Ron DeSantis as American president is exciting for some, but frightening for others
Breakfast in a Floridian diner is never for the faint-hearted.
There’s the biscuits and gravy, the grits, the oversized breakfast tacos, the waffles, the pancakes, the corned beef hash and, of course, the all-American drip coffee.
If you survive all that, and if you nudge the locals a little, then the passionate yet divisive politics of this state and this nation all comes tumbling out.
The moment I mention Ron DeSantis, the cards are on the table.
“I love him… I think he’s doing the things that most of us would like him to do,” Patricia Barra says.
“He’s just kept Florida very productive; open through COVID. I think he wants to make America the way we were used to having it.”
Patricia Barra says she “loves” Ron DeSantis
Her husband, Gerald, finishes her thought: “Californians moving to Florida, Massachusettsans moving to Florida, New Jerseyans moving to Florida, New Yorkers moving to Florida. Must be something!”
But, a table away: “He’s bigoted, a white supremacist, a Trump wannabe…” Robin Mix says.
They say the Starlite Diner is a Daytona Beach landmark, an unofficial community meeting place for the locals. Where better, then, to find out more about Florida’s governor?
This is where the political career began for the man who wants to be president.
There were differing opinions over Ron DeSantis at Starlite Diner
Robin Mix calls the Florida governor a “bigoted white supremacist”
Daytona Beach is in his old district back when he was a congressman, way before he made waves nationwide.
I’ve come to find out what the allure is and whether that landslide vote for governor last year really could propel him all the way to the White House.
‘Make America Florida’ is his line. It’s a neat play on the tagline of his fan-turned-foe, Donald ‘Make America Great Again’ Trump.
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Trump is the clear favourite to clinch the Republican Party nominee for president. But DeSantis is behind him and hopes to close, fast.
He is Trumpian without the chaos. Maybe he can deliver on policy where Trump didn’t manage to? That’s exciting for some; frightening for others, and it turns out they’re all represented in the Starlite Diner this morning.
The vibe from his fans reflects a view that America has lost its way and needs to return to traditional values – conservative ones.
‘He would make a wonderful vice president’
“I like that idea…” another diner says when I put the Make America Florida tag to her.
“I think he would make a wonderful vice-president under President Trump…” another says.
It reflects what some see as the dream conservative ticket, however improbable it may be given the pair’s current animosity.
If there is one theme which gets to the heart of what Ron DeSantis is all about, it’s culture wars – his war on woke.
He has recognised that cultural issues – tapping into the idea that values have been eroded – so often resonates more with voters than issues like the economy.
Trump harked back to a time when America was apparently greater. DeSantis has gone further, identifying issues which, for his conservative support base, represent societal erosion – wokery.
Daytona Beach
“We will fight woke in the schools, we’ll fight woke in the corporations. We will never surrender to the woke mob. Florida is where woke goes to die,” he says in varying forms repeatedly.
And yet, even channelling Churchill in Florida, by no means everyone here in the Starlite Diner is buying it.
“You know, his big thing is he wants to get rid of wokeness and I’m happy to be woke myself,” Peter Stephenson says.
“You know, I feel the definition of wokeness is having an acceptance for all types of people.”
His wife, Karen, adds: “And this stuff about all the gays and all that. Just let them live. Let everybody get along.”
Ron DeSantis has never explicitly said anything against the gay community.
Peter Stephenson says he’s “happy to be woke”
DeSantis’s policies represent erosion of minority rights, say critics
But his policies, for his critics at least, represent an erosion of minority rights whether they be gay rights, racial rights or the freedom to be who you want to be.
“He wants to make everything like the 50s television shows where all the people were white, all the people were ‘normal’. Dad goes to work, mum stays at home. We can’t go back to the 50s. But that’s what they want,” Robin Mix says.
His recently published book is called The Courage To Be Free.
Critics say there’s a deep irony that a man who champions freedom has been so busy restricting so many different things.
On abortion he has introduced legislation banning it after six weeks.
On drag shows, laws now make it illegal for children to be present. There are restrictions on gender-neutral toilets. He was elected governor with these policies as promises.
And then there is the so-called book ban. It’s a headline that’s not wholly accurate.
