Inside the Ring Road: DeSantis campaign moves forward after day one glitch

NEWS AND NOTICES:

There was a lot of teasing and criticism in the mainstream media after mysterious technical issues compromised Florida Gov’s debut. Ron DeSantis on the presidential campaign trail. The New York Times, for example, called it “the conference call from hell.”

Mr. DeSantis, however, followed up the event with a Wednesday night appearance on Fox News Channel which the network said drew 2 million viewers. He followed that, according to a campaign statement, with a “solid slate” of a dozen TV, radio and podcast interviews on Thursday.

The candidate “keeps hitting the ground running,” he said.

Mr. DeSantis, however, need not worry about a preliminary imperfection, some say.

“When the story of Ron DeSantis’ 2024 presidential campaign is written, his announcement will be just one chapter,” predicted Jim Geraghtya National Review columnist who called all of the partisan cackles that erupted afterward an “overreaction on Thursday.”

But what about Friday – and every day to come?

Mr. DeSantis likely has a formidable arsenal of political firepower waiting to be deployed. Consider that a simple campaign video released Wednesday highlights that the governor is set to “lead our great American comeback.” That video — and the much-criticized Twitter Space event — were viewed more than 30 million times in the first 15 hours, according to the DeSantis campaign.

“I still believe that key moments in the 2024 GOP presidential primary will be the first time DeSantis and donald trump are on the same debate stage, and the first time DeSantis has challenged Trump to the face — and how that exchange plays out for the two men. It’s not that nothing matters until then, but it’s hard to envision anything being decisive before then,” Geraghty noted.

MOVING FORWARD PART 2

Road trip season is approaching.

“Are you going to be traveling for Memorial Day or Memorial Day weekend this year? demands a new investigation from TheVacationer.com, a mainstream travel resource,

It revealed that 36% of American adults will not be traveling the coming weekend. Another 21% will travel to attend a birthday party for a relative or friend while 18% will travel for a formal vacation. Then there are the 17% who will travel for a day trip to a getaway location, plus 7% who will travel for a different or undisclosed reason.

But wait, there’s more: 15% will attend a parade, 60% a barbecue or barbecue, 25% a fireworks display and 8% a sporting event. A fifth will look for a lake while another 20% won’t take part in any of these seasonal activities – and 10% will just go to the movies.

The survey of 1,021 American adults was conducted online on May 1.

GET CHART

house tenant Kevin McCarthy offered a timely and sobering analogy to describe the country’s fentanyl crisis on Thursday, just as the House passed a bill that provides tougher and more effective penalties for those dealing with the substance.

“In March alone, 2,848 pounds of fentanyl were seized at the border – or the equivalent in weight of a mid-size sedan,” noted a stark chart released by Mr. McCarthy’s office – and yes, it included an image of a car.

Mr. McCarthy doesn’t mince words either.

“The Biden administration’s refusal to secure our southern border has sparked a crisis. Every step of the way, President Biden ignored the problem, ducked responsibility and allowed the fallout from the crisis to affect American cities across the country,” he said in a written statement shared with Inside the Beltway.

“From the border, to inflation, to crime, and to the debt ceiling, President Biden and the Democrats in Washington have failed to do their job. As they plunge our nation into crisis after crisis, House Republicans remain steadfast in our commitment to providing solutions for the American people,” McCarthy noted.

THE POPPY REMINDER

The USAA Poppy Wall of Honor is a temporary installation honoring the more than 645,000 American military personnel who have given their lives in service to our nation since World War I.

The 133-foot wall returns to the National Mall in the nation’s capital for Memorial Day weekend. It stands over 8 feet tall and features a special sign to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the US withdrawal from the Vietnam War.

“Memorial Day weekend has long served as the unofficial start to summer, with many Americans coming together and enjoying the long weekend. However, it is important to pause and reflect on the true meaning of the holiday – to honor and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country,” the retired Vice Admiral said. John Birdsenior vice president of military affairs at USAA, said in a statement.

Honor a loved one or share a memory via major social media sites using the hashtag #PoppyInMemory. The dedications can also be found on USAAdigitalpoppywall.com.

REAL ESTATE WEEKEND

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SURVEY OF THE DAY

• 43% of registered US voters say they are “extremely concerned” about political divisions within the United States; 49% of conservatives, 35% of moderates and 41% of liberals agree.

• 36% overall are “very concerned” about political divisions; 34% of conservatives, 33% of moderates and 40% of liberals agree.

• 15% are “little concerned” about political divisions; 12% of conservatives, 21% of moderates and 15% of liberals agree.

• 5% are “not at all” concerned about divisions; 5% of conservatives, 9% of moderates and 3% of liberals agree.

• 1% “don’t know” about the problem; 0% of conservatives, 2% of moderates and 1% of liberals agree.

SOURCE: A Fox News poll of 1,001 registered US voters, conducted May 19-22.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.