Kellyanne Conway has a message for Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis: You royally effed up with your presidential bid and there’s probably no fixing it so you might as well give up now and go back to Florida where (some) people still like you.
From the very moment he announced he was running for president during that glitchy Twitter Spaces conversation with Elon Musk in late May, DeSantis has struggled with, well, everything.
From bad headlines to even worse poll numbers, awkward interviews to that homophobic ad his wife Casey released that totally backfired, nothing the gay-hating governor does seems to be working.
And even he knows it.
Just last week, it was reported DeSantis was planning a campaign “shake up”. But confidence among GOP insiders in his ability to turn things around is low/practically non existent
Speaking to Martha MacCallum at Fox News on Tuesday, Conway expressed serious doubts over DeSantis’ decision to reboot his campaign just weeks after it formally began. A reboot, she said, is “usually not six weeks after you launch your campaign.”
“You actually don’t reboot while the ink is still wet on your campaign documents,” she explained, adding that no amount of damage control will help DeSantis at this point.
Not just for 2024, but 2028 as well.
“I think he’s kind of ruined himself for 2028,” Conway continued, before zeroing in on DeSantis’ messaging, which she says is flawed. “He does way too much woke and way too much COVID.”
That, she added, might be what his donors want him to focus on, but it’s not what voters are interested in hearing about.
“They want [to talk about] the economy,” Conway said. “It’s the #1 issue. You can’t get around it. Donors don’t decide the nominees, the voters do. The voters decide who our nominees are and who our presidents are.”
Despite DeSantis’ attempts to use “wokeness” and LGBTQ+ people as a wedge issue in his campaign, multiple polls show the vast majority of Americans support their queer friends, neighbors, and family members and don’t want to see them demonized or discriminated against.
In a statement released earlier today, the DeSantis campaign said it has just completed a “top-to-bottom review of our organization” and has let go of a whopping 38 staffers.
“Gov. DeSantis is going to lead the Great American Comeback and we’re ready to hit the ground running as we head into an important month of the campaign,” campaign manager Generra Peck said.
That’s cute. There’s just one teeny tiny problem. In order for DeSantis to have a “comeback”, he first needs to arrive.
Mister P
Uh Oh! I agree with the Alternative Facts Lady.
abfab
Yes, uh oh!
Johnny G
Well, I guess that even a broken clock (Kellyanne) is right twice a day.
cuteguy
Meatball Ron is so disgusting and that goes double for his wife Walmart Karen. It’s been reported that she exaggerated her breast cancer diagnosis so he could get sympathy votes. Many true beast cancer survivors are not only understandably outraged, but they’re the first ones who picked up on the discrepancies. Ron and Karen need to go back to their banana republic state where he’s behind Trumpf by 20 points. Pathetic
phillycap
Walmart Karen also appropriated the bell that people ring at the clinic to mark the end of her treatment. She just took it because oh the nursing staff wanted me to have it. Yeah right Karen. Try using your ugly husband’s clout to take baubles.
Sergio68
I think DeSantis is a closet queen. It’s obvios. He should voted out as governor of Florida. He’s a liability to Florida’s economy.
abfab
Top to bottom. Kinky.
PubisHairus
More like arse to mouth.
dbmcvey
He was rotten to being with.
abfab
How can you trust somone who doesn’t enjoy Thigh food.
guezwhoitis
He’s a threat no matter how many staff members he has! This douche tool is a despot with a severe God Complex. Trump is a Narcissist, but he’s stupid where it matters!
dbmcvey
Decrans probably lost his job. He’ll have to get a real job now.
abfab
Stop bringing him up. And from now on ignore him. Can you do that?
still_onthemark
Or maybe he’ll get promoted to campaign manager! He’s always so confident about what Ronda needs to do! I’m sure all his successful door-knocking has brought him to the attention of higher-ups!
dbmcvey
still,
True, he has the right lack of skills.
