Report: Staffers Had to Lure Ron DeSantis to Meetings with Cupcakes

[babylonsister]

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/05/report-staffers-had-to-lure-ron-desantis-to-meetings-with-cupcakes

Politics
Report: Staffers Had to Lure Ron DeSantis to Meetings with Cupcakes
The Florida governor, who has inspired whispers that he’s angling to take over the Republican party, is terrible to work for, former staffers say.
By Eric Lutz
May 7, 2021


Ron DeSantis has become a rising star in the Republican party, mostly thanks to his forgoing of many of the COVID-19 restrictions other governors imposed. Donald Trump, the man to whom he has hitched his wagon, doesn’t appear ready to vacate the throne yet. But when it does come time to anoint a successor, there may well be chatter around the Florida governor.

But an early obstacle to DeSantis’ ambitions may be coming into view—namely, that he’s kind of a buffoon who is personally disliked by many who know and work for him. On Friday, Politico reported that former staffers have formed a support group of sorts to dish about the various indignities they endured working for DeSantis, most of which seem to involve the former congressman and current governor treating his aides like “garbage,” cycling through staff and advisers, and mostly relying on his own instincts and the advice of his wife, Casey DeSantis. According to the ex-aides, DeSantis can be so distant from his staff that they apparently took to tricking him into attending meetings by telling him it’s someone’s birthday and putting out cupcakes. “Loyalty and trust, that is not a currency he deals in,” one former staffer told the outlet. “It’s him and Casey. But everyone else is like a disposable piece of garbage.” (DeSantis’s office indicated that the Politico story was a “false narrative.”)

Per Politico, other gems include:

DeSantis often blames his staff for his own blunders, we’re told. After DeSantis went on Fox News in 2018 and implored Florida voters not to “monkey this up” by supporting his African American Democratic opponent for governor, he and his wife chewed out his campaign staff for not cleaning up the mess, according to three former staffers. Shortly after, DeSantis brought in a whole new group of advisers.

Another story relayed to us by five former staffers: At the beginning of his administration, DeSantis directed the Florida Republican Party leader to fire a party official who had cancer — on that person’s first week back from surgery.

On the one hand, the lack of loyalty DeSantis inspired would seem to be an impediment to his political rise. Then again, for the last four years Republicans have been led by a guy who couldn’t pay attention to briefings unless his name was sprinkled throughout them and had to be placated with ice cream. Given the Trump base, it’s possible—maybe even likely—that being a swaggering weirdo who follows his instincts and his sweet tooth will be seen as a plus, not a drawback. In any case, DeSantis continued to endear himself to the MAGA faithful, signing a bill to roll back voting rights in his state during a segment on Fox & Friends surrounded by a cheering crowd from a Trump fan club in Palm Beach—a group co-host Steve Doocy observed was “happy to be up and on TV with you.”

[Tommy Carcetti]

1. My mind immediately flashed to cupcakes in a long line on the floor, ET style.

Ultimately leading to a briefing room at the end of the hallway.

[Hekate]

2. Oh gawd. Thank you for the heads-up, B'sister

[SergeStorms]

3. DeSatan is more of a Trump Jr.

than Trump Jr. is.

I think DeSatan is actually one of Trump's Mar-ma-lardo bowel movements that sprung to life during a Florida lightening storm, and grew, and grew (and continues to grow outward) who decided to run for Governor of Florida, and now has his eyes (or are those pieces of corn?) on the presidency. He's so Trumpian it's other-worldly.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. This asshole is just as bad as the former guy

[yonder]

5. I'm thinking being a disliked buffoon is a job requirement with the GOP.

and "DeSantis often blames his staff for his own blunders" sounds an awful lot like someone else.

[Journeyman]

6. My thoughts precisely -- Can't imagine anyone enjoyed working for the orange buffoon . . .

[Blue Owl]

7. I was told there'd be cake...

[gratuitous]

8. With Trump as their model, DeSantis sounds like the logical choice to succeed him

Lazy executive who blames everyone else for his own blunders and shortcomings, who has to be bribed by his staff to press him into doing even the most rudimentary tasks. Totally sounds like Needy Amin, the kind of hero Republicans want.

[onethatcares]

9. I think the official match is going to be

pricksnott vs desatan at the FLoriduh State Fairgrounds.

both are dumb as rocks but mean as pit vipers when it comes to low income citizens