Ron DeSantis Struggled to Smile During Republican Presidential Debate
The first Republican presidential debate took place on Wednesday night. Anyone hoping to see Donald Trump had to settle for a pre-taped interview that aired online or wait for him to be arraigned in Georgia on Thursday morning. But Ron DeSantis was there, centerstage, still struggling to smile like a human. The Internet latched on to one particular close-up of DeSantis clearly remembering he was supposed to smile when people clap, but his facial muscles failed him.
This man is in PAIN pic.twitter.com/MCFNGyCRRZ
— Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) August 24, 2023
Pain really does seem like the only way to describe DeSantis smiling. Or trying to. Time and again he just looks like he's forgotten to have fun out there.
This looked painful. pic.twitter.com/ePuupuFcNG
— ChudsOfTikTok (@ChudsOfTikTok) August 24, 2023
Not that it shook his confidence. DeSantis assured America that under his watch Anthony Fauci would be fired.
If the saying, “less is more” was a human — it would be Ron DeSantis.
— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) August 24, 2023
We could all do with a lot less of him and he’d probably be further ahead in the polls.#GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/wfCsrAjevG
Fauci retired at the end of 2022.
Facts be damned, however casual fans feel the debate went, DeSantis supporters were thrilled to see him walk into a diner on Thursday morning for an appearance on Fox News. You can't hear or see the people clapping, but rest assured they're just out of frame over Brian Kilmeade's shoulder, erupting too.
“Gov. @RonDeSantis just walked in, the place just ERUPTED!”
— Team DeSantis (@TeamDeSantis) August 24, 2023
— @kilmeade says just now at a Milwaukee diner pic.twitter.com/biad6eRfWj
With the Iowa State Fair and first debate now over, DeSantis can finally leave the Midwest and head back to Florida to rest, regroup and work on that smile.