Axelrod Says DeSantis Wants to Be ‘Methadone’ for Trump Junkies ‘Who Want to Quit the Habit’

David Axelrod compared Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s apparent overtures to Donald Trump supporters as a sort of “methadone” for those who are looking to quit the former president.

Many expect DeSantis to announce his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, which would pit him against Trump, who declared in November.

On Friday’s OutFront on CNN, host Erin Burnett aired a clip from Newsmax the previous night, where DeSantis was asked if he’d ever consider being Trump’s vice presidential running mate if he were asked.

“I think I’m probably more of an executive guy,” DeSantis replied. “I think that you wanna be able to do things. That’s part of the reason I got into this job, is because we have action. We’re able to make things happen, and I think that’s probably what I’m best suited for.”

“More of an executive guy,” Burnett echoed.

“The Ron DeSantis plan to become the Republican nominee… for president is to offer himself as kind of methadone for Trump supporters who want to quit the habit,” Axelrod responded. “The obvious answer that, you know, for some would be, ‘I will not serve as his vice president because I don’t think he should be president. And that’s one of the reasons I’m running for president.’ But that’s a risky proposition in today’s Republican Party.

Axelrod predicted DeSantis would not take such a gamble by saying the most recent Republican president shouldn’t occupy the White House again.

“He’s certainly not going to take it on Newsmax, and he only appears on right-wing media,” he continued. “I thought it was kind of an anodyne answer for a guy who doesn’t want to really tell the truth, which is, ‘The guy’s got four or five investigations going, he’ll likely be indicted, he may be convicted, and there’s a circus around him at all times. And I don’t think he should be president.'”

Watch above via CNN.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet Newsletter
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!