Ron DeSantis criticized over 'homophobic' video
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news.yahoo.com /ron-desantis-criticized-over-homophobic-200903180.html
Ron DeSantis criticized over 'homophobic' video
Jason Lange 3-4 minutes 7/1/2023
By Jason Lange
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Gay Republicans criticized as "homophobic" a video posted by Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis' campaign highlighting rival Donald Trump's past statements in support of gay rights, and the former president declined at a rally on Saturday to respond to the attack.
Florida Governor DeSantis' campaign posted the video on Twitter late on Friday, saying it marked the end of a month of LGBTQ+ pride celebrations.
"To wrap up Pride Month, let's hear from the politician who did more than any other Republican to celebrate it," the campaign said in presenting the video. It contrasted Trump's 2016 pledge to "do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens" with DeSantis' own hardline conservatism regarding transgender and other LGBTQ+ rights.
It was unclear who originally produced the video, which featured a montage of muscle-bound men, bolts of electricity flying from DeSantis' eyes, and activists lamenting what they characterized as his efforts to restrict transgender rights.
"This is undeniably homophobic," Richard Grenell - who was the first openly gay White House Cabinet official as acting director of national intelligence during Trump's 2017-2021 administration - said on Twitter late on Friday.
As governor, DeSantis has backed state laws aimed at restricting medical treatment for transgender children and barring minors from attending drag shows in Florida.
His campaign did not respond on Saturday to a request for comment.
At a rally in Pickens, South Carolina, Trump did not acknowledge the broadside from the campaign for DeSantis, who trails far behind the former president in public opinion polls and is working to build support with hard-right positions on abortion, transgender rights and other issues.
Instead, Trump, over the course of an hour-long campaign speech, repeatedly criticized sporting events that have allowed transgender women to participate in women's competitions.
"I will keep men out of women's sports," he vowed.
Trump pledged at the 2016 Republican National Convention to protect gay rights. But, as president, he was criticized when he banned transgender people from serving in the military and his administration proposed stripping protections for transgender people facing healthcare discrimination.
Asked on Saturday for a comment on the video, Trump's campaign pointed to a tweet posted Friday night in which Trump adviser Jason Miller said "somebody's getting fired" over the DeSantis campaign's post. Miller did not elaborate.
The Log Cabin Republicans, a conservative group that advocates for gay rights, said Republicans need to stand up against "radical Left gays" but that DeSantis had gone too far.
"DeSantis and his team can't tell the difference between commonsense gays and the radical Left gays," the group said in a tweet late on Friday, saying the presidential hopeful "has just ventured into homophobic territory."
(Reporting by Jason Lange in Washington; Additional reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut and by David Brunnstrom in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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The video is, at best, bizarre.
I read an interesting take on DeSantis recent behavior. The idea is that he now believes Trump will have to drop out due to legal problems, and he wants to be the MAGA -est remaining candidate and the nomination will then fall into his lap. So we seem him recently doing MAGA on steroids.
Makes sense.
Of course he is ensuring he will never be president but he may have the "honor" of being the Republican nominee.
Spot on.
It is well beyond bizarre. It borders on insane.
DeSantis is the most extreme major right wing candidate we have ever seen.
Not even close John.
He's reading the voters correctly.
More than anything else, the vast majority of Americans want a return to some semblance of normalcy. The corrupt Biden regime is not providing anything close to that.
Watch and learn. The next several months should be very enlightening and educational for the Dems
There is nothing whatsoever normal about the video discussed in the article. In fact, it couldnt be any more abnormal.
Oh, do you think that our priorities should be to engage in war on LGBTQ+ activities? That is what is really important nowadays?
There is no war on such activities, other than some fucked up men pretending to be women....which the leftists seem intent on promoting and supporting.
Trans Athlete Complains Men “Underrepresented” In Women’s Sports (msn.com)
Study Shows Just How Young Some Minors Seeking Irreversible, Experimental Transgender Treatments Are (townhall.com)
What do you think DeSantis is doing?
I think instead of attacking LGBTQ+, etc. DeSantis should be putting forth a positive, inclusive message that moves the USA forward. What, specifically, is DeSantis going to do to improve our nation as a whole? Beating down "woke" items is negative and a truly bone-headed strategy for winning the presidency.
DeSantis leading the charge against LGBTQ people.
Side note, Nancy looks much better than DeSantis in the boots.
What are you talking about? Are you saying that for the vast majority of American voters, fighting LGBT is their top priority? “More than anything else?” Where are you getting this information?
I’ve seen polls that measure voter priorities. The economy usually wins by a lot. Also crime and immigration. Lately, preserving democracy has become a popular concern. Health care usually gets decent numbers, too.
I haven’t seen any polls of Americans, generally, where more than half of respondents - much less “the vast majority” - support any kind of anti-LGBT government action. What I have seen are polls showing that a majority oppose criminalizing LGBT behavior.
