Steve Bannon and his acolytes say they want to “burn it down.” Since Bannon is a wealthy man with lots to lose, you could easily question both the wisdom and the sincerity behind the slogan, but we’ll take him at his word. Which candidate should he support—Trump or DeSantis?
Bannon knows Trump’s weaknesses all too well. He knows that Trump is all about himself, not any kind of ideology. He is perfectly aware that Trump can be distracted by shiny objects. And yet, some of Trump’s weaknesses–particularly his narcissism and his vengefulness–give him an edge that is unique within the GOP. He has no limits. As I’ve said before, he would be perfectly content to turn half of America into an ash heap if he can be recognized as the man by the other half. He is undoubtedly capable of burning it down just to satisfy his psyche.
DeSantis, on the other hand, has a normal pedigree for an American politician. Yes, he would spend half of his waking hours telling blue Americans that he hates them and that they should die, because Trump made that part of the GOP job description. He would do his best to stifle dissent, promote white Christian nationalism, and guarantee that the GOP remains in power forever, even as a minority party. But, in the end, he is more likely to erode liberal democracy than to overthrow it. “Rot the foundations” isn’t as catchy as “burn it down.”
And so, for all of his difficult history with the man, Bannon will stick with Trump as his best alternative.