It’s official: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is running for president:
I’m running for president to lead our Great American Comeback. pic.twitter.com/YmkWkLaVDg
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) May 24, 2023
A few hundred thousand people tried to log into Elon Musk’s Twitter Space to hear the announcement live, but a lot are reporting that Twitter is crashing on them.
436,000 people trying to listen to the @GovRonDeSantis launch on Twitter…
— Chuck DeVore (@ChuckDeVore) May 24, 2023
623,408 people at the same time, that's just insane. pic.twitter.com/abK210OI4q
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) May 24, 2023
You could look at this two ways: One, interest in DeSantis is so great that it broke the internet, or two, DeSantis crashing Twitter is a foreshadowing of his campaign crashing. We say libs and Never Trumpers because remember, the Never Trumpers want Trump to be the nominee.
"Failure to Launch"
The Ron DeSantis story— David Frum (@davidfrum) May 24, 2023
No, "melting the server" is not good news. If DeSantis declared on cable, you could just watch it without losing the sound or not having a picture.
— Walter Shapiro (@MrWalterShapiro) May 24, 2023
It’s been a right-wing talking point that Elon Musk fired 90% of the company and the site works just fine, and the second he absolutely needs it to work it is crashing people’s entire phones.
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) May 24, 2023
If only there were some kind of audio/visual medium already installed in every American household.
— alexander nazaryan (@alexnazaryan) May 24, 2023
Recommended
As technical difficulties disrupt the DeSantis announcement, keep in mind that any top-tier candidate could announce on Fox News (2+ million viewers), ABC's World News (8+ million), 60 Minutes, or any other TV platform with 0 hiccups
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) May 24, 2023
One reason it might be good to let the MSM broadcast a presidential announcement: the MSM knows how to broadcast it without crashing
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) May 24, 2023
tap tap tap. is this thing on?
— Karen Tumulty (@ktumulty) May 24, 2023
The DeSantis live event on Twitter has already featured reverb, audio cutting out, chatter from the participants as they scramble to fix audio problems, and now another extended period of silence.
"The servers are straining somewhat" as someone whispers in the background
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 24, 2023
congrats to elon and ron on their cool platform and good strategy, respectively
— CJ Ciaramella (@cjciaramella) May 24, 2023
Not tuning in but reveling in watching all the reporters and others lamenting on here how the Twitter Spaces with Ron and Elon is crashing or cutting out or whatever.
Metaphor or world will not long remember or both?
— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) May 24, 2023
I don't think this DeSantis Twitter rollout is going very well.
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) May 24, 2023
They say you can judge a campaign by its first few minutes.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) May 24, 2023
“We’re melting the servers, which is a good sign” — uh, no.
— Philip Klein (@philipaklein) May 24, 2023
Who needs television!?
— jimrutenberg (@jimrutenberg) May 24, 2023
For all of those suggesting DeSantis should have just announced on cable TV, you’re on Twitter right this moment tweeting about DeSantis launching his campaign. And second, DeSantis is going to be all over the place:
After DeSantis announces tonight on Twitter, he's going on Fox for an interview with @marklevinshow, then doing a tele-townhall with voters across the country and then a media call. Doesn't seem that "online."
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) May 24, 2023
Sorry, the @marklevinshow interview is on his radio show and the Fox News interview is separate. So, even more non-online media.
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) May 24, 2023
After DeSantis announces tonight on Twitter with @elonmusk and @DavidSacks, he's going on radio with @marklevinshow, on Fox for an interview w/@TGowdySC, then doing a tele-townhall with voters across the country and then a media call. Doesn't seem that "online." (Fixed my error)
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) May 24, 2023
@BlueBoxDave …..is this good enough for you Dave?
— Bfpsu123 (@bfpsu123) May 24, 2023
No. I think the damage is done, his announcement is a shared event now. It’s not irrevocable, I just think it’s a lost opportunity. This should be two separate events.
— David Marcus (@BlueBoxDave) May 24, 2023
Put us in the first category of people who think DeSantis melting Twitter’s servers is a good sign.
.@RonDeSantis is literally causing a Twitter meltdown…
THAT’S enthusiasm 🔥🚀
— Jenna Ellis 🐊🇺🇸 (@JennaEllisEsq) May 24, 2023
“So many people were watching 45 minutes early that it broke Twitter” isn’t the dig you think it is.
— Brady Leonard (@bradyleonard) May 24, 2023
***
Related:
Vanity Fair compares Elon Musk to David Duke in insane rant over DeSantis’s Twitter campaign launchhttps://t.co/iNUzXhRNGa
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 24, 2023
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