Also, abfab, I can ignore you for right now.
abfab
Well I guess not.
abfab
He’s all yours dbmcvey. Your strange obsession.
dbmcvey
The ignoring will start when this posts.
You post far more and keep things going far longer than I do abfab. I agree with you on most issues but you are an unbearable hypocrite on this issue.
That you posted twice after my last comment says you have trouble letting go.
Let’s see if you can stand not having the last word.
abfab
Child, I’ll let you have that. Stop being a dick.
decrans
Still got it! Still educating California voters on what I survived with American healthcare, Davey! I’ll eventually move to No Labels. (Shrugs)
decrans
God, I live for brainless neoliberal in-fighting. Reminds me of Meghan McCain and faux conservative Ana Navarro on The View. Tantalizing.
dbmcvey
Hey Derek, what are you doing now that you’re unemployed?
decrans
Do you have some kind of brain condition? You spend seven comments yapping about ignoring my comments and then beat down the door to reply. I never thought I’d say this. Abcrabs might have more common sense than you. And that’s not saying much.
dbmcvey
Go to work for the RFK Jr. campaign. Maybe you can tank that one too!
still_onthemark
@abfab: Malarkey! When have YOU ever ignored decrans? You can never resist responding to him!
abfab
Malarkey!
dbmcvey
Still, you are so right. That he had the nerve to lecture anyone is pretty crazy. And notice, he had to have the last word.
abfab
Okay, you guys win. I’m done. He’s yours. I’ll remove myself from your love-fest.
decrans
I love that I occupy y’all’s thoughts while I explain the American healthcare industry’s pitfalls to voters at the door. This whole Convo is very childlike. I’m flattered, though. Truly.
dbmcvey
Hey Derek, have you found another losing campaign to work for?
decrans
Dave Matthews, I am a professional canvasser. Biden-Harris isn’t hiring yet. Nice try. Plus, as mentioned, despite assurances of working class solidarity every four years, the California Democratic Party pays minimum wage. And honestly, you should be ashamed of yourself for having the gall to vote for that every four years. They pay less than the nefarious Republicans. Then again,
dbmcvey
I bet Nikki Haley is looking for workers, and she’ll be dropping out pretty soon so your record of losing will be intact.
decrans
Dave Matthews: With two conmen running for president, that opens the lane to several third parties (No Labels, the Greens, Libertarian, a Liz Cheney Republican, RFK, etc). I’m not so sure your con candidate is going to win. He barely won last time.
dbmcvey
Vivek Ramaswamy is a terrible person that the crazy Republican base might get behind. Maybe you can destroy his campaign!
Mister P
At least, we on the left want to improve healthcare for everyone. The right wing nuts only want to deny it for as many as they can.
decrans
Do you really? And you developed protocol for detransitoner teens, have you? I declare!
decrans
And the 8000 people who formed formal complaints on Medi-Cal last year for poor service. Obama fixed it with Obamacare? God, the left is a parody just as much as the right. Y’all are a trip!
inbama
decrans,
Obamacare is as much of a success as he and Pelosi could get in the face of Republican opposition. I currently have a formerly homeless addict with numerous health/psychiatric issues living with me. His Obamacare costs just $65 a month.
As far as gender treatments, yes, this is our QAnon. An army of raging AGP zealots peddling BS hatched in Gender Studies classes, organizations like GLADD betraying their original mission and acting like Orwellian language-suppressors, and a corrupted medical industry financing the creation of a mental/medical crisis for gay and lesbian youth from which they can profit. While Biden seems legitimately fooled by Rachel Levine, I am hopeful that Dems will eventually come to embrace actual science rather than the faux compassion of “just do everything they want no matter how crazy or they’ll kill themselves.”
