The governor of Florida, is a past master in the art of the method Coue. Last week, while the number of patients suffering from Covid exploded in its State with about 12 000 new cases daily, Ron DeSantis said in a press conference that the situation was " clearly stabilized ". "We are moving definitively in a better direction... Much better than two weeks ago. "Two days later, we learned that the number of individuals tested positive exceeded those identified in the State of New York. A Floridian on fifty-two has now officially been affected by the virus. And the figures are probably much higher, because the statistics are not very reliable. The only " good news ", a mortality rate quite low in comparison with other States.
In his way of communicating, Ron DeSantis recalls Donald Trump. He does not hide not, moreover, its source of inspiration, because this obscure representative from Florida has his election to the post of governor, in 2018, to the support of the president. Since then, he follows the letter of his mentor. In the spring, Donald Trump downplays the danger, saying that the virus would disappear... and Ron DeSantis did the same. And then Trump serine at every turn that it is necessary to déconfiner and boost the economy in the month of April. The governor of Florida followed suit and announced at the beginning of June, the re-opening of the gym, and bars.
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However, the period of containment appears to have been rather effective in Florida, which had only a limited number of cases. Ron DeSantis then took the opportunity to lather up, claiming to have, better than anyone else, stood up to the virus. But he cries out victory a little too soon. Like many States, especially conservatives, the Florida déconfine quickly. Without a doubt, too. In a sense, the State is a condensed version of the extraordinary confusion that prevails at the national level.
In fact, instead of listening to its experts of health, it puts them on the key, such as the president Trump. Ron DeSantis believes more in the opinion of his wife, an ex-tv presenter, that those of his chief of staff, a former executive at the hospital, according to a survey by the Washington Post. In recent weeks, he talks less and less with his responsible for the health, stays away from the models of the evolution of scientific experts and rejects wearing a mask mandatory.
a Result, several employees of the health division have resigned and one, Rebekah Jones, has been sacked because she criticised a change to how to report the statistics that was after it, to minimize the seriousness of the situation.
Just the same as Trump
at the End of June, before the upsurge of the pandemic, DeSantis eventually re-impose the closure of bars. But he is already re-opened. He also requested the re-opening of Disney World in Orlando and, following the exhortations of Trump, which requires a back-to-school, the head of education has established a directive, which requires establishments to reopen at least five days per week from August. DeSantis has attracted the praise of the president : the governor, he said, " did a great job ".
But, with some 10 000 new cases per day, and a total absence of strategy on the part of the White House with Ron DeSantis, the grumbling mounts. The governor made a heckle in a press conference a few days ago. The daily newspaper, The Orlando Sentinel has cracked a scathing op-ed : "If the coronavirus was a hurricane, it would have, it seems, reached the class 5 this weekend. More than ever, Florida needs clear guidelines and determined to weather this storm, "writes the journal, which accuses him of wade and of having made" too many mistakes ".
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in recent days, the bad news piles up. A 9 year old girl died of Covid, even though Ron DeSantis reiterated that the children are not in danger. And Donald Trump has demonstrated that he has a terrible ingratitude by cancelling the republican convention in Jacksonville. A hell of a hit for DeSantis, who had been lobbying to hell a few weeks ago to attract the event in Florida. In addition to the economic benefits, this quadra ambitious were the grand raout republican to come forward and position without doubt for the elections of 2024.
Las, his popularity rating has jumped 12 points since April ! Only 38 % now approve of his handling of the crisis, according to a recent survey. The alarming figures for him... but also for Donald Trump. The president wants to absolutely win Florida, a key State, to hope to snag a second term in November.
