DeSantis said that, in American politics, “a movement can’t be about the personality of one individual.” This is true. DeSantis said that “if all we are is listless vessels that’s just supposed to follow, you know, whatever happens to come down the pike on Truth Social every morning, that’s not going to be a durable movement.” That is also true — as is the underlying suggestion that the Donald Trump-led Republican Party has not, in fact, proven durable. DeSantis didn’t call anyone a moocher or a loser or a traitor. He didn’t call anyone “deplorable.” He made a case against the continuation of a cult of personality. Frankly, if you learned of these words and were outraged by them, you’re telling on yourself.

Judging by the discussion of DeSantis’s comments online, I sense that I’m expected to happily accept the preposterous double-standard that undergirds all Trump outrage cycles, and thereby to agree to the idea that Donald Trump is allowed to say whatever he wants about anyone with impunity, but that if anyone says anything back, it’s shocking.

[The snowflake factor on this is somewhere around Mount Everest levels. — Ed]