So I’m curious as to what source or information is informing this opinion of yours about “the vast majority of Americans.”
www.thedailybeast.com /desantis-just-proved-he-may-be-worse-for-gop-than-trump
DeSantis’ Gross Anti-Gay Ad Proves He’s Way Worse Than Trump
Yvonne Dean-Bailey 5-7 minutes 7/1/2023
In theory, I am Ron DeSantis ’ perfect voter. I am a lifelong conservative, I vehemently oppose any and all COVID restrictions, and I am passionately anti-Trump. What could be a more ideal voter for a candidate like DeSantis?
There’s one problem for DeSantis, though: I am a gay woman. And I can’t stand behind his attacks against the LGBTQ+ community.
I was undeniably on Team DeSantis before his campaign shared what could be considered the most anti-LGBTQ+ ad in recent history, boasting about all the measures he’s supported cracking down on the LGBTQ+ community. Not only did DeSantis show that he is as anti-LGBTQ+ as the mainstream media has alleged, he made a mockery of any GOP candidate that shows an interest in LGBTQ+ rights, setting the whole party back decades.
Despite my conservative credentials, you couldn’t pay me to vote for the Florida governor now. I am a lesbian and DeSantis has made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t want any LGBTQ+ conservatives on his team because of their identity.
When DeSantis was toying with the idea of running for president, he sounded like the perfect candidate: He was Trump without the Trumpiness. Little did I know DeSantis was farther to the right on issues that meant the most to me and the more than 70 percent of Americans who support gay rights .
He has made it clear in the past few weeks that he’s more interested in appeasing Twitter trolls who abhor any American who identifies as LGBTQ+. To DeSantis, if you are gay, you are not allowed to be a part of the conservative movement.
A few years ago, I wouldn’t have believed this, but DeSantis' recent anti-LGBTQ+ ad has proved that he is to the right of Trump when it comes to LGBTQ+ issues . If Trump was someone who doesn’t support the movement, DeSantis is an all-out hater.
My gayness has nothing to do with the fact that Florida is a booming state in an otherwise lackluster economy. That being said, DeSantis has made it abundantly clear that he does not support gay Americans regardless of whether they support his conservative agenda.
When I first encountered DeSantis during his bold stance against COVID mandates earlier this year, I was generally pleased with the Florida governor. He seemed just like what conservatives have been missing.
But when the legislative session brought issues concerning LGBTQ+ rights to the forefront, my excitement quickly turned to disappointment. It became evident that DeSantis was not the champion of individual freedoms and rights that I had hoped for.
His anti-gay rhetoric and actions are not only deeply hurtful to LGBTQ+ Americans like myself but also tarnish the image of the conservative movement. As a lifelong conservative, I believe in the principles of limited government, personal responsibility, and individual liberties. Yet, DeSantis’ approach to LGBTQ+ issues goes against these very principles.
By excluding LGBTQ+ conservatives and attacking their rights, DeSantis alienates a significant portion of his potential base, effectively driving away voters who share many of his other conservative beliefs. It is disheartening to witness a candidate who could have been a uniting force within the party instead contributing to further divisiveness.
DeSantis’ stance on LGBTQ+ issues not only contradicts conservative values but also reflects a severe disconnect from the majority of Americans who support gay rights. According to polls, over 70 percent of Americans support gay marriage, and this number continues to rise. By disregarding such a significant portion of the population, DeSantis reveals a concerning lack of understanding of the evolving societal norms and values.
As a gay woman, my sexual orientation is just one aspect of my identity, and it should not define my political beliefs or my place within the conservative movement. Unfortunately, DeSantis seems to believe that one’s sexual orientation determines their worthiness to be part of the conservative cause. This divisive mentality does not bode well for the future of the Republican party or its chances of success in broader elections.
The Republican party should strive to be a big-tent party, embracing diverse perspectives and voices. Alienating LGBTQ+ individuals only weakens the party’s appeal and restricts its ability to attract new supporters. It is vital for the party to evolve and adapt to the changing attitudes of the American people, rather than clinging to outdated and discriminatory views.
DeSantis must recognize that his anti-gay rhetoric is not only harmful to LGBTQ+ Americans but also detrimental to the very principles he claims to uphold. If he truly aims to lead the conservative movement and bring about positive change for all Americans, he must abandon divisive tactics and focus on policies that promote unity and inclusivity.
So far, he is only losing everyday Americans, including many conservatives like myself, through his disgusting anti-gay rhetoric. His attacks against the LGBTQ+ community and exclusion of LGBTQ+ conservatives are not only morally wrong but politically misguided. The Republican party must distance itself from such harmful behavior and strive to be a party that welcomes all Americans, regardless of their sexual orientation. Only then can it hope to represent the true values of conservatism and garner the support needed to succeed in future elections.
This video was bizarre enough that I have to wonder if the DeSantis War Room is engaged in war on Ron DeSantis rather than for him. Whoever put it together seems unhinged.
It looked like a propaganda video of a dictator asserting his power over the peons.
Perhaps you don't represent the demographic that the video was aimed at.
And what exactly is the demographic this video is aimed at?
The moron faction.
DeSantis literally brags about how hard he is on LBTGQ in the video.
Will that get him elected POTUS? I think not.
Says the one that seeded it so it would get even more attention.
Beats me, I’m not a part of the campaign.
I’m not sure, I’m not part of his campaign.
Haha. This one gave me a chuckle, which is nice when we are entering bizzarro world.