One isn’t running for President. The other is trailing by 30-40 points in the polls. But the best political television of the year is going to be on Fox News as the expected debate between Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) against Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA).
After plenty of speculation, DeSantis accepted an offer to debate Newsom on Fox News with Sean Hannity serving as moderator. Newsom originally told Hannity in an interview that he would be willing to debate DeSantis, which resulted in the two governors sparring on social media. During a Wednesday appearance with Hannity, DeSantis said “Absolutely, I’m game. Just tell me when and where,” when the topic of a debate with Newsom was broached.
While DeSantis finds himself behind in the polls to Donald Trump by a wide margin and Newsom chose not to primary Joe Biden (for now), this is going to be must-watch TV between two Governors who represent two vastly different Americas. DeSantis has overseen the state with the highest population inflow in the country with a booming economy and turned a purple state solid red.
Meanwhile, Newsom has led a state that has experienced enormous population outflow, grown government, and raised taxes. However, both remain popular in their respective parties.
Given the divisive nature of the country, DeSantis and Newsom will lay out two incredibly different blueprints for what America has, does, and should look like moving forward. It will not only be incredibly compelling television, it is what millions of Americans need to consume.
We’re long overdue for this type of discourse because, unfortunately, real political debate is mostly dead in this country. Nearly all TV and radio shows, along with digital media outlets, don’t welcome on, or can’t get on, guests from the “other side” of the aisle to talk about the top issues of the day.
And even when some shows try to have a semblance of balance, it’s rarely 50-50. It’s typically more of a gang up session (think Fox News’ The Five or ABC’s The View), where one commentator serves as the punching bag for the rest of the panel to cater to the base of the audience.
However, Americans have additionally been deprived of important, concise, clear political debate for nearly a decade, not just because of the media fragmentation, but also because the Presidential elections have mostly been driven by personality over substantive policy discussions. What do you remember from the 2016 debates? My mind thinks of two things: “Lock Her Up” and “Build the Wall”.
Then in 2020, the presence of COVID, along with two candidates who wouldn’t be considered the deepest of thinkers, battled it out, but rarely dug deep into so many of the issues permeating America’s future from a financial, cultural, societal, and overseas perspective.
But with Newsom and DeSantis expected to take the stage against each other later this year, it hopefully brings those important debates and conversations back to the forefront of the American conversation.
Or at least it will for one night. Then, it will be back to the mind-numbingly predictable chaos we find ourselves having to endure on a daily basis. And that’s a shame.
Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the morning show host and program director for KCMO in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. Pete was also the sports and news director for Omni Media Group at K-1O1/Z-92 in Woodward, Oklahoma. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on Twitter @PeteMundo.
