A panel discussion on MSNBC over the weekend quickly devolved into the host and guests slinging insults at Florida’s First Lady Casey DeSantis — and then laughing at their own jokes about her.
The panel, hosted by weekend anchor Jonathan Capehart, included former Florida congressman — and former Republican — David Jolly along with former GOP communications director Tara Setmayer. All three of them attacked Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), taking direct aim at Casey DeSantis’ recent “Mamas for DeSantis” campaign ad.
WATCH:
"She's become America's Karen," @DavidJollyFL says about Casey DeSantis. "It doesn't matter if it's presented in heels or boots, the DeSantis doctrine is a losing one." https://t.co/Hn0POU398v pic.twitter.com/SmVXBqfzpy
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) July 8, 2023
The ad in question tackled some of the same culture war issues that Governor DeSantis has addressed both on the campaign trail and in his state, specifically issues that families face as children are confronted — in public schools and libraries — with radical gender ideology and drag queen story hours.
“It’s so dark!” Capehart complained after showing the ad, asking his panelists to weigh in on the topic.
“Casey DeSantis is a fairly compelling political figure in Florida and now nationally,” Jolly began on a positive note. “For many, she’s the brighter side to Florida’s angry governor. For others, she’s become America’s Karen. And I think that’s the ultimate disconnect here with a campaign that needs to embrace more constituencies to get to the White House.”
Jolly went on to say that while he believed Casey DeSantis to be a “more effective” messenger than the governor himself, he believed she was highlighting a message that was not going to be popular. “So as I like to say, it doesn’t matter if it’s presented in heels or boots, the DeSantis doctrine is a losing one, and we’re going to learn that the more Casey gets out there.”
“David Jolly, you went for it!” Capehart said, laughing. “Tara, I think David’s beaten you in terms of taking my breath away during a segment.”
“Well, I called her – the Serena Waterford wannabe needs to cut it out,” Setmayer replied, referencing the evil wife from “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
“She needs to stop trying to measure the great drapes in the White House and think that she’s some kind of Jackie O reincarnated,” Setmayer added.
No one on the panel addressed either the content of Casey DeSantis’ ad or any aspect of the “DeSantis doctrine” that they insisted was a “losing doctrine.”