California Guv Newsom continues to hurl spitballs from the cheap seats at Florida Guv Ron DeSantis .
Headlines :
Newsom threatens DeSantis with kidnapping charges after illegal immigrants are flown to Sacramento

Newsom demands information from Florida regarding text book revisions ....“California deserves to know whether any of the companies designing textbooks for our state’s classrooms are the same ones kowtowing to Florida’s extremist agenda.”

Newsom attends Disneyland's Pride Day. Newsom discusses Disneyland expansion with CEO Bob Iger .

This trolling of DeSantis by Newsom has been going on for a year.

Gavin Newsom goes on the air against Ron DeSantis as political rivalry grows amid 2024 chatter | CNN Politics (https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/03/politics/gavin-newsom-ron-desantis-ad-2024/index.html)

It is shaping up to potentially be the heavyweight fight of the election cycle pitting 2 influential Governors who arguable represent the political divide of the country.

It is a fight that DeSantis appears to welcome.

Newsom has already challenged DeSantis to a debate .Hannity asked him if he would debate DeSantis for 2 hours . Newsom said "I'd make it 3"




But that is not enough .
DeSantis countered with his own digs of Newsom .


"He has a real serious fixation on the state of Florida," DeSantis said about Newsom during a news conference to sign the state budget. "I mean, I think it’s just bizarre that he does that. What I would tell him is, you know what — stop pussyfooting around.
"Are you going to throw your hat in the ring and challenge Joe? Are you going to get in and do it? Or are you just going to sit on the sidelines and chirp ?”





Ron DeSantis questions why Gavin Newsom won’t challenge Biden (nbcnews.com) (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-questions-gavin-newsom-wont-challenge-biden-rcna89515)


This is the debate the nation needs . It may not rival Lincoln v Douglas debates .

Lincoln-Douglas Debates - Background, Summary & Significance (history.com) (https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/lincoln-douglas-debates)

But it would be much more useful than the shout fest that Trump Biden was .

Of course in ways the results of the debate are already in. People are deciding with their feet.
The question .....California's coercion versus Florida's freedom
The answer .... People are fleeing Newsom’s progressive California debacle and flocking to DeSantis’ freedom-loving Florida.

The debate is needed ;and it would be a must see event . But DeSantis is right . He should not give Newsom a free ride. Currently Newsom has nothing to lose ;whereas the debate performance could affect DeSantis' election prospects . The debate should happen only after Newsom challenges and defeats Clueless Joe in the primaries ;and DeSantis does the same against Trump.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FysON07WIAAzfwF?format=jpg&name=small

But DeSantis is right . He should not give Newsom a free ride. Currently Newsom has nothing to lose ;whereas the debate performance could affect DeSantis' election prospects . The debate should happen only after Newsom challenges and defeats Clueless Joe in the primaries ;and DeSantis does the same against Trump.Very true. Newsom should first challenge this pres we currently have. What a debate that would be between two of the biggest governmental failures a person can imagine.

Reporter that finished an assignment in Ukraine for ABC was warned against going to downtown San Francisco because it was unsafe

ABC reporter Matt Gutman warned by 'GMA' to avoid 'dangerous' downtown San Francisco (nypost.com) (https://nypost.com/2023/06/16/abc-reporter-matt-gutman-warned-by-gma-to-avoid-dangerous-downtown-san-francisco/)

California Guv Gavin Newsom oversaw the destruction of the city as mayor before moving on to destroy the state .

Or this could turn into just another American soap opera/reality show.
DeSantis is Trump's biggest rival
Gavin Newsom's 1st wife was Kimberly Guilfoyle .
She is now fiancée of Donald Trump Jr.
Gavin Newsom is playing up his good relations with Donald Trump


"I didn't have a closed fist, I had an open hand. We actually had an incredible relationship during COVID," Newsom said.
"He was incredible – he played no politics during COVID with California – none whatsoever. It's a fact."
The governor said that some in his own party criticized him for declining to attack Trump during the pandemic.


