What will Donald Trump’s fast start to the 2024 presidential sweepstakes mean for the GOP? My friend Adam Baldwin sees the bold move as “classic Trump,” and says he’s glad in the sense that the move will “shield against some of the shenanigans that the Liz Cheneys of the world are trying to pull on him.” However, the speech itself fell a little flat, Adam notes, and it may not be nearly enough to push out his biggest potential competitor to the nomination — Ron DeSantis.
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Welcome back to my VIP video series “The Amiable Skeptics,” featuring my friend Adam Baldwin! Adam is well-known for his long and storied Hollywood career, starting with My Bodyguard, and especially for his roles in Full Metal Jacket, Firefly, its film sequel Serenity, Chuck, and The Last Ship.
Adam and I have a steak dinner bet on whether DeSantis runs against Trump in the primaries. Adam still thinks DeSantis will wait until 2028, preferring to consolidate his support and avoid a direct confrontation with Trump. Both of us, however, are looking forward to the debate if both end up making a serious bid for the nomination. Trump “needs to run for not only for himself and any sort of redemption that he might want to get,” Adam says, “but for the country as he sees it.”
As for me, I argue that DeSantis has no choice — this is his moment.
We have a lot more on our plate in this discussion too:
- What does Ivanka Trump’s exit mean?
- Will the GOP finally restructure primary debates?
- When will DeSantis jump in, if he does?
- Can Republicans figure out how to make 2024 a two-person race so that their voters have a clear choice of direction?
Be sure to join the debate in the comments, and stay tuned for our next episode on Friday!