He hasn’t banned books but has taken a hard line on what books are available to school children of different ages. In that sense, some books are banned for some age groups.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen some books in some of these libraries – you’re talking about kids in middle school – some of the stuff that’s ended up there is incredibly disturbing stuff,” he said recently.
The governor’s grassroots support comes from mothers like Tina Descovich, who co-founded the group ‘Moms for Liberty’ here in Florida. It now has branches nationwide.
Tina Descovich, co-founder of Moms for Liberty
She raises a book in her hand as we chat.
“Gender Queer has obscene images throughout. It was found here in a local middle school library that shared middle school in high school and not only was it in the school, it was on display on one of the display cases at the end,” she tells me.
“A lot of school districts around the country have decided that this is appropriate for as young as six grade so 11 and 12-year-olds here in the United States.”
There is no evidence that this book is widely available to that age group across America.
But for Tina, his strong stance represents leadership.
“He takes action. You know, we are tired in our country and in our state of spineless leaders, who change their mind, who flip-flop, who go with the flow. What we saw with Governor DeSantis as he looked at facts, and he made decisions even though they were unpopular.”
‘DeSantis is not for freedom for all people’
Denise Soufrine, a teacher, is considering leaving Florida due to Mr DeSantis’ governorship
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Down the coast in one of Florida’s few remaining Democratic counties, I met Denise Soufrine, a teacher who is considering leaving Florida.
“He touts that we’re the Free State of Florida, and I don’t understand how he could possibly say that when you are restricting the rights,” she says.
“The Moms for Liberty will say ‘we’re protecting children’. Well, what about all the other parents that want their children to be exposed to ideas of all sorts so their children can grow?
“I don’t really think that’s what this country wants. I don’t think so.
“That’s not what this country was founded on. And this governor is not for freedom for all people. He’s only for freedom for certain people.
“Years ago, there were hardly any books in libraries that showed black characters, African American characters, Hispanic characters.
“So as a librarian, as a teacher, I’m someone that wants to make sure that everyone in the class feels comfortable and knows that they’re accepted.”
She adds: “There’s no kindness in any of the bills that he is promoting at all.”
US
Trump hush money trial: Former president ‘orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt’ the 2016 election but defence claims ‘nothing wrong with trying to influence an election’
Donald Trump “orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt” the 2016 election, a prosecutor has said at the start of the former president’s historic hush money trial, but the defence claims he did “nothing illegal”.
We take a look a how Trump’s hush money case – the first criminal trial against a US president – opened to 12 jurors in New York.
What did the prosecution say?
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo made the remarks as opening statements as the trial got under way – marking the first time that prosecutors have presented a criminal case against a former president to a jury.
Trump is accused of falsifying internal business records as part of an alleged scheme to bury stories that he thought might hurt his presidential campaign in 2016.
Mr Colangelo told jurors: “The defendant, Donald Trump, orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election. Then he covered up that criminal conspiracy by lying in his New York business records over and over and over again.”
What has Trump said?
Trump said it was a “very sad day in America” as he spoke outside the New York courthouse before opening statements began.
He added that his trial was an example of “election interference”, describing it as “very unfair”.
“People understand what’s going on,” he said, describing the trial as a “witch hunt”.
What did the defence argue?
Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche said he would refer to his client as “President Trump out of respect” as he claimed his client was innocent.
“He’s in some ways larger than life. But he’s also here in this courtroom, doing what any of us would do. Defending himself.”
Mr Blanche went on to ask: “What on earth is a crime? What’s a crime, of what I just described?
“This business records violation, these 34 counts are really just 34 pieces of paper, the cheques that were generated because of invoice and records notation… none of this is a crime.
“You heard the people’s theory that Michael Cohen was trying to cover the payback to Stormy Daniels who also goes by Stephanie Clifford.
“She did sign an agreement for $130,000… President Trump did not pay Mr Cohen back $130,000. President Trump paid Michael Cohen $420,000.
“Would a frugal business man… would a man who pinches pennies… repay a $130,000 (£106,000) debt to the tune of $420,000?”
The lawyer then said: “I have a spoiler alert: there’s nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It’s called democracy.”
Trump, who has secured the Republican nomination for the 2024 US presidential election, said outside court: “I’m here instead of being able to be in Pennsylvania and Georgia and lots of other places campaigning and it’s very unfair.”
