'What a joke': Newsom spox pans DeSantis’ debate proposal as evidence of 'insecurity and ineptitude'

During an appearance with Fox News host Sean Hannity this past Wednesday, Florida governor and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis accepted Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom's challenge to a policy debate. But the two leaders have not yet agreed on how their potential showdown should function.

Politico Playbook's Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza, and Rachel Bade contrasted both men's terms on Saturday morning:

The similarities …

• Both agree on some of the basics: (1) Hannity is the only person who can ask questions; (2) the debate will run 90 minutes; (3) staff can't brief either governor once they have started; and (4) speaking time is to be equally divided between the two.
• Hannity has to make sure the 'governors do not interrupt each other during their designated time to speak.' (Good luck with that!)
• Closing statements will be two minutes long and their order will be determined by coin toss.

The differences …

DeSantis proposes no opening remarks; each governor can instead provide a two-minute video 'to make the case for their governing philosophy' that would air before the program begins

While Newsom proposed a mano-a-mano debate in an empty room, DeSantis wants a live audience, with tickets distributed '50-50.'

DeSantis sent two location options (Georgia and Iowa) compared to Newsom's three (Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina) — i.e., the debate is looking awfully peachy.

Only one of the three date options DeSantis suggests lines up with the two Newsom floated: Wednesday, Nov. 8. So go ahead and mark it down — but in pencil, not pen.

Newsom's camp quickly panned DeSantis' offer, Politico's Andrew Zhang reported on Saturday afternoon.

"What a joke," Newsom spokesperson Nathan Click told Zhang. "Desantis' counterproposal is littered with crutches to hide his insecurity and ineptitude — swapping opening statements with a hype video, cutting down the time he needs to be on stage, adding cheat notes and a cheering section."

Click also swiped at DeSantis for trailing thrice-indicted former President Donald Trump in recent GOP primary polls.

"Ron should be able to stand on his own two feet,” Click quipped. "It's no wonder Trump is kicking his a**."