Brad Slager: The Ron DeSantis Communications Team Takes the Press Head-On, Specifically Andrea Mitchell and NBC News

The obvious truth is that the media have taken up a mission against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. It has been years now of the media – locally in Florida and on the national level – working in concert to deride DeSantis, almost as a default setting. Throughout the pandemic, DeSantis was mocked. “60 Minutes” Did a great jobOne so flawed that it was debunked before it could air. Collectively, the media chose to lie about his legislation concerning schools and parents. All outlets agreed. “Don’t Say Gay” It was approved as a description of the bill. 

As the next presidential election season approaches, the possibility of a DeSantis-led campaign is increasing. This has led to more accusations and less accountability from media. This is the latest round of inaccuracies, which could be described as “misinformation” The governor’s education policies in the state are something that should concern anyone who is visiting from abroad. Two major prevarications have been made. Books are being banned, while black history is being omitted from schools.

This is easy to forget. The first point is easily dismissed. This canard makes for a good shorthand accusation, so it is allowed to stay in the media.

The next one, about the blocking black history, is being totally contorted. Recently, I explained. How it isn’t only wrong to suggest DeSantis would like to get rid of black history teachings. This is 180 degrees out-of-phase, since there are laws that dictate the topics should be taught in schools. DeSantis has signed these laws in recent times. We now come to Andrea Mitchell and NBC News.

The not-at-all-past-her-prime Mitchell Recently, I sat down with Kamala Harris Interview with the vice president of MSNBC. Ms. Mitchell was wildly incorrect in her premise and threw it around during the meeting.

• “What does Governor DeSantis not know about black history and the black experience when he says that slavery and the aftermath of slavery should not be taught to Florida school children?”

This level of deceit is unjustifiable. It is easy to find the laws, and the story is often in the news. The details of the laws would be revealed by the smallest amount of research. The controversy surrounding the AP Black History issues New Teaching materials that did not meet the anti-CRT legislation’s standards. Black history is not being blocked by excluding a curriculum that included queer studies or had current political activism.

Andrea Mitchell’s false claim was corrected by the DeSantis communications staff. Bryan Griffin, DeSantis Press Secretary, was asked by me if they had spoken to NBC News regarding this exact segment and if they received any comment. “We did call the network,” Griffin stated: “after she first made the claim, and nothing came of it.” 

After that silence, DeSantis’ team reached out to management at the cable news channel as well as the network offices. Mitchell appeared to have made it to the broadcast later. “clarify” Her comments. Jeremy Redfern, DeSantis Deputy Secretary of Press, explained why this postscript was insufficient.

Yet again @mitchellreports Is “imprecise” She uses unnamed characters in her description “historians and teachers.”

Florida law prohibits the teaching of slavery or its aftermath. We know that “queer studies” Jim Crow has nothing to do.https://t.co/tHKJW30L9l pic.twitter.com/h6l1RDsC4f

— Jeremy Redfern (@JeremyRedfernFL) February 22, 2023

Griffin saw the piece and said it was his. “a typical non-apology response that doubles down on her lie.” Redfern explained everything to me. “Our office did our due diligence and elevated this further up the chain in MSNBC and NBC. We were told that this was being sent to ‘standards,’ and all that appears to have come out of ‘standards’ was the non-apology.”

Griffin was able to make a bold statement about the governor’s communications office. They would cut off any future engagements with NBC News. And if there were to be a reestablishment a communications link between the network and DeSantis’ team, it would depend on Andrea Mitchell’s apology and correction.

To all the producers and bookers who reached out to our office @NBCNews @MSNBC For @GovRonDeSantis We will respond to your request to join your shows. @mitchellreports You can apologize and your track record will improve. pic.twitter.com/8kQcLLEVzW

— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) February 22, 2023

This may seem like a harsh reaction but there are no risks to the DeSantis camp when making this kind of decision. Griffin, Redfern, as well as Christina Pushaw, the previous press secretary, have all shared many instances where the press behaved in bad faith with their team. They also shared instances of reporters being given details about a story, only to have those details changed, contradicted or ignored in the next piece. 

This tendency has been demonstrated by the press to move forward With a pre-set agenda DeSantis Even though the information was accurate information. This approach by his office seems to be not only justifiable, but essential at this stage. The governor has Already angered some journalists When he made it a habit not to give interviews to the biased press outlets. 

NBC can’t complain about the latest stance taken by the governor’s offices. They have been shown – quite clearly – to be trafficking in bold falsehoods and taking little effort to correct the record. The network can’t argue that this was an unreasonable decision. DeSantis’ office has little to no risk of leaving NBC. What could happen? What might happen? Again?