Newsom offers surprising response to Trump indictment | Fox News (https://www.foxnews.com/media/newsom-offers-surprising-response-trump-indictment)

Newsom and Trump both have a common interest in taking down DeSantis


Sometimes you need a Venn diagram to understand American politics

Kam the Sham explains Venn Diagrams
venn diagram kamala harris - Google Search (https://www.google.com/search?q=venn+diagram+kamala+harris&tbm=vid&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiMp_P2-Mn_AhW2GlkFHX0EBNsQ0pQJegQIBRAI&biw=1865&bih=961&dpr=1#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:043fd6a9,vid:monCaCC3saQ)


BTW if Clueless Joe is not the Dem candidate then Kam the Sham and Newsom will most likely be the leading contenders . What do they have in common ? They are both San Francisco politicians who cut their teeth in the 'Downtown Willie Brown 'era.
Shortly after becoming mayor in 1996, Brown appointed Newsom ; whose father and grandfather had long-standing connections in San Francisco’s political community, to the city’s Parking and Traffic Commission. The rest is history

Kam the Sham had an affair with Willie .He gave her a start in politics . The rest is history.

It all just makes me glad I'm not a dem. The possible repubs are a good field. I would be happy to have Ramaswamey as opposed to JB or KH. He doesn't have much in the way of experience, but he is smart and seems to be strong on the common sense side. But I think it will come down to DeSantis. Trump is very likely to self destruct.

People I respect about their knowledge of the law ;Andrew McCarthy ,author of the book about the Russian Hoax 'Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency' ...and legal scholar Professor Richard Epstein of NYU Law and Hoover Institution ,both say that IF the Trump case is decided strictly on the law ;that Trump has no defense.

Newsom proposed a 28th amendment to ban guns .

Governor Newsom Proposes 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution | California Governor (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/06/08/28th-amendment/)

Fifty years ago, everybody wanted to move to California. Housing prices weren’t cheap — even back then — and with no such thing as public transportation, an automobile was absolutely necessary. Traffic was a nightmare, and getting around southern California’s freeway system was difficult.
But these were inconveniences, and placed on a scale next to the benefits of living in The Golden State, it was a no-brainer. It was no accident that “California Dreamin'” was the state’s anthem and the Beach Boys were the top pop group in the country.
It’s too easy, too pat to explain California’s decline into third-worldism as a product of liberal government alone. More to the point, California fell in love with excess — and not just excess government. Everything in California had to be the biggest, the most outrageous, the prettiest, and the sexiest. It was logical then to take fashionable liberal ideas from the East and make them California’s by taking the issues to the most extreme degree.
Environmentalism became a religion to the point of ludicrousness. “Criminal justice” became shorthand for thugs to game the system. The state began to act as an entity answerable only to itself.The result was catastrophic. Much of the state has become, if not unlivable, far less of a “paradise” than it used to be. And the consequences of that reality are beginning to be experienced by a large number of Californians.


Nearly Half of Californians Are Considering Moving Out of the State – PJ Media (https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/rick-moran/2023/06/24/nearly-half-of-californians-are-considering-moving-out-of-the-state-n1705962)


Newsom has an over sized ego to match what he believes is the over sized importance of his state. Like many California Guvs ;he believes (and he has said it ) that "California lights the territory for the rest"

Governor Newsom Inaugurated to Second Term in Celebration of California’s Values, Diverse Communities | California Governor (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/01/06/governor-newsom-inaugurated-to-second-term-in-celebration-of-californias-values-diverse-communities/)

He is not alone . Arnold compared the state to ancient city-states .Brown travelled the world doing diplomatic and economic deals with other nations for the state.

The green new steal uses California policies about emissions as the camel's nose in the tent . The state has the clout to force auto makers to comply to their standards.

It is scary to think of this model as a national model. California once the colossus on the left coast ....instead of building the California dream for the next generation, is instead digging it's grave.

DeSantis accepted the challenge I still say he should've waited until Newsom was a declared candidate.

However clearly Newsom is running .He is a fund raising dynamo. His PACs are spending money at a rapid pace delivering his message . Not sure if he is building an organization for a national campaign yet

DeSantis said

“And here’s the thing Sean, I mean in one respect, the debate between California and Florida has already been had,” DeSantis said. “As you suggest, people have been voting on that; they’ve been voting on it with their feet. They have fled California [in] record numbers. Florida has been the No. 1 state for net in-migration.”
“But in another sense, this is the debate for the future of our country,” said DeSantis, who is running for the GOP presidential nomination. “Because you have people like Joe Biden they would love to see the Californication of the United States.”
DeSantis accepts Newsom’s debate challenge: ‘Just tell me when and where’ (yahoo.com) (https://news.yahoo.com/desantis-accepts-newsom-debate-challenge-131521095.html)


All the grandstanding and politicking by governors and candidates aside, there could not be a better debate for this country coming out of the pandemic.
Florida versus California is the election we should be having - The Spectator World (https://thespectator.com/topic/florida-california-election-newsom-desantis/)

I'll give Newsom his due. Sean Hannity is an admitted partisan; and it could be a risk going into the lion's den for Newsom . That being said Hannity is an experienced interviewer who has shown that he can be a fair moderator .

