Credit: Inside the MagicIn a recent interview, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis attempted to explain that his battle with the Walt Disney Company was instigated by Disney, not him.
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At this point, the DeSantis-Disney war has been written about so often that everyone knows the basics: Disney spoke out against the Parental Rights in Education Bill, more colloquially known as the “Don’t Say Gay” Bill, and Governor Ron DeSantis responded by restructuring the special district surrounding Walt Disney World Resort. The Walt Disney Company has since sued the state of Florida, DeSantis has countersued, and the two have been at each other’s throats ever since.
DeSantis has changed his tune in the past few months, saying that he’s trying to distance himself from the feud and the lawsuits. However, it appears that his tune has completely changed again because he’s now addressed the House of Mouse twice in a few days. And this last time, he’s saying it’s not his fault.
“Why is This Guy Picking a Fight With Mickey Mouse?” DeSantis Justifies Disney Feud
Recently, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher (2003-present) to promote his presidential campaign. The presidential candidate was mostly roasted over trivial things, like wearing cowboy boots with a suit, being from Florida, and appearing on his show. “Let’s face it, Ron,” said Maher. “If the campaign was going well, you wouldn’t be on this show.”
After some back and forth over this, Bill Maher asked the question that is always on the minds of anyone when they talk about Ron DeSantis: “Why is this guy picking a fight with Mickey Mouse?” And DeSantis’ answer was simple: he didn’t.
Related: No Retreat for DeSantis Board, $4.5 Million Approved in War Against Disney
“Well, first of all, they picked a fight with us,” said the presidential hopeful. “This idea of ideology-corrupting institutions, I see it in Los Angeles with the amount of crime that’s here and the homelessness.” The governor then continued to vaguely attack “woke ideologies” and the Center for Disease Control, something Maher happily agreed with, instead of actually addressing the question.
In order to gain support from his Republican base and subtly continue his war with the Walt Disney Company, Governor DeSantis will hold a debate with California Governor Gavin Newsom on FOX News in Georgia on November 30. Maher noted that he didn’t think DeSantis could win. “You know he is taller and better looking.”
Who Really Did Start the Feud?
The Republican Governor does raise an interesting question. Who did start the feud between Disney and DeSantis? It can be easy to point at Disney since they spoke out about the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” Bill. On top of that, they provided massive donations to Desantis’ campaign. In that sense, they created this feud a long time ago.
But in the end, the person who starts a fight is always the one who throws the first punch. In this situation, that is DeSantis. Disney may have made comments, but the Florida Governor retaliated by suddenly wanting to “stand up” to the Walt Disney Company, who helped fund his initial campaign, and completely change the legal establishment around the Reedy Creek Improvement District, directly affecting his state’s most significant source of income: Walt Disney World Resort.
Related: “Give It Back To Disney!” Reedy Creek Locals Want DeSantis Out
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter who started the feud because this battle is costing the Florida Governor more than he could ever gain out of it. People from both sides of the aisle, including President Joe Biden, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and former President Donald Trump, have all declared that this was a stupid move. And it seems the public largely agrees.
Governor Ron DeSantis clearly wants to be president, but he’s currently trailing in the polls by over 50%, and that’s against an opponent who is now being tried for treason. No matter who started this fight, Desantis’ entire political career will now be defined as the guy who tried to fight Mickey Mouse.
Who do you think started the Disney v. DeSantis feud? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments below.