As Lincoln didn’t say, “You can fool some of the people all of the time…”
decrans
I agree. What I found most frustrating during my gender transition? All these libbed-out idiots saying, “Uh huh. We fixed everything with Obamacare. Support trans rights!” And the trans ideology is the far-left QAnon. I’ve been saying that for years. One side injects horse tranquilizers. The other extreme? Let’s inject drugs that haven’t been tested on autistic children significantly. America is a clown show.
still_onthemark
DeSantis Offers Campaign Staff Opportunity to Work for Free in Exchange for Invaluable Skills
“Say you’re in the back room of the campaign office, licking envelopes—someday you could get a job licking any number of things,” the Governor said.
– The Borowitz Report
johncp56
Just shows us how hate burns itself out, he and his nasty wife nothing like the hate of good Christian love from people like them
SoloMcDaniel
Don’t forget McCain was written off in ’07 after he also fired staff and had no money left. I don’t like Desantis (or Orange Grimace) but a lot can happen between now and June 2024. Hoping one of few non-crazy Republicans decides to get in the race. I’m looking at you, Dan Crenshaw.
abfab
Oh God, no! Imagine all the NRA judges he’ll appoint…if he’s not too busy being born again. He’s a runt, whatever that is…….
dbmcvey
Wait. You think Dan Crenshaw is not crazy?
Kangol2
Like spoiled milk DeFascist ought to be tossed but so long as there are Republican voters who knows what will happen. He fired the staffer who posted the neo-Nazi symbol but it says everything that he hired him in the first place!
Mister P
Ron Dick Santis wants to out RFK Jr in charge of the CDC.
We are in real trouble if the republicans get in.
gcmbeach
Desanctimonious should run for President of Scientology. They’re super homophobes. He’s perfect. The best part? His maniacal laugh is as frightening as Tom Cruise. Not that it matters, but after Yale, he taught high-school in Georgia and had sex with underage girls and boys. Heard he was great with the baseball bat too. Maybe he uses it as a dildo when his wife is faking breast cancer. Deplorable people. I doubt his appetite for thigh food will save him from the deleterious effects global
warming is having in Florida. Like the coral reefs he’ll probably wither and die looking like the bleached white supremacist he is. A fraud and corrupt. What a legacy.
abfab
And more on politics from Cap Hill……who said it?
“I’m fine.”
decrans
Well, well, well. A judge told nepo-baby Hunter Biden to get a real job today as opposed to grooming donors with “paintings.” Meanwhile, the drip-drip-drip continues from The New York Times. I suppose they are part of the fascist propaganda network now.
dbmcvey
You could do a Trump a real favor and destroy Chris Christy’s campaign since he’s the only one who seems to be willing to go after Trump. You’re so good at destroying campaigns this could help your god.
decrans
Dave Matthews: Do you ever shut up and do what you said you were gonna do 15 comments ago? You continue to look like a fool.
Gay Thomas
It was over before it ever got started. Imagine being seen as a bigger scumbag moron than that fat orange convicted rapist.
Mister P
Obamacare was always a starting point. I’m sorry you were under the impression it would “solve everything “
abfab
Let’s call it the Affordable Care Act, shall we. Ask those on the ground……………….it’s working.
decrans
Abcrabs, ask the 8000 people who filed complaints for poor service with Medi-Cal. They’re mostly working-class and Black, your two favorite demos. You ignorant half-wit sweet little fool.
decrans
“ObamaCare supporters claimed it would drastically reduce the uninsured population. Unfortunately, this also has not happened. As of this writing, there are roughly 28 million Americans without health insurance. And the number of those without health insurance has increased in recent years.” (The Hill)
decrans
Fourth, President Obama also repeatedly guaranteed voters, “If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period.” As it turns out, this promise also fell by the wayside.
According to MarketWatch, “Various sources note that a common (and popular) way to reduce premium costs has been to reduce the number of doctors in the insurer’s network, which leads to a much greater likelihood of people losing their doctors than without the ACA.”