I would think that the dismal performance of Cali under Newsom would be a major problem for him in a national election.

This is hilarious !

Kam the Sham and Clueless Joe are angry that Newsom and DeSantis will debate (at some future date on FOX . Details of the rules are under negotiation)



Several Biden and Harris advisors have reservations about a potential Newsom-DeSantis debate, per NBC News.
Some Democratic advisors think the debate could boost DeSantis' struggling presidential campaign.
And some of Harris' allies think Newsom would use a debate to elevate himself ahead of 2028.



Kamala Harris allies are privately grumbling that Gavin Newsom's plan to debate Ron DeSantis is 'disrespectful' to the VP as they see the move as early jockeying for 2028, report says (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/kamala-harris-allies-are-privately-grumbling-that-gavin-newsom-s-plan-to-debate-ron-desantis-is-disrespectful-to-the-vp-as-they-see-the-move-as-early-jockeying-for-2028-report-says/ar-AA1fT4mt?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=299e588a74494cc4aaa246b84fc85af4&ei=10)

The pair think the debate is disrespectful and leaves an impression that the Dem nomination campaign is not a settled deal and could distract from the Clueless Joe -Kam the Sham campaign .

Kam in particular feels threatenednot only because of 2024 ;but she also sees Newsom as a 2028 threat .

Kam had her shot at DeSantis . He offered to debate her over Florida's Black history curriculum . She turned it down.

He offered to debate her over Florida's Black history curriculum . She turned it down.Considering that the entire "controversy" is just a bunch of hooey, she made a cowardly decision and yet the only one a dishonest person could really make and survive. Being unwilling to simply say she was mistaken, she had to turn it down or be made to look completely foolish.

The last time a California Guv running a shadow Presidential campaign debated a Presidential candidate was May 15 1967 . Ronald Reagan debated Robert Kennedy (father of current candidate Robert Kennedy Jr) on television in a town hall format . The subject was the Vietnam war.

Kennedy was at a disadvantage because he was at the time trying to defend the war and his brother's advisor's policies.

What it demonstrated was how good Reagan was and how he was underestimated throughout his political career. Reagan handed Kennedy his lunch . He handled mostly hostile questions with intelligent rebuttal and class.

RFK and Ronald Reagan: Town Meeting of the World - CBS News - May 15, 1967 - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POIpFXt-53Q)


The DeSantis Newsom debate is tied up in negotiations over format. DeSantis wants a live audience. If it happens at all ;it wll be in or around November.

I still contend that DeSantis should not do this debate until at a minimum Newsom throws his hat in the ring.

Sean Hannity to moderate groundbreaking debate between Governors Newsom, DeSantis. Debate will air Nov 30 on ‘Hannity’
Tom, what do you think the deal is with this? I'm shocked that Newsom would agree to do this on Hannity's show, and very surprised that DeSantis would agree to it. What does he think he stands to gain? I like DeSantis, but he doesn't seem to be a particularly able debater to me.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/sean-hannity-moderate-groundbreaking-debate-between-governors-newsom-desantis

The debate should've occurred closer to June when it was proposed ;and before the clown car show Repub debate. Then he was Trump's leading [and it could've been argued ,only credible challenger . Since then he has plummeted . So now the Newsom debate will not have the same impact.

DeSantis is actually a decent debater . But in the Repub August format he had to be loud to be heard .That is not his style. He did not do badly .But he did not stand out.

If the debate had happened at the time of the challenge ;right after he sent the illegals to Martha's Vinyard ,he would've been the face of the opposition to Clueless Joe's open border policy. As it stands now Abbott has seized those reins .

.

In the literary world this would be foreshadowing. In this case foreshadowing of the potential 2024 contest . No matter the reality now ;the parties have the final say on who their standard bearer is going to be.

The tale of the tapes

In one corner you have DeSantis and his Florida record By every measure Florida out performs Newsom's California.