The former US president said the trial was “in coordination with Washington” and “done for the purposes of hurting the opponent of the worst president in the history of our country”.
Trump will run against current US leader Joe Biden when the election takes place in November.
First of four criminal trials facing Trump
Today’s opening statements set the stage for weeks of testimony about Trump’s personal life.
A panel of New Yorkers – 12 jurors and six alternates – were sworn in on Friday after four days of jury selection, and will hear what is the first-ever criminal trial against a former US commander-in-chief.
At the heart of the allegations against Trump is a $130,000 payment made to porn actress Stormy Daniels by Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and personal fixer, to allegedly prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from surfacing in the final days of the presidential race.
Donald Trump looks on at the Manhattan Criminal Court .
Pic: Reuters
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The A to Z of Trump’s hush money trial
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Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of such payments in internal business documents.
Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue that the payments to Mr Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.
He has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
The hush money case is the first of Trump’s four indictments to reach trial.
In his comments outside the courthouse today, the former president also spoke about his New York civil fraud case as a result of which he was ordered to pay a fine of at least $453.5m (£368m).
New York attorney general Letitia James has challenged a $175m (£142m) bond provided to Trump by insurer Knight Specialty Insurance Co.
Trump with his lawyer Todd Blanche, right, outside court. Pic: AP
The company is trying to convince a state judge today that it is financially strong enough to issue the guarantee after Ms James questioned if the bond was backed by secure assets.
Mr Trump said: “The money was put up, it was $175m and I don’t think (Ms James) is complaining about me for the first time, she’s complaining about the company, but why would she be doing that when I put up the money?”
Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters have been arrested at Yale University, hours after Columbia University cancelled classes due to an ongoing demo there.
New Haven Police Department said about 45 protesters were detained at Yale and charged with misdemeanour trespassing after blocking traffic and refusing to leave.
There were no reports of any violence or injuries, and all were released on condition they would appear in court later.
The protesters want the world-famous university to sever any investments in defence companies that sell to Israel.
Meanwhile, Columbia told students to stay at home in a bid to ease tensions at the New York City university following the arrests of more than 100 people last week.
Its president, Nemat Minouche Shafik, denounced antisemitic behaviour and harassment she said had occurred on university grounds.
“These tensions have been exploited and amplified by individuals who are not affiliated with Columbia who have come to campus to pursue their own agendas,” she said in a statement.
Police outside Columbia on 18 April. Pic: AP
Police were at the prestigious Yale University on Monday
Some protesters have set up camp at Columbia, while demonstrations have also been going on at Boston’s Emerson College and nearby MIT, as well as the University of Michigan and University of North Carolina.
President Biden condemned antisemitism on campuses in a statement on Sunday to mark the Jewish festival of Passover.
“Even in recent days, we’ve seen harassment and calls for violence against Jews,” said the US president.
“This blatant antisemitism is reprehensible and dangerous – and it has absolutely no place on college campuses, or anywhere in our country.”
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Elie Buechler, a rabbi at Columbia, sent a WhatsApp message to Jewish students on Sunday urging them to leave the campus.
“It deeply pains me to say that I would strongly recommend you return home as soon as possible and remain home until the reality in and around campus has dramatically improved,” he said.
New York City Police said on Monday they would not enter Columbia grounds unless a crime was taking place as the university is private property.
Some people have set up camp in Columbia’s grounds. Pic: AP
Deputy Commissioner Michael Gerber told reporters the university didn’t want officers stationed on campus, but there was a large police presence on the streets outside.
“Any kind of violence is not going to be tolerated, any kind of property damage is not going to be tolerated,” he said.
“That includes harassment, or threats, or menacing or stalking, or anything like that that’s not protected by the First Amendment.”
Read more from Sky News:
Campaigner criticises ‘outrageous’ reaction to antisemitism row
Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard said there had so far been no “credible threats to any particular group of individuals coming from this protest or any other”.
Protest organisers at Columbia said they were being portrayed unfairly and claimed the media were focussing on a few “inflammatory individuals” who did not represent their movement.
They want the university to cut ties with corporations profiting from Israel’s actions in Gaza, transparency on its financial investments, and an amnesty for students and staff disciplined for supporting the Palestinian cause.
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