CNN Panel Gives DeSantis Brutal Backhanded Compliments After Town Hall: ‘Strangely Close to Human’

CNN’s Paul Begala and Ana Navarro had some kind-ish words for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis minutes after the Republican presidential candidate’s town hall concluded on the network.

DeSantis fielded questions from voters in Des Moines, Iowa during an event moderated by Jake Tapper on Wednesday. The governor has taken heat while on the campaign trail, where he has gained a reputation for occasionally coming off as robotic or awkward.

On CNN News Night, the panel credited DeSantis for his performance, with Begala and Navarro both lauding him for what they said was an improved showing.

Begala said his wife just texted him to say, “He’s much less robotic.”

“My answer is, yes AI is getting better every single day,” Begala said. “It’s almost lifelike.” Despite the “praise,” he said DeSantis “is just not getting it done.”

Navarro offered her view.

“Listen, I’m shocked I’m saying this,” she said. “I think people are gonna be shocked I’m saying this because I truly don’t like this man. You know, I live in Florida. I’ve lived under him for five years now, and I particularly – in these last couple of years – I think he’s been awful. Today I think he was strangely close to human.”

Her dig elicited chuckles from her fellow panelists.

“I think this the best I have seen him of late,” she added. “That’s a very low bar. But this is the best I’ve seen him. I think this is a very good format for him.”

Like the rest of the candidates not named Donald Trump in the GOP field, DeSantis is far behind the former president in various state and national polls.

Watch above via CNN.