In the other corner you have polished, telegenic, and smooth talking Gavin Newsom He has done well in the past in tough interviews with conservative personalities like Bill O'Reilly and dares to venture into the red state lion's den to take them on. This is in sharp contrast to Clueless Joe who hid away in his basement in 2020 ..... and appears to be adopting a similar playbook for 2024. Newsom took on Hannity one on one in June and held his own. But in all honesty ;it was not in Hannity's interest to do a hard hitting interview. He scored a coup by doing the interview and is now on his way to restoring his position as the top dog at Fox after the Tucker ouster . It would be more telling if Newsom had an interview with an honest California journalist (if there is one)

The wild card . Bill O'Reilly ,Sean Hannity ;Gavin Newsom share Irish Catholic backgrounds. Hannity and Newsom like each other

If DeSantis can't blow Newsom away in this debate, then he needs to drop out of the race.

Interesting debate tonight. I didn't see all of it, but I thought DeSantis did much better than the first one. Pence did not do well. I think he's finished. The ND governor had some really intelligent answers. I liked what Christie had to say on the pro-life question. Scott and NH argued too much.

DeSantis won for what it is worth . The loser was Fox. Why in hell do they invite Univision hosts to push the narrative leftward ? Overall it was a big loss for all the Repubs who participated. Why ? They hit Trump on the periphery , How many miles of wall was built ? Who cares ? How many weeks does Trump think it is ok to wack a kid ? Only Christie gave the right answer. Did the budget increase under Trump ? Of course it did . He had a built in excuse for doing it with the pandemic. They were silent on the issue that Trump is in his heart a North East big spending central master planner .

None of them moved the needle. They are all competing for scraps . Why did NONE of them hit Trump on his biggest vulnerability ? He is indicted 4 times over ;and his conduct during the 1/6 riot showed a complete irresponsible lack of leadership. Why even bother debating ?

Fox lost control of the format AGAIN.If the candidates want to act like clowns in a car ,Fox should let them . Don't try to interrupt Instead have a video screen with this

Clown Clowns GIF - Clown Clowns Care - Discover & Share GIFs (tenor.com) (https://tenor.com/view/clown-clowns-care-clown-car-family-guy-gif-27239973)

and play this music.

Circus Clown Music - Sound Effect (HD) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S280Pqq3T_w)

Btw it is clear that the Dems have already decided that Newson is their candidate. They sent him to the Reagan library last night to stalk the Repubs. His emerging alliance with Clueless could position him to be the successor if Clueless takes a dive ;is sent packing because of corruption ;or at very least for a 2028 run.

In the last few days he has reinforced his ultra-lib credentials . He signed the 1st ever state tax on guns . He signed a law to protect doctors who mail order abortion pills .He signed a law to prevent schools from banning transformer enabling books. He signed a bill to keep child mutilation requests confidential from parents .

He signed a law to make bathrooms gender neutral. He signed a bill setting implementation timelines for LGBTQ++xyz "cultural competency" training by public school staff and teachers(whatever that means ).[/COLOR][/FONT]

On the positive sign he did toughen California sex trafficking laws (if they will be enforced that is a good thing).

Did the budget increase under Trump ? Of course it did . He had a built in excuse for doing it with the pandemic. The budget increased under Trump all four of his years. He can't use COVID as an excuse.


He signed a bill to keep child mutilation requests confidential from parents .Cali is becoming the newest communist state. The alarming aspect is that many Americans will approve of this.

DeSantis was on his game last night. I hope he is when he debates Newsom.

As for the Repubs . If the frontrunner refuses to debate the debate should be cancelled . In this day of social media the only uniformed people are those who want to be. A debate doesn't change that . The Repubs agree with each other on almost everything, So the differences were inconsequential. What was the size of Nikki's gas tax increase or the color of her drapes?What a waste of time ! And that hot for the teacher stuff was creepy.

The guy who made the best impression might have been Burgum. He came across as a thoughtful guy who wasn't interested in bickering and interrupting.

Yes but to what end ? That worked to his disadvantage. He was almost an after thought to the moderators. I thought across the board those with gubernatorial experience out performed those who did not. And yes he sounded sober compared to the likes of Christie ;Vivek ;and Scott (who apparently is a one trick pony.)

I think his campaign is for national name recognition. He struggled to get the 3% to qualify for this debate He may pick up a point or two, But he most likely will be the next one" voted off the island ". Pence should go too. He has the problem of defending the Trump presidency while not condemning the indefensible part of the Trump era.

