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Transcript/Script English-US-Politics-DeSantis
HEADLINE: Florida Republican Governor Seeks to Thwart Trump’s White House Return
TEASER: Ron DeSantis makes it official Wednesday – announcing his run for the presidency in a glitch-laden Twitter audio chat
PUBLISHED AT: 05/24/2023 at 11:59pm
BYLINE: White House
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Steve Herman
VIDEOGRAPHER: Saqib Ul Islam
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Reifenrath, Mia Bush
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AFP, AP, Reuters, VOA
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X__ RADIO X__
TRT: 3:30
VID APPROVED BY: wpm
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES: Video elements in Frame>Central Video Workspace>InProgress> Steve Herman>DeSantis2024))
((INTRO))
[[Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has officially entered next year’s presidential election. But to face the presumptive Democratic Party nominee, President Joe Biden, he will have to vanquish former President Donald Trump. The story from VOA’s chief national correspondent, Steve Herman, at the White House.]]
((Mandatory CG: Twitter/@RonDesantis))
((NARRATOR))
Ron DeSantis made it official Wednesday evening – announcing his run for the presidency in a glitch-laden Twitter audio chat. But the rollout of his first campaign video was smoother.
((NATS: VIDEO DeSantis speaking to camera ))
“I’m Ron DeSantis and I’m running for president to lead our great American comeback.”
((NARRATOR))
Polls show the Florida governor running a distant second to Donald Trump.
Political prognosticators, such as Daniel Cox, director of the Survey Center on American Life at the American Enterprise Institute, are cautious about early polls.
((Daniel Cox, American Enterprise Institute))
“Polls are helpful. They can establish where we are in this point of time in the race. But this thing is wide open.”
((NARRATOR))
DeSantis was polling higher several months ago. But his popularity was hurt by his referring to the war between Ukraine and Russia as a territorial dispute, lackluster meetings with wealthy donors and a perceived failure to connect with individual voters.
((NATS VIDEO TrumpInTampaRallyFL))
“Hello, Florida…”
((NARRATOR))
Trump’s support remains firm among much of his traditional base of conservatives — especially those without a college education or higher incomes.
But the Florida governor is showing strength with another element of the Republican core, Cox says.
((Daniel Cox, American Enterprise Institute))
“Trump was thought to be the favorite among white, evangelical Christians, but polling shows, at least at this stage, that they seem to like DeSantis just as well. [[:14]]
((NARRATOR))
Trump takes credit for transforming DeSantis from an obscure congressman into a two-term governor.
((NATS Desantis))
“It’s a true honor to be standing here endorsed by the president of the United States." (cheers and fade))
((Steve Herman, VOA News (standup))
“Trump has already warned DeSantis, whom he tried to dissuade from running, he will relentlessly attack his foe, an approach that in 2016 helped Trump vanquish the entire Republican primary field and eventually end up [here] at the White House."
((Twitter Spaces audio))
“Merit must trump identity politics.”
((NARRATOR ))
That was DeSantis speaking on Twitter Wednesday evening – one of several indirect jabs at Trump. But what made headlines was the social platform’s meltdown during his remarks.
For DeSantis to overcome Trump, he will need to deliver more forceful rhetoric about the Republican frontrunner, says William Galston at the Brookings Institution.
((William Galston, Brookings Institution))
“He cannot go around Donald Trump. He has to go through Donald Trump. He is going to have to show as much strength in dealing with Trump as Trump is trying to demonstrate in dealing with him.”
((NARRATOR))
DeSantis’ team is also hoping that Republican primary voters will be swayed by his ultra-conservative track record in Florida. As governor, DeSantis has outlawed abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, curtailed gay and transgender rights and waged a highly publicized battle against the Disney corporation, the state’s second-largest private employer.
The governor now finds himself shifting focus from Mickey Mouse to Donald Trump.
((Steve Herman, VOA News, at the White House ))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
at the White House
Embargo DateMay 24, 2023 23:58 EDT
Byline
Steve Herman, VOA News
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
