Gov. Ron DeSantis gave an interview to Piers Morgan. The full interview won’t air until Thursday but Morgan has written two stories about it for the NY Post. These are clearly meant to hype up the interview and Piers Morgan certainly brings the hype:

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has finally taken the gloves off and launched a blistering attack on his former mentor President Donald Trump…

Trump’s mood is likely to deteriorate further when he hears what DeSantis now says about him in our lengthy interview at the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee, the most personal and revealing he’s ever given.

There are about ten paragraphs like this to open the story and when we finally get to what DeSantis said, it doesn’t really sound like a blistering attack, but he does criticize Trump as self-absorbed.

DeSantis also slammed Trump’s chaotic, self-obsessed, and divisive management style, saying:

“I also think just in terms of my approach to leadership, I get personnel in the Government who have the agenda of the people and share our agenda. You bring your own agenda in you’re gone. We’re just not gonna have that. So, the way we run the Government I think is no daily drama, focus on the big picture and put points on the board and I think that’s something that’s very important.”

As for the rude nicknames, he mocked:

“I don’t know how to spell the sanctimonious one. I don’t really know what it means, but I kinda like it, it’s long, it’s got a lot of vowels. We’ll go with that, that’s fine. I mean you can call me whatever you want, just as long as you also call me a winner because that’s what we’ve been able to do in Florida, is put a lot of points on the board and really take this State to the next level.”

In the second story based on the interview, Morgan presses DeSantis on his approach to running for president. DeSantis again draws a distinction, at least an implied one, between himself and Trump.

“If I were to run,” he said confidently, “I’m running against Biden. Like we [him and Trump] are competing for the Republican, potentially, I get that, but ultimately you know the guy I’m gonna focus on is Biden because I think he’s failed the country. I think the country wants a change. I think they want a fresh start and a new direction and so we’ll be very vocal about that.”

“Do you think you could beat Biden?”

“I think so,” he replied, unhesitatingly, and emphatically…

“I think what it takes is to have a vision for the country, have the ability to exercise leadership and being willing to stand in that fire when it gets really hot and not back down under pressure . . . and I think I have all those things.”

Trump world has already responded to the stories, labeling DeSantis a “establishment Never Trumper.”

Ron DeSantis has finally shown his true colors. An establishment Never Trumper who despises the MAGA base and was faking it the entire time. https://t.co/HwWITDa6R4

— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) March 21, 2023

These guys have some nerve demanding DeSantis take their side after Trump just insinuated DeSantis was a gay groomer yesterday.

Just as radical Dems are indicting Trump & destroying the fabric of our nation with their Police State tactics, DeSantis pathetically runs to the liberal media on orders from his RINO establishment owners to attack my father.

He's exposing himself as 100% Controlled Opposition! pic.twitter.com/bAiGCOHFxs

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 21, 2023

Indicting Trump over whatever mess he made involving Stormy Daniels on his personal time does not destroy the fabric of our nation. It may be partisan grandstanding by a leftist DA but the country will survive even if Trump is convicted of a misdemeanor. The result would be a minor slap on the wrist which is probably not going to matter to anyone a year from now.

Anyway, good luck convincing the majority of Republicans that DeSantis is suddenly a GOP squish because he won’t jump when Trump barks at him. It’s not going to work.