Pence is coming across as tired and old. He probably has the best character of any of them, but has always been a rather dull candidate.

I know Burgum won't get very far. Vivek has likely topped out and will be declining from this point on. DeSantis strikes me as the only one with much of a chance.

Through it all, DeSantis stayed above the fray and—shockingly—spoke when it was his turn. When Haley tried to ambush him, he didn’t even bother looking at her as he parried her false claim and explained his pro-energy policies.



But even here DeSantis came up on top, letting experience speak in lieu of hypotheticals. As someone who has worn a military uniform—the only one on stage to have done so—he spoke from authority about the need to conserve American national power and focus on the threat from China’s communist government. He alone also identified the China threat as not just economic and military, but political as well, noting he had shut down Chinese political warfare instruments like Confucius Institutes on Florida campuses.

DeSantis also had the clearest policy on using the U.S. military if necessary to confront Mexican cartels that in effect are running a parallel government in Mexico and waging war on America. Despite her neoconservative, pro-war credentials, all Haley could offer was a vague promise to use the magic of special forces against the cartels. DeSantis offered a comprehensive effort of defense-in-depth to defend the border and take the fight to the cartels. Our military brass may be more interested in flighting far-off conflicts in Ukraine and Syria (Haley and most of her colleagues on stage are too), but DeSantis will refocus the military on actual clear and present dangers.

The net outcome of the event was that DeSantis remains the ultimate alternative to Trump—one with the actual accomplishments and proven political acumen to take on Democrats who unfortunately won’t be dumb enough to renominate Biden.


CHRISTIAN WHITON: DeSantis Prevails In Noisy Second Debate | The Daily Caller (https://dailycaller.com/2023/09/28/opinion-desantis-prevails-in-noisy-second-debate-christian-whiton/)

He also took on Univision's Ilia Calderón who lied through her teeth about Florida's teachings about slavery ;spreading Kam the Sham's false charges. He also nailed the question about winning elections if you are pro-life. He said he is shamelessly pro-life and won in a landslide in Fla.

He smacked down Dana Perino when she asked the stupid question about voting off the island . He told her that question was not appropriate in a serious debate.

In the future a series of one on one Lincoln-Douglas type debates lasting about an hour would be a much better alternative to a free for all responding to questions from libs.

Come January, Trump will stumble in Iowa and DeSantis will be there to carry the torch as the leader of a new generation who is long on accomplishment and skips the cute posturing and canned verbiage.We can only hope.


He smacked down Dana Perino when she asked the stupid question about voting off the island . He told her that question was not appropriate in a serious debate.Perino was a disappointment.

Evidently the RNC does not like debates they don't control .

Why else would they threaten Vivek and Christe for daring to plan on going mano y mano on Fox ?

The entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie, the former New Jersey Governor, lashed out at the Republican National Committee on Tuesday after the organization effectively squashed plans for the two presidential candidates to face off in an unofficial debate tonight on Fox News.
The Christie-Ramaswamy event was teased Monday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, as an hourlong special segment called “Candidates Corner,” to unfold at 6 p.m. Tuesday with Fox News host Bret Baier.
But according to a person familiar with the discussions, the R.N.C. told the candidates that if they went through with the one-on-one event, they would not be allowed to participate in future R.N.C.-sanctioned debates. (The next official debate is set for Nov. 8 in Miami.)

RNC Thwarts Plans for Unofficial Ramaswamy-Christie Debate - The New York Times (nytimes.com) (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/us/politics/ramaswamy-christie-debate-rnc.html)

If it were up to me all the debates would be set up in a sports playoff format with candidates going one on one ;with little moderator input. .A pre-approved polling organization would declare winner and loser .

There are plenty of venues that would gladly host them. But RNC would not have that monopoly they have and are determined to keep. Only pre-approved thoughts can be expressed. The moderators are quick to cut off debate that the RNC does not approve.

The administration and the Dems have had a major role in speech suppression in this country . Add the RNC to the list of thought suppressors.

The whole idea of debate is to compare/contrast ideas, to force candidates to explain their positions. That's really hard to do with six people on one stage. Then it becomes more of a beauty pageant with candidates jockeying to make a favorable impression and get the best sound-bite without saying something stupid or controversial. It becomes less and less about ideas and more about appearances.

Did DeSantis and Newsome ever debate? I somehow missed it if they did.

Not until November

I'm sure violent crime will be a topic for the debate

The facts .....

