is, and REJECTS HIM COMPLETELY….
OH – forgot to mention – Newsom’s claim that California is being taken advantage of by “Big Oil” was COMPLETE AND UTTER BS – the gas prices are PURELY POLICY-DRIVEN by BAD ENERGY POLICY by California Democrats, led by Governor Hairgel…
I was in line at In-N-Out Burger listening and BURST OUT laughing at that COMPLETE AND UTTER LIE!!! (That one stood out amidst the HUNDREDS of lies that Newsom threw up last night….)
CD9 – DeSantis called Gavin Gruesome out so many times, so consistently, and so effectively that I’m confident most Americans saw Gavin for who and what he is. This is good.
Used car salesman debates accountant. Accountant wins.
See “The Accountant” with Ben Affleck for the accountant you describe….
Maybe we now have a new National character in Gov. Newsom. “Court Jester”
More like “The Joker” from the Batman series
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Joker_(DC_Comics_character).jpg#/media/File:Joker_(DC_Comics_character).jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/98/Joker_%28DC_Comics_character%29.jpg
How many of us couldn’t bear to listen to Newsom spin his lies and we found better use of our time rather than to watch the debate? Many of us stopped watching Fox News (aka Faux News) after the network called the 2020 election early for Biden in Arizona before the polls closed? In addition, Hannity, who has been a buddy of Newsom for years as documented in a recent LA Times article (https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-11-26/fox-news-host-sean-hannity-newsom-desantis-debate), is an insufferable deep-state mouthpiece?
Totally irrelevant. The winner of my local Pop Warner football league won’t be going to the Super Bowl and neither of these two guys will be elected President.
Newsom spent the entire evening spewing out lies and name calling. Newsom has no record to run on. He is a complete and utter failure as a governor. He has destroyed this state in every way with his far leftist politics. He ruined San Francisco, then California, and would like to do the same with the U.S. DeSantis stomped on this bully.
Newsom is running for Biden’s VP; not President.
How to get rid of Kamala? The fix is already in, but they still need to pull that one off. The upside of the Kamalacide is no one inside the Democrat party will care to save her.
But suddenly two rich white guys are now the party of the oppressed minorities?
They should have had Ring Card Girls between sections of the debate, wearing PG&E/CHICOMM/I’m an Itern on their tops with short, shorts leaking money out of their pockets: then everyone could have seen the REAL Gavin.
When the “candidates” start talking over each other and calling each other liars, the “debate” is lost and becomes a game show, like most of politics today.
The accountant vs the game show host/ salesman? Pretty good analogy.
Some of what was said was insightful, yet neither would fill up a show with just one topic..
Metal Health
homelessness (manufactured as it is)
Family health
Drugs and law enforcement
Either of them are not acquainted with reality, at least DeSantis served in the Military a while to see some reality that may shape his views now, although news reporters say his wife shapes his desire to achieve higher office?
Did someone say “Metal Health” ??? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Health
Great recording, by the way…
😉
Instead of Newsom being given a platform to spew his lies, he needs to be hauled before a tribunal and be held accountable for his many crimes against humanity that includes locking healthy Californians and small businesses down (while excluding himself and his cronies) during the Covid scamdemic and for mandating experimental mRNA shots that have injured and killed thousands of innocent Californians. He and his soul have a lot to atone for.