CNN Gets Challenged Over DeSantis Clip
GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis' campaign is in damage control mode after his "listless vessels" comment caused quite a stir among Republicans.
The comment came in response to a question posed on CNN's Kasie Hunt's show about the GOP's embrace of President Trump in Congress.
DeSantis said, “but all we are is listless vessels that are just supposed to follow, you know, whatever happens to come down the pike on TRUTH Social every morning, that’s not going to be a durable movement.”
Hunts then aired a spliced clip that made it appear as if DeSantis was calling Trump supporters "listless vessels".
Ken Cuccinelli, the founder of the pro-DeSantis Super Pac Never Back Down, quickly called out Hunt for cutting out a large part of DeSantis's answer.
"Everybody saw there, there was a cut. You cut from the beginning of that quote to the listless vessels. You just did what the problem is. So everybody who just watch that understand, go read the transcript," Cuccinelli said.
Hunt then asked Cuccinelli what DeSantis was trying to say in his full response.
Cuccinelli's response was, "Well, first of all, his first point is an excellent point. This should be about America and not about individuals."
DeSantis' fuller answer can be read here:
So there will be people who are huge Trump supporters, like in Congress, who have like incredibly liberal left-wing records that are really just atrocious, and yet they’re viewed by some of these folks as like really, really good. Then you have other people, you know, like a Congressman Chip Roy, who’s endorsed me, Congressman Thomas Massie, these guys have records of principle, fighting the swamp, that is second to none, and yet they will be attacked by some of these people and called RINOs? So it’s just been totally detached from any type of substance. And ultimately, a movement can’t be about the personality of one individual. The movement has gotta be about what are you trying to achieve on behalf of the American people, and that’s gotta be based on principle. Because if you’re not rooted in principle if all we are is listless vessels that are just supposed to follow, you know, whatever happens, to come down the pike on TRUTH Social every morning, that’s not going to be a durable movement.
Donald Trump's campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung then responded, “He called all Trump supporters ‘listless vessels’ just like Crooked did in 2016 when she called us ‘Deplorables.’ How did that work out? He should stop listening to his establishment handlers and start listening to the American people telling him to go back home.”
DeSantis has yet to respond to the criticism, however, his campaign is in damage control mode as the comment has caused quite a stir in the Republican party. DeSantis will need to carefully craft his response to the controversy if he hopes to remain competitive in the GOP presidential primaries.