FBI released stats on violent crime . The good news is that violent crime is back below pandemic levels.

FBI Releases 2022 Crime in the Nation Statistics — FBI (https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-releases-2022-crime-in-the-nation-statistics)

But that does not tell the whole story

California violent crime went up since 2019 . Florida's went down.

Violent Crime Spikes In CA While Falling Nationwide: FBI Report | Across California, CA Patch (https://patch.com/california/across-ca/violent-crime-property-crimes-spike-ca-fbi-report)

California 499.5 per 1000 people.
CDE (cjis.gov) (https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/crime-trend)

The same difference is noted in property crime.

Florida 258.9 per 1000 people .
CDE (cjis.gov) (https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/crime-trend)

He should also point to NAEP testing scores. Florida smokes Cali in both reading and math. For that matter, my own state (MS) generally beats Cali by a significant margin. Newsom's state is shockingly low in the scores.

Newsom is acting like the nominee in waiting. Fueled by his great success at governing California< / scarc> ;he has taken his show on the international road to bolster his foreign policy bona fides ..

First he went to Israel because in the middle of a war the Israeli's have the time to entertain a US state governor who's concerns are climate change.

After his one day junket he released an I...I...I statement .

Governor Newsom Travels to Israel | California Governor (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/10/20/governor-newsom-travels-to-israel/)

Then he was off to China where at the Great Wall ,he told Xi to tear down that wall
Newsom Visits Great Wall of China - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS_4yilgX6M&t=8s)

(hey that line worked for another former California Guv)

He managed to keep his hair coiffed for a week while discussing climate change for a week.

Now that's Presidential !!!

He's the biggest loser of all of em. How he gets any serious consideration is a real puzzle.

They should've did the debate when they were peaking .

DeSantis is losing his mojo .
Trump wins Texas governor Abbott's endorsement at US-Mexico border | Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-wins-texas-governor-abbotts-endorsement-us-mexico-border-2023-11-19/)

Sarah Huckabee Sanders endorses Trump for president | CNN Politics (https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/06/politics/sarah-huckabee-sanders-endorse-trump/index.html)

Haley surges in NH as DeSantis slips to single digits: polls (nypost.com) (https://nypost.com/2023/11/17/news/nikki-haley-surges-in-new-hampshire-as-ron-desantis-slips-to-single-digits-poll/)


Newsom is sinking in the polls.

Gov. Gavin Newsom Approval Ratings Have Sunk to an All-Time Low; ‘Hated by Younger People’ – California Globe (https://californiaglobe.com/fl/gov-gavin-newsom-approval-ratings-have-sunk-to-an-all-time-low-hated-by-younger-people/)

He can carry his state .....maybe But can he carry swing states ?

He is touting infrastructure achievements of highways and trains to nowhere

Road to nowhere: How California has spent billions but failed to keep roads up to standard (washingtonexaminer.com) (https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/courage-strength-optimism/road-to-nowhere-how-california-has-spent-billions-but-failed-to-keep-roads-up-to-standard)

California’s High Speed Swindle – California Globe (https://californiaglobe.com/articles/californias-high-speed-swindle/)


Newsom’s popularity recently sank to an all-time low (https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-11-07/new-poll-finds-california-voters-disapprove-newsom-performance-governor) in California, an across-the-board drop that has an unclear origin. Perhaps his cosplaying as a national spokesperson for the Democratic Party rather than attending to the state’s needs or his vetoes of a number of popular bills (https://prospect.org/politics/2023-10-16-missing-veto-override-california/) played a role. But now he has a crisis in his backyard that could either push the public toward or away, depending on the outcome. High-minded speeches about the values of Democrats now take a back seat to whether Newsom can act. The former has been more of his comfort zone.


Freeway Disaster Presents Hurdle for Newsom’s National Ambitions - The American Prospect (https://prospect.org/infrastructure/transportation/2023-11-14-freeway-disaster-newsom-national-ambitions/)

Newsom might have some problems presenting himself as the law and order candidate. It's really amazing that these kinds of incidents are becoming routine in Cali while they are rare in Florida.


Police are searching for more than a dozen suspects who ransacked a Nike Store (https://www.foxbusiness.com/category/nike) in Los Angeles, stealing roughly $12,000 in merchandise.
Video of the incident shows masked and hooded people running through the store on Sunday, stuffing boxes of shoes into trash bags and ripping clothes off the rack before fleeing.




