GOP Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says voters can judge for themselves if President Joe Biden is up for another four years in the White House.
Last weekend, DeSantis launched a 2024 Republican presidential campaign and spoke Thursday in an interview a few hours after President Biden tripped and then fell after delivering a speech and handing out diplomas at a graduation ceremony at the Air Force Academy in Colorado.
Several Republicans have questioned whether the 80-year-old president — the oldest president in the nation’s history — is mentally and physically capable of the intense demands of another four years in the White House.
When asked if he agreed, DeSantis replied, “People can judge that.”
DeSantis emphasized, “I hope that he didn’t sustain injuries, and if he did, I hope he has a speedy recovery from those.” He added, “I’m running for president because I want the U.S. to have a speedy recovery from the injuries that Joe Biden has inflicted on the country, and at the end of the day, I think that his policies have been wrong.”
“I do think he lacks energy and all that, but he is pursuing a course that’s not been good for this country, and that’s my main concern,” emphasized DeSantis.
Minutes later, DeSantis repeated those comments at the beginning of the rally at Manchester Community College at the fourth and final event of a jam-packed day in New Hampshire, which is the state that is the second overall contest in the GOP presidential nominating calendar and first primary.
DeSantis has repeated a line he has frequently used in speeches since he launched his campaign, saying it will take more than one term as president “to slay the deep state, this big unaccountable bureaucracy.”
The comments appear to be a swipe at former Republican President Donald Trump, who is in command of the top poll position as he runs for a third time for president.
“I’ve been watching DeSanctus go out and say, ‘I’ve got eight years. It’s going to be eight years,’ said Trump Thursday at an Iowa campaign event.
Former President Trump vowed that, “It will take me more than six months to have it totally the way it was.”
DeSantis has increased his counterattacks on Trump in response to Trump’s ramped-up criticism
Since declaring his candidacy for president last week, the Florida governor has been increasing his counterattacks against former President Trump, who’s been attacking his main competition for the Republican nomination for months.
Former President Trump, his allies, and his political team have ramped up their attacks over the past few months.
Until last week, DeSantis has resisted chiefly responding to Trump’s attacks. However, as he kicked off his first campaign swing as a 2024 presidential candidate Tuesday in Iowa, the Florida governor started aggressively throwing punches at the former president during a question-and-answer session with reporters.
“So look, I’m going to respond to attacks,” said DeSantis. “I’m gonna counterpunch, and I’m gonna fight back on it.”
However, getting into a personal slugfest day after day with the former president, a master of in-your-face type politics, might not be a sustainable strategy.
Governor DeSantis disagreed when asked if his pushback against former President Trump was getting personal, saying, “I’m not personal at all. Some of the stuff is very juvenile. I don’t think the voters want it. I’m not getting into the gutter.”
