Ron DeSantis tells Bill Maher he CAN beat Donald Trump in 2024 – but HBO host jokes that Florida governor wouldn’t be appearing on his show if his campaign was going well
Ron DeSantis has emphasized during an interview with Bill Maher that he can beat Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
But the liberal HBO host, 67, joked that the Florida governor wouldn’t appear on his show if his campaign was going well.
Maher interviewed DeSantis, 45, about his uphill battle to win the GOP primary during the latest episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, which aired Friday.
He branded the politician “crazy” for running for office at a young age and questioned why he would go against the popular figure of former President Trump.
However, DeSantis insisted he could win, claiming he could be the person to “actually get the job done.”
Ron DeSantis is pictured during his appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher Friday
Maher branded the politician ‘crazy’ for running for office at a young age and questioned why he would go against the popular figure of former President Trump
“You didn’t take my advice,” Maher told him during the conversation.
‘I was on the show – a few times we talked – I said, ‘This guy is crazy to run this time.’
‘What are you, 45 years old? It was just your birthday, right?’
DeSantis replied, “Yes,” and Maher added, “You could run for the next 20 years.” If you were Biden, the next 40. Why go against Trump?
“You’re trying to thread this needle, but it’s never going to happen. You cannot deny him, because that is the basis, and yet you run into him.
“And that’s why, I mean, let’s face it, Ron, if the campaign went well, you wouldn’t be on this show.”
The governor of Florida hit back, saying, “That’s not true. One: I don’t think he can win the election. I could win the election. Two, I don’t think he could actually do the job we need to do.
“For example, COVID. I think we need accountability for what this administration has done to this country with the COVID restriction mandates and lockdowns. Donald Trump is not going to do that… He is not going to clean up the mess at CDC, NIH, FDA. I will do that. I’ll get the job done.’
He added, “The one thing about me in Florida, and even my critics will recognize it, if he says he’s going to do something, he’s going to follow through and get the job done.
Maher (right) grilled DeSantis, 45, about his uphill battle to win the GOP primary during the latest episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, which aired Friday
DeSantis insisted he could beat Trump, claiming he could be the person to ‘actually get the job done’
‘So it’s about the country. Are we going to change the country or not? I don’t think he’s a vehicle to do that and I have been when I supported them on things I liked.
“I’ve said it, but I’ve been critical of the things he hasn’t done, and I will continue to be critical of it.”
Comedian and talk show host Maher took aim at DeSantis’ previous “election deniers” campaign during the 2022 midterm elections.
However, the politician defended his support for Republicans involved in key races.
The HBO star further urged him that denying the 2020 election was not a “deal breaker” for him.
DeSantis then hit back, claiming there was election denial by those on the left after Trump won in 2016.
“Your friends in Hollywood were cutting ads telling the Electoral College to vote against Trump in the Electoral College because it was stolen,” he said.
“They said Russia stole the election, they said that for years. So don’t pretend this is something unique in the country’s modern history
Former President Donald Trump speaks Friday at the California Republican Party’s fall convention in Anaheim, California
The ex-president got big laughs as he recreated a moment when a confused Biden seemed unable to find his way off stage
Maher then joked, “First of all, Ron, I have no friends in Hollywood.”
The pair then agreed on their views on “woke” people and criticized The New York Times for an article about DeSantis’ handling of the pandemic in Florida.
Maher said the governor was right.
DeSantis was involved on Wednesday in the Republican’s second 2024 presidential primary debate, which Trump again skipped.
He lashed out at the former president for not showing up and challenged him to a debate.
“He’s a no-show, he’s missing, he owes it to the voters to show up and defend his record,” he said.
“I think he thinks he can have a juice poll and people can’t vote, that’s not how the system works. You have to start earning votes, so I’m going to show up. I’ll show you that.’
Real Time with Bill Maher returned for the first time since April due to the writers’ strike that recently ended after 148 days.
The governor of Florida is polling at about 14 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polls, while Trump has a huge lead with about 58 percent support.