According to the Los Angeles Police Department (https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/crime/police-and-law-enforcement), on Sunday at around 5:50 p.m., a total of 17 suspects in five vehicles pulled up to the shopping center on the 9800 block of South Alameda Street.
"The suspects, whose faces were concealed by medical masks or other material, ran into a retail store with trash bags in hand," police said in a statement. "They placed clothing and boxes of shoes in the trash bags and fled from the location without paying for the merchandise."


https://www.foxnews.com/us/flash-mob-ransacks-nike-store-los-angeles-steals-12000-merch-police

The debate is tonight on Fox . I don't have Fox as I have cut off all cable television in a cost cutting effort (tough choices must be made) . But I will watch replays and listen to the radio broadcast .

Next week there will be ANOTHER Repub debate which I'm sure that will be missed by Trump as Megyn Kelly will be a moderator . It will be on NewsNation a surprising balanced news network . She is looking for redemption after the fall out from her unbalanced attacks on Trump during the 2016 debates .
Megyn Kelly’s New Media Moment | RealClearPolitics (https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2023/11/30/megyn_kellys_new_media_moment_150129.html)

I hope they debate in great detail the implications of their covid policies . I am not sure the fallout in the education system can ever be recovered from . A whole generation of students are behind ;and so called back to normal is not normal.

Study finds the school absenteeism rate is double what it was before COVID : NPR (https://www.npr.org/2023/10/10/1204800597/study-finds-the-school-absenteeism-rate-is-double-what-it-was-before-covid)

I hope DeSantis will go on the offensive in this debate, and the subject you noted is a good place to start. There is so much disinformation out there on the subject of schooling. It was even stated on this board that just completely missing a year of school was no big deal since, after all, the students will just make that material up the next year. The results we've gathered in the past few years have shown that to be completely untrue.

https://www.axios.com/2023/05/03/history-civic-test-results-covid-schools

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From what I could here in the audio, with both of them constantly talking over each other , DeSantis had an easy time contrasting the approaches to governance ;freedoms ; and differences in political philosophies.
Loved the line about the freedoms in California . The freedom to defecate on the streets . He was consistent in his messaging . The people are voting with their feet and what Newsom and Clueless Joe-Kam the Sham want to do is nationalize California's failures .

It is really coming down to a question of freedom. Do we need people like Newsom to tell us what to do and when to do it, or should we be free (and responsible) enough to take care of ourselves.

DeSantis did a good job pointing out the hypocricy of lock downs while Newsome dined in 5 star restaurants ;and sent his kids to private school as he kowtowed to the teacher's unions. He was strong on the economic ;education ;parental choice .

He was a little weaker with abortion . Newsome tried to pin him down on if DeSantis would sign a complete ban. DeSantis was non-committal . He should've answered it by asking what restrictions would Newsome agree to. The Dems always evade that because they would not oppose wacking a baby in the birth canal.

Liz Peek's analysis

Top takeaways, real winner of DeSantis, Newsom debate (foxnews.com) (https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/top-takeaways-real-winner-of-desantis-newsom-debate)

Reports are emerging that even though the candidates agreed to extend the debate another half hour; DeSantis' wife threw in the towel . When Hannity came back from commercial break both candidates were gone.

NBC reports


According to four sources in the DeSantis camp — one who witnessed the moment in the room and three others who were standing backstage (where there was no press or live studio audience) — Newsom’s wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, came into the debate room on at least two occasions to raise some objections.
She also made her way to the stage during the break after the candidates agreed to extend the debate and put an end to it.



“Gavin Newsom got beat so badly last night his wife literally had to throw in the towel for him. It was embarrassing,” DeSantis spokesman Andrew Romeo said.


Sparks flew behind the scenes at the Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom debate (nbcnews.com) (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/gavin-newsom-fox-debate-rcna127563)

I finally got to view the debate .
DeSantis has been unfairly labeled as a wooden speaker without the gravitas to compete against Trump . But perhaps his performance Thursday illustrates why Trump has refused to debate him . He was on point throughout the debate He hammered away repeatedly on the issues and tied them into the reason Californians are leaving the state for Florida and Texas . Newsom by contrast could not explain the exodus and made up stats that even the most biased lib fact checkers dispute .

Whose wife was it, DeSantis's or Newsom's? You say it was one and then the other. I assume you meant to say Newsom's wife.

clearly since she is named in the link provided