DeSantis hates Florida media, but we sure are eating up his Martha’s Vineyard stunt | Opinion

Speaking at the National Conservatism Convention in Aventura this month, Gov. DeSantis’ campaign director of rapid retaliation, Christina Pushaw, outlined her policy for dealing with “legacy media” outlets:

“Cut them off,” deny access and attack, the website Florida Politics reported.

But DeSantis sure knows how to bait journalists into giving him wall-to-wall coverage. His latest made-for-the-media stunt of sending unsuspecting migrants to Martha’s Vineyard was cruel and a waste of Floridians’ tax dollars. It was also the stuff of a wicked genius — though the jury is still out on whether it will backfire.

No politician in recent Florida history, other than Donald Trump, has shown such skill in using the same media outlets he reportedly abhors. If cable-news channels such as CNN made bank while Trump was in the White House, DeSantis is the hand that feeds a lot of fodder for news stories in outlets like, yes, the Miami Herald and our opinion pages.

It’s no secret that the governor has got his sights on the presidency. DeSantis knows the key to the White House is staying relevant and rattling liberals. What better way to do that than by dumping migrants in America’s enclave for the wealthy?

Many 2024 GOP primary voters get their news from Fox News and other right-wing sources that have been eating this up. But Fox News alone isn’t helping him achieve notoriety. Florida is still a thriving market for newspapers — the “legacy media” Pushaw talked about — no matter how much they’ve struggled in the past decade.

Gannett, the nation’s largest newspaper chain, owns more than a dozen papers in some of the reddest, and wealthiest, parts of the state, including the Panhandle and Naples, as well as in blue Palm Beach County. The Herald, the Tampa Bay Times, among the state’s largest papers, have enormous reach no matter how much conservatives like to say we’re only good for lining birdcages.

I’m not being a Pollyanna: Distrust of traditional media is real. I don’t deny that the financial pressure we’ve faced has led to cuts and layoffs that hurt local news coverage that’s crucial to democracy. Or that journalists could do a better job covering and understanding conservative voters and issues.

DeSantis has been good for the media, and the media have been good for DeSantis. This cat-and-mouse game he’s playing with journalists is not new or original. It serves a dual purpose: evading accountability while fueling grievances against the “liberal press.” At the same time, I’m sure DeSantis truly feels he hasn’t gotten a fair shake from journalists he considers represent that “liberal press,” though he’s managed to keep his name in headlines on almost a daily basis.

The question taxpayers and voters must ask themselves is whether this game helps the country. Is DeSantis helping solve our broken immigration system with stunts? Who truly benefits when he divides Floridians over LGBTQ issues, transgender athletes and his favorite punching bag, critical race theory?

DeSantis seems to fancy himself a puppeteer of public opinion. Can he go too far? At this point, the old adage that any publicity is good publicity is helping him. But DeSantis ought to be careful: The tide of public opinion can change in an instant.

Isadora Rangel is a member of the Miami Herald Editorial Board.

This story was originally published September 16, 2022 at 1:33 PM.