Maggie Haberman Wonders if DeSantis Can ‘Withstand Trump’ After Crist Debate
New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman noted Tuesday that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s (R) debate performance against Democrat Charlie Crist on Monday night left a lot to be desired – particularly if DeSantis should wind up on the debate stage with Donald Trump.
Haberman retweeted a clip of Crist on Fox News discussing the debate on Tuesday and wrote, “The debate may not have done a ton to change the trajectory of the FLGOV race. But it did have a number of political operatives – all affiliated with someone other than Trump – wondering how DeSantis will withstand Trump in a primary debate.”
In the clip Haberman retweeted, Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer asked Crist, “You needed a knockout. And that did not happen. Did it?”
“But I think it did,” Crist replied, shaking off the loaded question.
“And let me explain. I mean, what happened was I asked whether or not Governor DeSantis, if reelected, would serve a full four-year term. He was like a deer in the headlights bill. He wouldn’t answer the question. He couldn’t answer the question. And he wasn’t going to be honest with the people of Florida,” Crist added, referring to a widely discussed moment from the contentious debate.
“Why don’t you look in the eyes of the people of Florida and say to them, if you’re reelected you will serve a full four-year term as governor. Yes or no,” Crist asked DeSantis during one exchange.
“Yes or no, Ron?” he pushed.
DeSantis, apparently waiting for his time back waited several seconds and responded: “I know that Charlie is itching to talk about 2024 and Joe Biden. But I just want to make things very, very clear: The only worn-out old donkey I’m looking to put out to pasture is Charlie Crist.”
The moderator chastised Crist for asking a question of his opponent, which was not allowed according to the rules. Haberman’s commentary appeared to relate to DeSantis’s slow reply to being put on the spot, a tactic that former President Donald Trump regularly used during his debates to sling accusations and throw opponents off balance.
