According to Mediaite, Fox News anchor Julie Banderas raised concerns about Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s presidential campaign, suggesting a possible withdrawal after the Iowa Caucus if his performance is subpar. Banderas referred to a New York Times report quoting a DeSantis pollster and advisor comparing the campaign to a patient in hospice care and using the phrase “Make the patient comfortable.” She deemed this comment as potentially detrimental to DeSantis’s campaign.
Banderas posed the question of the campaign’s future to Democratic operative Tim Hogan, asking about the outlook for DeSantis. Hogan expressed a belief that DeSantis might end his campaign, likening it to “falling like an ailing bird from the sky.” He asserted that the campaign lacked momentum and compared DeSantis to Ted Cruz without the personality, despite promises of being Trump without the drama. Hogan suggested that DeSantis needs a first or a strong second-place finish in Iowa to sustain his campaign.
The dynamics between DeSantis and former President Donald Trump were also highlighted in the discussion. While DeSantis had initially closed the gap in national polling earlier in the year, Trump has since extended his lead, now holding a significant advantage over DeSantis both nationally and in Iowa.
“‘Make the patient comfortable.’ That’s what advisors are actually referring to with Ron DeSantis,” began Banderas, referring to a New York Times report that quoted a DeSantis pollster and advisor using language that compared the DeSantis campaign to a patient in hospice care. “That is an awful comment to hear.”
“That comment could mark the beginning of the end of DeSantis’s campaign. This is obviously unwelcome news, but it also comes less than three weeks before the make or break January 15 Iowa Caucuses,” continued Banderas. “It’s less than three weeks before that. So where does the governor and his campaign, I mean, he must finish in the top two spots or he risks dropping out of the 2024 Republican primary?”
“What do you see in the future of DeSantis’s campaign?” she asked Democratic operative Tim Hogan.
“I think DeSantis probably ends his campaign, and this is one thing that I agree with Donald Trump on: Falling like an ailing bird from the sky,” answered Hogan. “This campaign never took off. There was never enough momentum. You have strategists saying that he is now Ted Cruz without the personality instead of Trump without the drama, which we were promised. And like Matt said, I think he’s going to stay until Iowa. He needs a first, or a very good second place finish in order to continue in order for this campaign to go on.”
The conversation on Fox News reflects growing uncertainties and challenges for DeSantis’s presidential bid, particularly in light of the upcoming Iowa Caucus. The analysis suggests that a less-than-favorable outcome in Iowa could lead to reconsiderations and potential withdrawal from the 2024 Republican primary race.
