Try as he might, Ron DeSantis has been getting clobbered by Donald Trump in the polls. But it appears he thinks he has a new way to win: by being even more bigoted than the guy who kicked of his first campaign with some racism. On Friday the DeSantis team dropped a new ad that’s, well, straight-up anti-LGBTQIA+. But that’s not the only message: The message is that DeSantis can be more prejudiced than even the 45th American president.
To wrap up “Pride Month,” let’s hear from the politician who did more than any other Republican to celebrate it…
— DeSantis War Room
(@DeSantisWarRoom) June 30, 2023
The ad features clips of Trump being kind to the LGBTQIA+ community, probably because he knows he can’t win by alienating not only them but people who aren’t virulently homophobic. It kicks off with him saying he’ll do “everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens.” It shows him holding up a gay pride flag. It shows him meeting with fellow Republican Caitlyn Jenner and saying she can use whatever bathroom she wants.
It then contrasts Trump being relatively diplomatic with DeSantis, who is shown as a man’s man. This wildly homophobic video features images of scantily-clad, oiled up men, among them Brad Pitt in Troy. But that’s not all. It also compares him with Leonardo DiCaprio’s demonic broker in The Wolf of Wall Street — a character who is, to put it lightly, not depicted as a hero. It even splices in Christian Bale’s Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, in which he’s a Wang Chung-loving serial killer who kills the guy from Morbius.
That the DeSantis team would think comparing the candidate to a murderer was a good thing did not go un-noticed on social media.
This video at one point appears to favorably compare Ron DeSantis’ crusade against LGBTQ rights with <checks notes> American Psycho serial killer Patrick Bateman https://t.co/8GbdWauFgg
— Roger Sollenberger (@SollenbergerRC) July 1, 2023
If you watch Ron DeSantis new ad where he includes clips from movie American psycho and in an odd way equates himself with Christian Bale’s character, keep in mind this was by design after focus groups saw ad. This idea of a psychopathic killer clearly played well with GOP base
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) July 1, 2023
His brainworm-infested coms team is using LITERALLY PATRICK BATEMAN to sell this deranged, homophobic spot. JESUS CHRIST. https://t.co/KOZVzUVanK
— Love, Beth, & Robots (@DeathCar72) July 1, 2023
Others pointed out that it was full-on bigoted.
Ron DeSantis posts most deranged, unhinged, psychotic, homophobic video any candidate has ever posted. Guy is a complete nut job. pic.twitter.com/6l7yzGJ7IK
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) July 1, 2023
The DeSantis message is kind of amazing: “You might have thought Trump is a bigot, but occasionally he seems to say non-bigoted things. I’ll be all bigotry all the time!” https://t.co/CYZblJAwgY
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) June 30, 2023
Truly one of the weirdest videos I’ve ever seen a politician put out. Also, splicing images of DeSantis alongside images of shirtless and masked men… does not quite send the anti-LGBTQ message apparently intended. https://t.co/YHUfKjJny5
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) July 1, 2023
Some accused DeSantis and folks as being way, way too online.
not really sure how they’ve done it but the desantis campaign is so incredibly online. any political campaign has never been more over than this one https://t.co/ozedSc45Tz
— pudding person (@JUNlPER) June 30, 2023
Just watched that bizarre video from the DeSantis campaign. It reminded me of this book from half a decade ago pic.twitter.com/WxZkV4wizq
— David Frum (@davidfrum) July 1, 2023
And others felt it showed, in an era of more open tolerance, that DeSantis’ campaign is utterly doomed.
DeSantis may not even make it to Iowa. This is embarrassing. https://t.co/TBzr2bf0hD
— Heath Mayo (@HeathMayo) June 30, 2023
That included the account belonging to Log Cabin Republicans.
THREAD:
Today’s message from the DeSantis campaign War Room is divisive and desperate. Republicans and other commonsense conservatives know Ron Desantis has alienated swing-state and younger voters. (1/5) https://t.co/4k6CAul45c
— Log Cabin Republicans (@LogCabinGOP) July 1, 2023
Then again, how tough is DeSantis if he won’t even call Trump out for Jan. 6?