'A roadmap to his defeat': Ron DeSantis' new book unwittingly hands opponents plenty of ammo

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' new book, presumably released now because he intends to run for the Republican Party's 2024 presidential nomination may come back to haunt him in both the GOP primary and the general election should he get past Donald Trump.

According to an analysis by MSNBC Opinion Editor James Downie, DeSantis' book, which Downie described as having "the depressingly generic title 'The Courage to Be Free,'" exposes many of the Florida governor's weaknesses which can be used against him in a bruising presidential campaign.

Noting the slimness of the book, Downie points out that what DeSantis thinks are hot-button issues will give Democrats plenty of ammo if he lands the GOP nomination. What he avoids talking about could be his downfall.

Writing, "For a man who likes to pick his fights, the ones DeSantis avoids in his book are signposts for Democrats looking for weaknesses," Downie added, "The least surprising omissions are the ones even DeSantis would probably recognize as politically inconvenient. For example, though he rails against elites helping elites, he doesn’t mention that he’s appointed some 250 donors to political posts. He does not repeat his tweet that “voting is a privilege,” not a right — a tweet he claims he didn’t write. He leaves out his early support for Covid vaccines — Florida’s millionth jab was aired live on “Fox and Friends” — and his later skepticism of such vaccines."

According to the editor, even policy-specific--shy Trump has more to say about how to fix what he thinks ails America than the Florida governor.

"Contrast DeSantis’ approach with that of his primary rival, former President Donald Trump. Both of their politics are awful in largely overlapping ways. But at least Trump’s plan included some elements that promised to improve Americans’ fortunes: renegotiating NAFTA, saving the coal industry and other ideas later shipwrecked on the rocks of his incompetence. While the former president pledges to 'Make America Great Again,' DeSantis believes that America is already great, and just needs to be protected from liberal bureaucrats," he wrote.

Downie also noted that DeSantis seems wedded to a "reactive approach to politics" which could hurt him.

"DeSantis’ strategy is hugely dependent on what others — particularly the 'legacy media' — are saying. And unlike Trump, who is so often his own worst enemy, DeSantis picks his fights deliberately. So the clashes he avoids are just as notable as those he relishes," he wrote before advising, "For that reason alone, Democrats should read 'The Courage to Be Free,' because his book — and what it’s missing — may provide a road map to his defeat."

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