'Defend Donald Trump': Memo offers unusual window into DeSantis' debate strategy

An unusual window into Gov. Ron DeSantis' potential strategy at next week's GOP presidential primary debate surfaced Thursday in the form of a memo – which was posted online by the GOP consulting firm behind a pro-DeSantis super PAC – that urges Florida's governor to "defend Donald Trump," among other advice.

Such detailed campaign strategy often is closely guarded, but DeSantis has been relying heavily on the Never Back Down super PAC for support and the committee can't coordinate privately with the campaign. Instead, these committees sometimes post information publicly to communicate with campaigns without breaking federal election rules.

The New York Times was alerted that the DeSantis debate memo had been posted on the website of Axiom Strategies, whose owner is the chief strategist for Never Back Down. It was later removed, but the Times posted a copy online.

The memo offers "four basic must-dos" for DeSantis at the debate: "1. Attack Joe Biden and the media 3-5 times. 2. State (DeSantis') positive visions 2-3 times. 3) Hammer Vivek Ramaswamy in a response. 4) Defend Trump in absentia in response to a Chris Christie attack."

The memo highlights the difficult task DeSantis faces in trying to take on the former president without alienating his supporters. DeSantis has criticized Trump on certain issues but also has vociferously defended him against allegations in four separate indictments that he broke the law.

Christie, the former New Jersey governor and 2016 presidential candidate, is an outspoken Trump critic.

"Defend Trump when Chris Christie attacks him: 'Trump isn't here so let's just leave him alone. He's too weak to defend himself here.... I don't think we want to join forces with someone on this stage who's auditioning for a show on MSNBC," the memo states, referring to the liberal-leaning cable news channel.

DeSantis' supporters also appear to view Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur who has been gaining in some polls, as a threat to overtake the governor.

"Take a sledge-hammer to Vivek Ramaswamy: 'Fake Vivek' or 'Vivek the Fake," the memo states.

Ramaswamy responded to the memo on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: “Another boring, establishment attack from Super PAC-creation ‘Robot Ron’ who is literally taking lame, pre-programmed attack lines against me for next week’s debate."

The fact that the memo became public was a major blunder in the eyes of some political observers.

"This is a first for me: a SuperPAC, leaking a voluminous, pre-debate strategy memo to the candidate on the other side of the wall," David Axelrod, the chief strategist for former President Barack Obama's campaigns and a CNN analyst, wrote on X. "Now, if and when (DeSantis) does any of these things in next week's debate, he'll look utterly inauthentic. It's insane!"

Another portion of the memo talks about the need for DeSantis to "invoke a personal anecdote story about family, kids, Casey, showing emotion." That could be a sign that his supporters are taking seriously the perception that DeSantis can come across as awkward and unlikable, and needs to connect more emotionally with voters.

The first primary debate is Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Milwaukee, and it is a pivotal moment for DeSantis' struggling campaign, which has shed staff and switched managers amid multiple reboots.

DeSantis trails far behind Trump in polls, including in key early voting states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. Christie topped DeSantis in a recent New Hampshire poll.

What else does the memo reveal?

The memo urges DeSantis to "name check Iowa, New Hampshire, etc. voters directly." It offers advice on what to do when he's attacked.

"When there is a core attack on (DeSantis') central candidacy (he)... should take the time, correct the record, and highlight the positive/dismiss the attacker if it's a tier one candidate," the memo states, adding that DeSantis can "also pivot to hitting Joe Biden when possible."

"If it's not a core attack but (DeSantis') name is invoked... take the response opportunity to pivot and take up time," according to the memo.

Roger Ailes, the former chairman and CEO of Fox News, also is invoked in the memo, which refers to Ailes' "orchestra pit theory."

"Let's face it, there are three things that the media are interested in: pictures, mistakes and attacks," the memo says, quoting Ailes. "That's the one sure way of getting coverage. You try to avoid as many mistakes as you can. You try to give them as many pictures as you can. And if you need coverage, you attack, and you will get coverage. It's my orchestra pit theory of politics. You have two guys on stage and one guy says, 'I have a solution to the Middle East problem,' and the other guy falls in the orchestra pit, who do you think is going to be on the evening news..."

"Potential orchestra pit moments" listed in the memo: Attacking Ramaswamy, defending Trump against Christie and "carrying the torch" by praising Trump' before arguing his "drama" has become too much and vowing to "take the torch and carry it to the next chapter."

The memo even gives DeSantis a script for how to woo Trump voters.

"Many voters, like me, voted for Donald Trump, love Donald Trump," DeSantis should say, according to the memo. "He was a breath of fresh air and the first president to tell the elite where to shove it. But he was attacked all the time, provoked attacks all the time, and it was non-stop. The drama affected families. Trump's drama pitted brother against brother, friend against friend. He's got so many distractions and it's almost impossible for him to focus on moving the country forward."

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Memo from DeSantis PAC urges him to defend Trump at debate