Ron DeSantis is ā€œfundamentally authoritarianā€, but Donald Trumpā€™s quest for ā€œvengeanceā€ poses an even greater threat to democracy, Californiaā€™s Democratic governor Gavin Newsom said on Sunday.

Newsom took aim at the leading two candidates for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination during a hard-hitting and wide-ranging interview on NBCā€™s Meet the Press, the final episode with its long-time host Chuck Todd.

ā€œI worry about democracy,ā€ he said. ā€œI worry about the fetishness for autocracy that weā€™re seeing not just from Trump, but around the world, and notably across this country.

ā€œIā€™ve made the point about DeSantis that I think heā€™s functionally authoritarian. Iā€™m worried more, in many respects, about Trumpism, which transcends well beyond his term and time in tenure.ā€

Newsom added: ā€œThe vengeance in Donald Trumpā€™s heart right now is more of a threat.ā€

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    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    Ron DeSantis is ā€œfundamentally authoritarianā€, but Donald Trumpā€™s quest for ā€œvengeanceā€ poses an even greater threat to democracy, Californiaā€™s Democratic governor Gavin Newsom said on Sunday.

    Newsom took aim at the leading two candidates for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination during a hard-hitting and wide-ranging interview on NBCā€™s Meet the Press, the final episode with its long-time host Chuck Todd.

    The governor, seen as a rising star in the Democratic party and a likely future presidential candidate, was referring to the former presidentā€™s often-voiced promises to gain ā€œrevengeā€ ā€“ if he wins back the White House ā€“ over political rivals he blames for the multiple criminal indictments against him.

    He disagreed with DeSantisā€™s strategy of lifting lockdowns and banning mask mandates, and attacked the Florida leaderā€™s ā€œpartisanshipā€ ā€“ most recently on display when he snubbed Joe Bidenā€™s visit to the state in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia.

    The California governor said he was fine with the rightwing Fox personality Sean Hannity as moderator, making it effectively a ā€œtwo-on-oneā€ debate in Newsomā€™s words.

    Newsom was also questioned on the future of the veteran California senator Dianne Feinstein, 90, whose recent health issues have led to long absences from the chamber and prompted calls for her to stand down.


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