Live from Music Row, Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist and The Epoch Times’ Editor-at-Large Roger Simon in-studio to weigh in on a potential Donald Trump v. Ron DeSantis matchup for president of the USA.
Leahy: Another story that we’ve talked about here, having to do with the 2024 election and who’s – you know, the jockeying back and forth. The star of Ron DeSantis is rising, and I don’t know what the brand of President Trump is. I don’t think it’s necessarily declining, but I don’t think it’s rising. What are your thoughts on the DeSantis boom?
Simon: I think both things you said are true, but I think people should keep in mind one thing in favor of Trump is, that he really did what he said he was going to do. Whatever his behavior and personal style are, the facts on the ground are pretty impressive.
And the other part of it is that people who, like The Daily Wire, who suddenly are on the DeSantis bandwagon, hated Trump in the beginning. Ben Shapiro was against Trump and said very early on he would never change the Supreme Court and it would never overthrow Roe v. Wade.
He was obviously 100 percent wrong and hasn’t admitted it. So remember, these people have their own axes to grind. This is not to say anything wrong with DeSantis. Every time I went to Florida during the pandemic, I was saying, what? I’m free!
Leahy: Yes, it was much better in Florida.
Simon: No kidding. And I was all over the country for The Epoch Times. I was in California and New York, heaven help me. But in Florida, I felt I was back in the USA.
Leahy: Back in the USSA. (Laughs)
Simon: All praise to DeSantis. He’s so great that, in a way, I’m a little afraid if he could become president, what would happen to Florida, because someone might come in and walk it backward.
Leahy: I care more about the country than Florida.
Simon: Yes. I agree with you there, but it’s something we have to keep in our heads. DeSantis has many years to be president.
Leahy: He’s a young guy, 45, 40, something like that.
Simon: My favorite fact about DeSantis is that he hit .345 on the Yale baseball team. That’s pretty good.
Leahy: Yes. He was captain of the baseball team.
Simon: Obviously almost a professional-level player if he had wanted to be.
Leahy: We’re glad he went into politics and is a strong Republican. He seems to be a very well-prepared and thoughtful guy as well. I think he does a lot of research on all these questions.
Simon: And comes up with very interesting approaches to things. I understand his wife, who I’ve never met, is a terrific person, and an excellent journalist.
Leahy: And she’s recovering from cancer.
Simon: She’s in recovery.
Leahy: We certainly wish her well on that. But is a Trump v. DeSantis match-up in the Republican primary, is that what we’re likely to see?
Simon: I don’t know, because I think that time will tell a little bit later. Because a food fight between Trump and DeSantis is going to be ugly and not really useful.
Leahy: It wouldn’t be useful. And I think Trump would likely engage in a food fight, and DeSantis would have to fight back. And I think you’re right, it wouldn’t be useful.
Simon: Because on their policies, there is not a very big difference.
Leahy: Not much difference at all. There’s a huge difference stylistically, but not on their policies. They’re very, very similar.
Simon: If any of them get elected versus what we have now, it’s like having George Washington versus Caligula. (Laughter)
Leahy: That’s very good. That’s very good, Roger.
Simon: I heard the music coming. (Laughter)
Listen to the interview:
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Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
Photo “Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump” by Ron DeSantis.
