Dissing DeSantis: Community reacts to Washington Post article critical of gov

Florida received negative headlines this weekend as our total number of COVID-19 cases rose to second in the country.

The Washington Post published an article critical of the governor. The headline: “Coronavirus ravaged Florida, as Ron DeSantis sidelined scientists and followed Trump.”

The article essentially states that DeSantis stopped listening to medical experts and now only listens to President Donald Trump.

WINK News spoke with some people in downtown Fort Myers on Monday to see how they feel about the Post’s report, and one thing they all agree on: Florida is no joke.

But The Washington Post, read here and around the world, makes the case that our leadership is a laughing matter.

“What do you expect? If you don’t follow guidelines, sure something is going to happen. And it’s obvious something has happened,” said Keith Osterbrock of Fort Myers.

“It’s not like he caused this virus and I think he is trying to do the best that he can. And you can’t please everybody,” said Shannon Knowles of Fort Myers.

“We are (a joke). We are. Because we’re almost number one in the country,” said Pamela May.

Florida is now ranked second in the country for total COVID-19 cases, and the Post story has deemed DeSantis’ public appearances as “explain away the virus” news conferences.

“I go places, there’s like people that are not wearing masks, they don’t believe there’s a virus,” said Ben Prosper of Fort Myers.

“Obviously the person in charge always has to take the blame,” Knowles said.

“I wear my mask everywhere and then you see people with no mask and they kind of look at you like you’re the oddball. Like, why are you wearing a mask?” May said.

The Post points out that DeSantis has met with the state’s top doctor just once this month and stopped briefings with disease specialists in June.

“I think everything is political now. He’s not even taking it seriously,” May said.

“They can only be in so many places at each time. Just because they’re not meeting with the CDC or the health department every day and having a conversation doesn’t mean that they don’t have people that are,” Knowles said.

In the end, the Post shows how DeSantis followed Trump’s lead. One political analyst said that decision could prove costly.