Even worse, “15% of plans offered on the exchanges exclude doctors from at least one kind of specialty” notes the National Institute of Health. Put another way, after ObamaCare took effect, millions of Americans lost access to their doctors.
decrans
God, I enjoy making Abcrabs look like an idiot in the comments. I enjoy it more than Dave Matthews. Maybe not as much as Bosch, though.
Kangol2
Responding to DeKlans: “”Since its passage in 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has helped cut the U.S. uninsured rate nearly in half while significantly reducing racial and ethnic disparities in both insurance coverage and access to care — particularly in states that expanded their Medicaid programs,” reads the report.”
The reason there are still so many people without health insurance lies in the fact that there are still a number of GOP-led states that REFUSE to expand Medicaid, which was one of the pillars on which the Affordable Care Act was built. DeKlans may not know this but just so others are clear, Obamacare HAS dramatically reduced the number of uninsured the US, while not covering everyone, AND it has also equalized health care across race, gender and class lines for millions more Americans. It also requires mental health coverage, which DeKlans should avail himself of immediately.
Cf. CBS News, “The Affordable Care Act has significantly reduced racial disparities in health care access, report says,” March 16, 2023
Kangol2
Moreover, as of March 6, 2023, “Wyoming, Kansas, Texas, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida have yet to adopt the expansion of Medicaid, leaving over 2.1 million people in the “coverage gap” — meaning they fall into the income level that would make them eligible for Medicaid but cannot access it because their state has not adopted it, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities..”
The Hill, “These 10 states have not expanded Medicaid,” March 6, 2023
Why are there so many uninsured still?
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Key Facts about the Uninsured Population,” by Jennifer Tolbert , Patrick Drake , and Anthony Damico, Dec 19, 2022
“‘How many people are uninsured?
With policies in place to protect health coverage for people who may have lost jobs and/or income during the pandemic, the number of uninsured decreased in 2021. In 2021, 27.5 million nonelderly individuals were uninsured, a decrease of nearly 1.5 million from 2019. Coverage gains were driven by increases in Medicaid and non-group coverage that offset declines in employer-sponsored coverage and were particularly large among Hispanic people and people in working families.
“Who are the uninsured?
Most uninsured people are in low-income families and have at least one worker in the family. Reflecting the more limited availability of public coverage in some states, adults are more likely to be uninsured than children. People of color are generally at higher risk of being uninsured than White people, though Asian people have the lowest uninsured rate.
“Why are people uninsured?
Despite policy efforts to improve the affordability of coverage, many uninsured people cite the high cost of insurance as the main reason they lack coverage. In 2021, 64% of uninsured adults said that they were uninsured because the cost of coverage was too high. Many people do not have access to coverage through a job, and some people, particularly poor adults in states that did not expand Medicaid, remain ineligible for financial assistance for coverage.
And finally, putting lie to Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) who screamed at Obama during the State of the Union that undocumented immigrants would get coverage: “Additionally, undocumented immigrants are ineligible for Medicaid or Marketplace coverage.
decrans
Uh huh. Now what do you say to those Black individuals (the 8000 in blue-bluey California) with complaints of poor coverage on Medi-Cal? Tough shi+, Vote Biden?
decrans
But you know, be sure to vote blue. They are doing such a bang-up job in the progressive crown jewel, Kangol.
Cons of Medi-Cal
Limited provider network: Medi-Cal has a limited network of participating healthcare providers, which can result in reduced choices and longer wait times for appointments. This can be especially challenging in areas with a shortage of healthcare professionals, making it difficult for beneficiaries to access the care they need in a timely manner.
Reimbursement rates: Medi-Cal reimbursement rates for healthcare providers are generally lower compared to private insurance or Medicare, which can discourage some providers from accepting Medi-Cal patients. This can create challenges in finding healthcare providers who accept Medi-Cal, particularly specialists or providers in certain medical specialties.
Administrative complexity: The application and eligibility process for Medi-Cal can be complex and time-consuming, requiring extensive documentation and verification. This administrative burden may deter some individuals from applying or lead to delays in coverage, leaving them without access to necessary healthcare services.
