Ron DeSantis slammed for calling Trump followers ‘listless vessels’

Ron DeSantis is coming under attack for deriding supporters of former President Donald Trump as “listless vessels,” an insult that some have compared to Hillary Clinton’s infamous 2016 “deplorables” jab.

In an interview with a conservative Florida publication, the Florida governor and Republican presidential candidate used the phrase to explain why right-wing voters need to move on from Trump.

“If all we are is listless vessels that are just supposed to follow whatever happens to come down the pike on Truth Social every morning, that’s not going to be a durable movement,” DeSantis told the Florida Standard.

The Trump campaign and pro-Trump figures pounced on the “listless vessel” remark as evidence that DeSantis looks down on the MAGA base.

“DeSantis is now running the same, failed playbook as Hillary Clinton,” said Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Trump’s campaign.

That attack line proved an extremely effective mobilizing tool for Trump in 2016 when Clinton said MAGA was comprised in large part by a “basket of deplorables,” including those holding racist, sexist, homophobic and xenophobic views.

The “listless vessels” controversy comes as an unwanted distraction as DeSantis desperately tries to revive his stuttering campaign as poll numbers show him falling further and further behind Trump.

Once close to even in polls, the Florida governor has fallen about 40% behind Trump in recent national surveys, although he remains with a healthy edge over other candidates further back in the pack.

He faces this week’s first Republican presidential debate Wednesday night battling reports that the clash could turn into a piling on session in which he deals with a barrage of attacks from at least seven candidates who are participating. Trump says he is so far ahead that he is skipping the debate altogether.

DeSantis has beef dogged by criticism about his awkward campaign style and icy personality.

He does not appear to relish retail politics and has been captured on video making dismissive comments about voters while working crowds at campaign events.