More terrible polls & an embarrassing debate memo leak cap off Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis’ truly craptastic week

As 2024 hopefuls prepare to face off in Milwaukee on August 23 for the first Republican primary debate of the season, Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis’ campaign continues to implode. Just when it seems like things can’t possibly get any worse for the gay-hating governor, they do. And this week has been no exception.

In addition crappy poll numbers and a heaping dump of bad press, an internal strategy memo drafted for his campaign by outside advisors just leaked and it includes some unintentionally hilarious tips for him to keep in mind as he prepares for his presidential debate stage debut, including a reminder to “show emotion” and a quote from late Fox News CEO/accused sexual predator Roger Ailes about falling into an orchestra pit.

“You have two guys on stage and one guy says, I have a solution to the Middle East problem, and the other guy falls in the orchestra pit,” the Ailes quote reads. “Who do you think is going to be on the evening news?” 

The two-page memo, which was obtained by the New York Times, suggests four possible “orchestra pit” moments for DeSantis to consider, including going after Vivek Ramaswamy, who has quickly usurped his #2 spot in several polls, defending ex-president Donald Trump after his latest indictment out of Georgia, and attacking Joe Biden and the media.

We have no idea how much the DeSantis campaign paid these outside advisors for their expertise, but you know things are bad–really bad–when the best thing they can tell you is to “show emotion” so you come across as a likeable human being, or at the very least, someone who is not completely off-putting.

The recommendation comes after months of DeSantis making one embarrassing gaffe after another and behaving really, really strangely around voters on the campaign trail, as well as numerous reports from former colleagues who’ve said he’s socially awkward and unfriendly.

“I think he’s an a**hole,” former Republican Rep. David Trot, who sat next to DeSantis for two years when they both served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Politico recently. “I don’t think he cares about people.”

“I was new to Congress, and he didn’t introduce himself or even say hello,” he continued, adding that in all the time they worked together, DeSantis “never said a single word to me.” 

And Florida State Sen. Joe Gruters, who served as chairman of Florida’s GOP for four years under DeSantis, told the Washington Post that he doesn’t think the guy has a chance. He’s just too unlikeable.

“The more he is met by people, the more they are not going to like him,” he said. “The more he’s out there, the more his numbers go down. It’s not a good long-term scenario for him. I fully expected the downfall of his campaign a long time ago.”

A Fox News poll published on Wednesday showed support for Ramaswamy has more than doubled since the previous poll, while DeSantis’ support remained stagnant. And an Emerson College survey released on Tuesday found Chris Christie has surpassed DeSantis in New Hampshire, a critical early presidential primary state.

If things keep going the way they’ve been going for DeSantis ever since he announced his candidacy back in May, then next Wednesday’s debate should be quite a debacle. Fire up the popcorn maker!

via GIPHY