Perception can indeed be everything in politics.
By taking what many see as a meanspirited shot at Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis, the liberal-leaning Daily Beast only succeeded in elevating her already high stature in the eyes of countless Floridians.
In a piece written by Katie Baker, the site’s executive editor, titled “Casey DeSantis Is the Walmart Melania,” the author seems intent on proving that she is not only tone-deaf to the needs and realities of working-class Americans, but is condescendingly going after DeSantis simply because she was angered by a jacket the Florida first lady wore; does not like her politics … or especially her husband; and because … she can as she sits atop a platform which allows her to do so.
The article begins: “The First Lady of Florida showed up on the campaign trail in Iowa this weekend wearing a ghastly black leather jacket — American flag on the front, an alligator and the silhouette of her state on the back, with the sneering words, ‘Where Woke Goes to Die’ — that brought to mind nothing so much as the racks of a Red State big-bin store where it would be retailing for $24.99 … Casey DeSantis’ coat is just like her husband Ron DeSantis’ campaign: Crude. Grasping. Saying the ugly part out loud.”
Wow. Anything else?
Yes. Baker continues: “Of course, neither Melania Trump nor Casey DeSantis could ever embody the class and effortless elegance of Michelle Obama or Dr. Jill Biden. Those First Ladies have used fashion not as a punitive tool to stick it to political enemies — nor as a bored, nihilistic shrug — but as something generous and welcoming.”
Really? Surely, even some liberals might see that last comment as hitting 10 out of 10 on the “Sycophant-Cringe Meter.”
It’s unfortunate to see the author using “Walmart” as a pejorative. Surely, she must know that tens of millions of working-class Americans shop there to help ensure their survival. They may not have a corner office, a six-figure salary or live in a bubble of entitlement, but they do have Walmart to help them to make ends meet.
Which brings us back to the perception issue. I have worked on three winning presidential campaigns. The perception of a candidate, or potential candidate, is often everything. It can become a perpetual energy source that fuels a candidate to victory.
Most unbiased assessments of Casey DeSantis would state that she is a remarkable self-made woman. After graduating from college, she worked for the PGA Tour as a producer and on-air host. Additionally, she worked for two Florida television stations in Jacksonville, where she held positions ranging from general assignment reporter, police beat reporter, weekend anchor, and morning anchor. For her work in television, DeSantis received an Emmy Award for on-air talent and two Emmy nominations.
She is also a breast-cancer survivor, a tireless advocate for breast-cancer awareness and a mother of three young children.
If she were a liberal and a Democrat, her achievements and personal life story might be lauded by sites like the Daily Beast. But alas, she is a conservative woman and seemingly in certain quarters, only liberal women are worthy of recognition and praise.
While such praise and recognition might be denied to her by the left, it’s being heaped upon her throughout the state of Florida. And that, in turn, brings up a very serious dilemma for both the DeSantis administration and the Floridians who believe DeSantis’s policies saved the state from the draconian dictates of the left.
The dilemma being: How do you ensure “The DeSantis Doctrine” survives in the state should Ron DeSantis go on to become president — or lose in either the primary or general election and become a lame-duck governor?
As much as those millions of DeSantis supporters truly hope he becomes president, it can be assumed that they really want his policies to live on beyond his administration. While Florida Lt. Governor Jeanette Nunez is considered to be a very able politician, we come back to that perception issue again. Unfortunately, as in every state in the country, many voters don’t even know the name of their Lt. governor.
Two of the three most essential forces to ensure election are name recognition and perception. The third being: money.
Casey DeSantis has name recognition and perception. Because of that, if she ever became a formal candidate to succeed her husband as the governor of Florida, the money would follow. By insulting and belittling Casey DeSantis — and those Walmart customers who also happen to be voters — the Daily Beast may have inadvertently succeeded in raising her name recognition, her perception as a winner and her ability to fundraise.
Should Casey DeSantis run to succeed her husband as the governor of Florida? If she did, she would be a very formidable candidate.
Douglas MacKinnon, a political and communications consultant, was a writer in the White House for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, and former special assistant for policy and communications at the Pentagon during the last three years of the Bush administration.