# The Florida insiders get face-planted **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 29, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472 "2018-08-29T14:33:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/1 "2018-08-29T14:33:57Z")
Talking about the race for Governor, of course. To the surprise of most, including essentially all political reporters and myself, the Democratic nominee for governor is Andrew Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, a strong progressive, and African-American. Getting Sanders’ endorsement, Soros money, and a stronger Souls to the Polls campaign among black voters than non-blacks might have realized did the trick. The more-moderate Gwen Graham, daughter of a very popular former Governor and Senator, a former Congress member, and the party’s preference once she took over what looked like a solid lead in the polls, fell a little short. Gillum is the third black nominee for Governor this year, all in the South too. Now for the electability issue, which has to be at or near the top of the priority list in a divided state: Graham led the head-to-heads against the Trumplicker Ron DeSantis, who got the GOP bid in that party’s own stuffing of the party insiders, while Gillum may have suffered from name recognition that will no longer be a problem for him. Let’s just say racism is strong in Florida, so is Democrat-hate, and Gillum will need even more of what got him nominated if he’s going to win. Even if he does, he’s almost certainly going to have a Regressive legislature to deal with, and less of an established party machinery behind him. Of course, if blacks come out in large numbers to vote for Gillum, they’ll tend to also vote for other Dems while they’re there. But, at least “proud NRA sellout” and Big Sugar tool Adam Putnam is out on his ear, after being unable to overcome a fawning Trump tweet endorsing the heretofore-nobody DeSantis. So there’s some good news. Oh, and the Dem nominee for Attorney General is Sean Shaw, son of the state’s first black Chief Justice, and for Ag Commissioner (a powerful post) we have Nikki Fried and her radical notions about serving the people first instead of agribusiness. The green slime covering the South Florida lakes and rivers, from decades of the Republican’s refusal to regulate agricultural use of fertilizer, may turn that tide. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/2 "2018-08-29T15:16:13Z")
Ron DeSantis is telling voters not to [“monkey this up”](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/404151-desantis-florida-voters-shouldnt-monkey-this-up-by-voting-for) by electing Gillum. Right after calling him “articulate.” So _that’s_ how it’s gonna be. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/3 "2018-08-29T15:43:56Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Ron DeSantis is telling voters not to [“monkey this up”](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/404151-desantis-florida-voters-shouldnt-monkey-this-up-by-voting-for) by electing Gillum. Right after calling him “articulate.” > > So _that’s_ how it’s gonna be. Is he even attempting to claim it was a slip of the tongue for “muck this up” or has he not even that shred of expedient conscience? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/4 "2018-08-29T16:12:47Z")
So the Governor of Florida next year will be a Republican. Good job, Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/5 "2018-08-29T16:17:55Z")
How do you conclude that would be a good thing? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/6 "2018-08-29T16:26:16Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > So the Governor of Florida next year will be a Republican. Good job, Democrats. No; I don’t think it will. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/7 "2018-08-29T16:34:54Z")
I’ve read the stories and looked at the tape. To my ear, it sounds as if he is referring to the “socialistic” agenda. Hence, “monkey it up” means stupid and clumsy. He is smearing contempt on a set of political opinions, not a race. Leastwise, that’s how I heard it. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/8 "2018-08-29T16:44:49Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I’ve read the stories and looked at the tape. To my ear, it sounds as if he is referring to the “socialistic” agenda. Hence, “monkey it up” means stupid and clumsy. He is smearing contempt on a set of political opinions, not a race. Leastwise, that’s how I heard it. I don’t disagree…but it’s an extraordinarily poor choice of words, and will serve as a clear dogwhistle, even if not intended as such. Especially in Florida. Especially coming from a Trumpist. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/9 "2018-08-29T16:52:27Z")
Yep. It had the effect he wanted, or would have wanted if he’d thought about it first, and he still keeps plausible deniability. There will be other such events over the next couple of months, we can be confident. Just by the bye, I didn’t realize until hearing Gillum’s acceptance speech last night just how gifted a speaker he is. I’m very much looking forward to the debates. If he succeeds taking this step, it may not be his last. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/10 "2018-08-29T17:02:32Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I’ve read the stories and looked at the tape. To my ear, it sounds as if he is referring to the “socialistic” agenda. Hence, “monkey it up” means stupid and clumsy. He is smearing contempt on a set of political opinions, not a race. Leastwise, that’s how I heard it. I thought the same thing. It’s very possible he didn’t mean “monkey” as a racist statement. However, it strikes me as extraordinarily tone deaf not to realize that it could be taken that way. He also referred to him as “articulate”, which he probably thought was a compliment, but the fact that he felt that Gillum being articulate was notable says loads. ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/11 "2018-08-29T17:08:11Z")
This ought to be entertaining. A racist Trump disciple against a boutique-style iPhone socialist. Let me get my popcorn! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/12 "2018-08-29T17:12:03Z")
Trump is articulate, his messages are always clear even when the words don’t mean anything in particular. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/13 "2018-08-29T17:26:05Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I thought the same thing. It’s very possible he didn’t mean “monkey” as a racist statement. However, it strikes me as extraordinarily tone deaf not to realize that it could be taken that way. No, it’s not possible at all. I simply don’t believe that politicians in 2018 are actually unfamiliar with dog whistles, the idea that he’s completely unaware of the history of comparing black people to various primates just doesn’t hold water. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/14 "2018-08-29T17:37:24Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > He also referred to him as “articulate”, which he probably thought was a compliment … and a credit to his race! ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/15 "2018-08-29T17:49:07Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I’ve read the stories and looked at the tape. To my ear, it sounds as if he is referring to the “socialistic” agenda. Hence, “monkey it up” means stupid and clumsy. He is smearing contempt on a set of political opinions, not a race. Leastwise, that’s how I heard it. I can’t remember ever hearing the phrase “monkey [_something_] up” before. _Muck_ something up, or _monkey around with_ something… but is “monkey it up” really a thing? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/16 "2018-08-29T17:51:44Z")
> [@EscAlaMike](#): > > …a boutique-style iPhone socialist… What on earth does that even mean? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/17 "2018-08-29T18:05:00Z")
> [@andros](#): > > What on earth does that even mean? RAWR! LIBRULS BAD! It’s like “limousine liberal” mixed with “kids these days” mixed with a rather poor grasp of English. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/18 "2018-08-29T18:14:32Z")
> [@Joe Biden](#): > > "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. Didn’t hurt the former VP in the long-run, did it? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/19 "2018-08-29T18:25:31Z")
Check out this DeSantis [campaign ad video.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1YP_zZJFXs) I thought it might be SNL at first, but no, it’s real. Speaking of monkeys, looks like Trump is an organ grinder. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472/20 "2018-08-29T18:38:27Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I thought the same thing. It’s very possible he didn’t mean “monkey” as a racist statement. However, it strikes me as extraordinarily tone deaf not to realize that it could be taken that way. > > He also referred to him as “articulate”, which he probably thought was a compliment, but the fact that he felt that Gillum being articulate was notable says loads. Yeah, I’m seeing it as a stupid choice of phrasing, not necessarily racist. But I might be wrong. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-florida-insiders-get-face-planted/820472.md?page=2)