Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is refusing to condemn Elon Musk ‘s post endorsing an antisemitic conspiracy theory, maintaining Sunday that he wasn’t familiar with the post despite it prompting major companies to pull advertising from the billionaire’s X social media platform.

“I did not see the comment,” DeSantis, the governor of Florida, said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And so, I know that Elon has had a target on his back ever since he purchased Twitter because I think he’s taking it in a direction that a lot of people who are used to controlling the narrative don’t like.”

Musk has sparked outcry with a recent tweet responding to a user who accused Jews of hating white people and for professing a general indifference to antisemitism. “You have said the actual truth,” Musk tweeted in a reply Wednesday.

  • Pratai@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    He cannot and will not speak against his voter base and he knows it. He knows damn well what was said- it would be near impossible for him NOT to know.

    Fucking liar.

    • Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      1 year ago

      I have no idea what the comment was even though I’m up to speed in general on the backlash. Difference is that I’m already convinced Elon is a bigoted prick so I never felt a need to check? I’m not sure that makes me any better to be honest. For all I know it was something mundane and taken out of context, I just don’t think that’s very likely and even if it was I already think he’s absolute scum for enough other bs he’s said and done.

      • DerisionConsulting@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        The first one in this specific instance, is that someone said “Jewish communties have been pushing the exact kind of dialectical hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them.”

        Musk replied with “You have said the actual truth”

        The second one in this specific instance is that someone else said “Everyone is allowed to be proud of their race, except for white people, because we’ve been brainwashed into believing that our history was some how ‘worse’ than other races."

        Musk replied with “Yeah, this is super messed up. Time for this nonsense to end and shame ANYONE who perpetuates these lies!”


        Both of these are a little dog whistle-ly, and I could see someone who hasn’t been in the corners of the internet, or has never heard of things like “straight pride month” not hearing what’s actually being said.

        • Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          1 year ago

          Wow, it’s incredible to me how much hatred that asshole spews. It would be sad if it wasn’t so destructive. He couldn’t be punching down from any higher of a perch than he sits atop. What a miserable and pathetic way to live.

  • Additional_Prune@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    The article goes on to point out that DeSantis was shown Elon’s comment and then still refused to condemn it. Rhonda’s statement against antisemitism rings very hollow when he refuses to denounce antisemitism that’s shown to him.

    • Ranvier@sopuli.xyz
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      1 year ago

      He doesn’t think endorsing a nazi post will be particularly popular, but he can’t afford to alienate his base of nazis, so he pretends he has never heard of it forever until people stop asking. Classic republicans.

      • nilloc@discuss.tchncs.de
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        1 year ago

        As close MM. jamming fingers in his ears and screaming lalalalalalalala over the question.

        If Rhonda and the rest of the GOP weren’t so dangerous, they’d be funny to watch.

  • Nougat@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    I did not see the comment.

    Here it is. What do you have to say about it now?

  • Illuminostro@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Has there ever been a more unlikable Presidential candidate? Seriously. Everything about this guy is unpleasant.

  • iBaz@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    DeSantis walks into a bar and sits at a table with 5 Nazis. The table now has six Nazis.

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    1 year ago

    Something that someone pointed out to me several years ago, when there was some scandal in the US Congress and everyone the press contacted was like “I haven’t read it so I don’t know anything about it”: it may or may not be true that he hasn’t read it. But he certainly has a staff member who has read it and informed him about it.

    “I haven’t seen it” is the equivalent of Yes, I know about it, but it would create difficulties for me if I condemn it, so I’m just very conveniently going to avoid ‘seeing’ it until this blows over. Also, if you continue to press me about the matter, I’m just going to respond that I haven’t seen it because I’ve been focusing on , so there.

  • ExfilBravo@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    The political equivalent of putting your fingers in your ears and yelling LA LA LA LA LA at the top of your lungs when they get asked a question they don’t want to answer.

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    1 year ago

    He sure seems to have a lot of opinions about something he claims to know nothing about.

  • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    That is a fine stance however it means he then has to go seek it out and update people after he has seen it

      • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        Well obviously, that’s why he’s not going to get back to us

        And then the answer of “didn’t see it” no longer holds merit

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      No he doesn’t. He doesn’t owe anyone that. He simply didn’t see the tweet. we aren’t all obliged to succle at the teat that is “X” at all hours of the day like rabid squirrels. “I didn’t see the comment” is a legitimate answer and should bar no further investigation. Get over it.

      • agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works
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        It’s a brief comment. He has spent longer talking about how he hasn’t seen it than it would take to see it, this is disingenuous theater. He’s intentionally deflecting so he doesn’t have to choose between alienating the fascists that comprise his base, and alienating the moderate R voters that he needs to supplement the fascists if he wants any chance of electability.

      • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        If you don’t know something then you should learn it

        If you don’t care to learn it then the answer should be that you don’t care

        • 520@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          …or he could just say what he said? Not everyone is obligated to pay attention to Musk.

          • paintbucketholder@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            He’s running for the office of President of The United States of America, and the multi-billionaire who owns what is still one of the world’s most influential social media platforms openly spouts antisemitic rhetoric.

            It seems pretty fair to ask a candidate about his view on that issue.

            • FontMasterFlex@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Elon Musk has nothing to do with it. Ask about the Israel issue all you want, that’s fair. But it’d be like asking him about YOUR tweet about Israel. It doesn’t fucking matter.

            • FontMasterFlex@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              no. don’t put words in my mouth. It’s not pertinent to his campaign. people like you just want him and anyone else to ‘take a side’ so you can have your “gotcha” moment. no one should comment on things they don’t know about. What he said is a perfectly fine answer to a question. you’re just mad cause he won’t stick his foot in his mouth so you can point and scream.

              • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca
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                1 year ago

                What side?

                I’m not mad about anything, I don’t care what his stance is

                Notice how I said I don’t care instead of I don’t know?

                Because I’m not going to go digging to find out

                • FontMasterFlex@lemmy.world
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                  Great, that’s you. you realize not everyone is the same right? or are you that much of a ‘main character’?