Workforce shortages: In some areas, there may be a shortage of healthcare professionals who accept Medi-Cal, leading to challenges in finding providers and accessing timely care. This shortage can be particularly impactful for specialized care needs or in rural areas with limited healthcare infrastructure.
Limited coverage for certain treatments: While Medi-Cal offers comprehensive coverage, there may be limitations or restrictions on coverage for certain treatments, medications, or procedures. This can result in beneficiaries facing barriers to accessing specific treatments or therapies recommended by their healthcare providers.
Stigma and perception: There can be a stigma associated with being on Medi-Cal, as it is a government-funded program targeted at low-income individuals. Some individuals may feel judged or perceive lower-quality care compared to private insurance, impacting their experience and access to care.
Lack of provider choice: Beneficiaries may have limited choice in selecting their healthcare providers, as not all providers accept Medi-Cal or are part of the network. This can lead to a lack of continuity in care or challenges in finding providers who meet the specific healthcare needs or preferences of beneficiaries.
Bureaucratic challenges: Medi-Cal’s administrative processes and requirements can be bureaucratic and complex, leading to delays or denials in coverage for some individuals. Navigating the system and resolving administrative issues may require significant time and effort, creating frustration and barriers to accessing care.
Potential for coverage gaps: Medi-Cal eligibility is subject to income and other eligibility criteria, which means that individuals’ coverage may fluctuate based on their financial circumstances. Changes in income or eligibility status can lead to coverage gaps or disruptions in healthcare access for beneficiaries.
Healthcare disparities: While Medi-Cal aims to address healthcare disparities, there can still be gaps in access to quality care, particularly in underserved communities. Limited provider availability, transportation challenges, and socioeconomic factors can contribute to disparities in healthcare access and outcomes among Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
decrans
Please. Y’all care about minorities, but only so much in the bluest of the blue states. Do better. Y’all just accept lukewarm neoliberalism every year and expect people to fall in line. People are wising up, though. Conservatives and independents are growing at a rapid pace. I’m one of them, Kangol.
decrans
Uh oh, Kang! Here’s a kicker from Axios: Congressional districts that tend to vote Democratic generally have more people below the poverty level and higher uninsured rates compared to those that tend to vote Republican, including districts in states that have expanded Medicaid. There’s an obvious connection between poverty levels and the number of uninsured: Health insurance is expensive. The fact that blue districts have higher shares of each than red districts helps explain why Democrats tend to focus more than Republicans on health care and government assistance to the poor — and why these topics will likely resonate with voters in blue districts more throughout the midterm cycle.”
Yup. There’s that dangling carrot for y’all to trot out every four years like clockwork.
decrans
I’d also like to add all of the homeless trans people I met in the shelter WHO STILL don’t have mental health coverage TWO YEARS LATER. Oh, it’s so easy for your beloved demographics to get mental health coverage.
decrans
Whoopsie doodle, Kangol. I found more fun facts from blue-bluey California,
“Overall, about half of LGBTQ+ Californians reported poor mental health during the pandemic, which is defined as symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both. Mental health hardship was particularly pronounced among transgender Californians, with about two-thirds experiencing symptoms of poor mental health. In addition, about 6 in 10 bisexual Californians and more than 4 in 10 gay or lesbian Californians experienced poor mental health, compared to less than one-third of straight Californians. Overall, about half of LGBTQ+ Californians reported poor mental health during the pandemic, which is defined as symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both. Mental health hardship was particularly pronounced among transgender Californians, with about two-thirds experiencing symptoms of poor mental health. In addition, about 6 in 10 bisexual Californians and more than 4 in 10 gay or lesbian Californians experienced poor mental health, compared to less than one-third of straight Californians.”
I guess to quote Sarah Palin, “How’s that hopey-changey workin’ out for ya, Kang?”
Not too good based on the stats from the California Budget and Policy Center. Try again, hun!