Make America Great Again, Inc. has launched the first negative ads of the 2024 presidential campaign. This is yet another unprecedented action in an unprecedented presidential season. It is not only early in the campaign season, but the television ad is directed at a person who is not an official candidate for President.
It is important to understand that Make America Great Again is not an official part of President Trump’s Campaign. In fact, it contains a disclaimer stating that it is in no way associated with a candidate. Under the bizarre campaign finance laws, Make America Great Again is legally barred from coordinating its activities with the Trump campaign. It must operate completely independently – no input from the campaign, no discussions on strategy and content.
Independent expenditure operations are considered non-political. They provide information and education for the benefit of the public. That is why there is no mention of Trump – or any recommendation to support him. But make no mistake … Make America Great Again is committed to the election of Trump. While there is no coordination, those at Make America Great Again intuitively know what needs to be done. They know their mission.
The folks at Make America Great Again has created the ad for only one reason – to hurt Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. It is a clear indication that the Trump people see DeSantis as a serious threat.
It is a nasty ad – suggesting that DeSantis will take away people’s Social Security and Medicare. It makes its case by citing a couple of technical votes in which the Florida Governor – as a congressman – voted against changes in Social Security and Medicare. It misrepresents the facts by taking the votes out of context – a standard practice of negative independent expenditure committees.
To underscore the negative impression, the ad is in black and white – and features unflattering images of DeSantis, who just happens to be the most popular and successful Republican governor in America.
Many Americans do not know a lot about DeSantis. He is in the early stages of crafting his national public image. It appears that the Trump folks want to tarnish that image before America gets to know the real DeSantis.
The willingness to viciously attack any political figures who do not praise and agree with Trump on every issue – whether the hostile Democrats and biased media or Republican colleagues – is one of the worst characteristics of the Trump personality. However, methinks it has been deployed too often against too many good Republicans to be effective in the future. I can say with some certainty that you do not win friends in Florida – where I reside – by attacking DeSantis.
The presidential campaign season is off to an early and ugly start. One can only imagine how bad it will be in the summer of 2024.
So, there ‘tis.