Allies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis outlined a strategy for next weekā€™s GOP presidential primary debate in a memo encouraging him to defend former President Donald Trump from attacks by rival Chris Christie and call upstart contender Vivek Ramaswamy ā€œfake.ā€

The two-page memo, written by leaders of the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down, was published to the website of Axiom Strategies and dated Aug. 15. Axiom founder Jeff Roe also leads the pro-DeSantisā€™ super PAC.

ā€œDefend Trump when Chris Christie attacks him,ā€ the memo reads, adding a potential line for DeSantis to use on stage in Milwaukee against the former governor of New Jersey: ā€œTrump isnā€™t here so letā€™s just leave him alone. Heā€™s too weak to defend himself here. Weā€™re all running against him. I donā€™t think we want to join forces with someone on this stage whoā€™s auditioning for a show on MSNBC.ā€

On Ramaswamy, the 38-year-old businessman whose long-shot campaign has seen upward movement in the polls in recent weeks, the DeSantis allies write that the Florida governor needs to ā€œtake a sledge-hammerā€ to him, calling him ā€œFake Vivekā€ or ā€œVivek the Fake.ā€

The New York Times was first to report on the memo. Never Back Down did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Twitter, Ramaswamy called the attack plan ā€œboringā€ and hit ā€œRobot Ronā€ for ā€œtaking lame, pre-programmed attack lines against me for next weekā€™s debate.ā€

The document offers an insiderā€™s perspective into what DeSantisā€™ boosters believe he needs to accomplish on stage next Wednesday, listing among ā€œfour basic must dosā€ his defense of Trump and attack on Ramaswamy.

The memo states two additional overarching goals for DeSantis: Blast President Joe Biden and the press at least three to five times and give a positive vision for the country at least two or three times.

It also lists two approaches for when candidates on stage invoke DeSantisā€™ name and he is given a chance to respond, referring to the governor as ā€œGRD.ā€

ā€œ1. When there is a core attack on GRDā€™s central candidacy (calling GRD a liberal, hitting veteran record, hitting conservative record), GRD should take the time, correct the record, and highlight the positive/dismiss the attacker if itā€™s a tier one candidate,ā€ it read. ā€œGRD can also pivot to hitting Joe Biden when possible.ā€

ā€œ2. If itā€™s not a core attack but GRDā€™s name is invoked, GRD should take the response opportunity to pivot and take up time,ā€ the memo continued. ā€œGRD should ignore the weak attack, not even address it, and instead pivot to message and vision and name check Iowa, New Hampshire, etc. voters directly. ā€˜Iowans/Americans, Iā€™m talking directly to you nowā€¦.ā€™ā€

The memo offers a window into how DeSantis is planning for the upcoming contest, in which more than a half dozen candidates will battle on stage. Trump has signaled he is unlikely to attend, which would put DeSantis, currently a distant second behind Trump in most polls, at center stage and more likely to take incoming heat from rivals looking to leapfrog him in the race.

NBC News was made aware of the documentā€™s existence by a person not connected to either the DeSantis campaign or the pro-DeSantis super PAC. It is not uncommon for super PACs to post such memos online, sometimes in hard-to-find places, as a way to get around laws barring coordination between super PACs and political campaigns.

While the memo calls on DeSantis to defend Trump from Christieā€™s attacks, it also urges DeSantis to convey himself as the leader best positioned to carry ā€œthe torchā€ of Trumpism forward.

ā€œ'He was a breath of fresh air and the first president to tell the elite where to shove it,ā€ the memo reads, suggesting a potential line for the governor. ā€œ'But he was attacked all the time, provoked attacks all the time, and it was non-stop. The drama affected families. Trumpā€™s drama pitted brother against brother, friend against friend. Heā€™s got so many distractions that itā€™s almost impossible for him to focus on moving the country forward. This election is too important.ā€

Interestingly, the memo also implores DeSantis to make mention of a ā€œpersonal anecdoteā€ or ā€œstory about his family, childrenā€ and/or his wife, Casey DeSantis, while ā€œshowing emotion.ā€

  • FaeDrifter@midwest.social
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    1 year ago

    Oh my god watching these campaign think tanks try to replicate the trump nicknaming makes my sides hurt.

    Republicans are like high school football players, they peaked in 2016 and canā€™t get past trying to live the glory days again.