Governors Newsom and DeSantis exchange blows over the future of the USA
The 45-year-old DeSantis is already bidding to become the Republican Party's candidate for the 2024 presidential election, but is considered to have little chance in the duel with former President Donald Trump. The 56-year-old Newsom has recently fueled speculation about a possible candidacy in the election in five years' time through his appearances for US President Joe Biden.
There has been a fierce dispute between the two governors for months because DeSantis flies undocumented migrants to California and Newsom has strongly criticized Florida's ban on six-week abortions, describing it as the "most extreme" in the USA.
DeSantis urged US citizens on Thursday to choose "freedom over failure" and accused Newsom of being "inseparable" from President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. He accused the latter of wanting to transfer the " California model" to the entire USA, which would be "disastrous for working people".
Newsom accused DeSantis of using "education as a sword for your cultural cleansing" in light of the banning of certain books from Florida's libraries. He also criticized the Republican for doing "nothing meaningful" on gun safety after the Parkland school massacre that left 17 people dead in 2018.
The Republican attacked his Democratic opponent on the topics of immigration, the healthcare system and crime. Newsom's "left-wing policies" had harmed Californian cities such as San Francisco. He also referred to the high gasoline and sales tax rates in California. Newsom countered that poorer people in Florida pay more taxes than rich Californians.
The 90-minute debate took place in a suburb of Atlanta in the state of Georgia - once a bastion of the Republicans, but which has developed into one of the hotly contested "swing states" in recent years.
Presenter Sean Hannity, an avowed Trump supporter, had promised neutrality in the run-up to the debate, but chose topics that might have appealed to the channel's conservative viewers, especially at the beginning.
DeSantis seemed more comfortable in the duel with his Democratic opponent than in the televised Republican debates, where he often came across as reserved and awkward. Newsom defended Biden's economic policy and pointed to the positive developments on the labor market.
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- In response to DeSantis' criticism, Newsom highlighted the contrast between their approaches to education, accusing the Florida governor of using it as a tool for "cultural cleansing."
- The exchange of blows between DeSantis and Newsom extends to their views on immigration, with DeSantis flying undocumented migrants to California and Newsom condemning Florida's six-week abortion ban.
- DeSantis, a potential Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election, finds himself in competition with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also eyeing a return to the White House.
- The fiery debate between the two governors is not confined to their respective states, as it has significant implications for the future of the Republican Party and the USA as a whole.
- Newsom's endorsement of President Joe Biden has sparked speculation about his own future goals, with some seeing him as a potential Democratic challenger in the 2028 presidential election.
- DeSantis' attacks on Newsom's immigration policies and California's high taxes have been met with counterarguments, with Newsom pointing out that poorer people in Florida pay more taxes than wealthier Californians.
- The debate, moderated by Fox News' Sean Hannity, showcased the stark differences between the Republican and Democratic ideologies, with Hannity's selection of topics catering to the channel's conservative viewers.
- The 90-minute debate took place in Georgia, a state that has historicallyleaned Republican but has seen a shift towards political neutrality in recent years.
- As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the nation watches with bated breath, with many Americans eager to see if DeSantis or Trump will secure the Republican Party's nomination and ultimately challenge Democratic President Joe Biden.
- In the heated exchange of blows between DeSantis and Newsom, both governors have taken aim at the policies of their political opponents, with DeSantis accusing Newsom of being "inseparable" from President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
- Despite the tension between the two governors, their dispute serves as a microcosm of the broader political landscape in the USA, with the Republican and Democratic parties locked in a struggle to shape the future of the nation.
Source: www.stern.de
