I wasn’t really aware of this because David Frum is very difficult to care about, but apparently David Frum has until very recently been on some kind of Twitter hiatus, at least when it comes to Ron DeSantis.
This was his most recent tweet on the Florida Governor:
Fascinating to watch Governor Ron DeSantis walk his nervous, wavering line on Ukraine. He's so tough against Disney!
— David Frum (@davidfrum) February 20, 2023
Until, that is, he tweeted out his new article the other day, “Is Ron DeSantis Flaming Out Already?” Evidently he’s pretty proud of this one, because he tweeted about it a bunch of times:
Ron DeSantis's humiliating cringe to Tucker Carlson last night raises question: is the Fox News favorite flaming out already as a general election candidate? Latest in @TheAtlantic https://t.co/nKVBryL4Rk
— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 14, 2023
With Ron DeSantis, the GOP big money has built a one-stage rocket: just enough fuel to win the Fox primary, then likely to flame out before reaching the presidency. https://t.co/gLJ20KtQAk
— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 14, 2023
Because winning “the Fox primary” would signal that Ron DeSantis is flaming out?
This is literally the most important media outlet on the right, it is not possible to win over Fox News and then flame out in a GOP primary! pic.twitter.com/d7YD1rswoW
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) March 15, 2023
This is so, so weird, you guys. The freakout over a guy who hasn’t even announced his candidacy … these people are terrified.
In February 2022, 165 Florida National Guard were serving on a training mission inside Ukraine. They were evacuated to a neighboring country, then returned home in August. DeSantis did not publicly greet them, thank them, or even acknowledge their service https://t.co/aEqtOZOVVw
— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 14, 2023
Most governors running for president would have relished such an opportunity to flex on national security. DeSantis flinched, because he was scared Tucker Carlson might not like it. Message: Tough on drag queens. Weak on national security. https://t.co/8xGn0zl5t3
— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 14, 2023
I dont know whether the audience is shrinking or disengaging, but it's not what it was. More evidence that DeSantis bet on sucking up to Fox – and writing off the great American majority – may be seriously misplaced. https://t.co/nKVBryL4Rk
— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 15, 2023
Begging for clicks is never a good look. But, then again, neither is being David Frum. So.
— Ricky Clarke III (@RickyClarkeIII) March 15, 2023
Well, yeah. Of course it is. But we should play anyway, because it’s David Frum we’re dealing with and he’s never not fun to kick around.
No.
— Patrick (@PMC713) March 15, 2023
— SGA (@SGA_FLA) March 15, 2023
Ha ha ha no.
— JWF (@JammieWF) March 15, 2023
David Frum LOLOLOLOLOLOL
— Snuggy Jr (@SnuggyJr) March 15, 2023
— Kristi (@TheyCallMeNans) March 15, 2023
But … but David really, really wants this, dammit! He’s not going to let this dream die:
Update. My story asking whether DeSantis will flame out cited the February Quinnipiac poll that showed Trump only narrowly ahead of DeSantis. Quinnipiac just today released its March poll. The Trump lead is widening again. https://t.co/Gr3PSL7Z9b https://t.co/nKVBryLCGS
— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 15, 2023
Quinnipiac March poll finds Trump 11 points ahead of DeSantis in a head-to-head matchup. In 2015, the big GOP money bet big on a Florida governor as its Trump-stopper – and failed. Is history repeating in 2023?https://t.co/Gr3PSL7rjD
— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 15, 2023
If Ron DeSantis flames out, then Donald Trump has a decent shot at the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, which means that David Frum et al. can keep their grift going for another four years. Frum’s not worried about oUr DeMoCrAcY; he’s worried about his bottom line. Once Donald Trump is out of the picture, the cash cow dries up. And David Frum loses his entire reason for existing.
One indicator of DeSantis doom: when / if Fox desperately retraces its steps by allowing Trump on air again
— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 15, 2023
I also wonder whether awareness of deteriorating poll numbers panicked DeSantis into lurching to the anti-Ukraine far right after all those weeks of awkward evasion of the question
— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 16, 2023
Bless his heart. He’s trying so hard.
It's fine if pundits have their own preferences for who they want to succeed in politics but this is doing the thing where the pundit is substituting their preferences for analysis. The % of voters with neoconservative views is probably at all-time low in 2023. https://t.co/9xKVcdneGC
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) March 15, 2023
Lmao this is not an article it's a prayer https://t.co/yPKTPVpgST
— Dr. Windrunner (@DrWindrunner) March 15, 2023
These guys want/need Trump so badly for ratings they're trying to will it to happen. DeSantis has a shot and it's driving them insane. https://t.co/CqcLdX7p8l
— Christy (@NoDramaGal) March 15, 2023
Parting evergreen tweet:
David Frum is a stupid, stupid man. https://t.co/348vVpr8LR
— Varad Mehta (@varadmehta) March 15, 2023
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Related:
David Frum says we owe Volodymyr Zelenskyy a huge debt of gratitude
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