Readers mocked the Washington Post over the weekend for highlighting how Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis got married at Disney World before he criticized the company for "wokeness."
"Before he attacked the company, DeSantis — who is up for reelection next week — was a groom walking down the aisle in a Disney wedding," Washington Post staff writer Hannah Sampson wrote.
DeSantis and his wife Casey reportedly wed at Walt Disney World on Sept. 26, 2009. Years later, DeSantis found himself in a battle with Disney over his Parental Rights in Education bill, which bans teachers from giving classroom instruction on "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" in kindergarten through third grade.
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Critics, many of whom are leading Democrats, have blasted the measure or dubbed it the "Don’t Say Gay" bill, suggesting it bans any discussion pertaining to being gay in Florida schools. Disney surprised many by getting involved by weighing in with a statement slamming the bill.
"Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law," Disney said. "Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country."
Shortly after, DeSantis signed a measure in April that dissolved Walt Disney World's special governing status.
"You’re a corporation based in Burbank, California, and you’re gonna marshal your economic might to attack the parents of my state. We view that as a provocation, and we’re going to fight back against that," DeSantis said.
Sampson highlighted how DeSantis has "attacked" the company in her write-up of his wedding.
"Though DeSantis hasn’t commented on reports about his wedding, he’s had plenty of barbs to throw at Disney in recent months," she wrote. "He attacked the company after CEO Bob Chapek came out against a law that bans discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in elementary schools, dubbed the ‘don’t say gay’ bill by critics. The governor is widely seen as a potential 2024 presidential candidate."
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Readers mocked the piece for making the connection, arguing that DeSantis wed at Disney well "before" the company got political. Many others didn't see the "point" of the article.
"He was a groom walking down the aisle in a Disney wedding before Disney attacked legislation to protect kindergarteners from grooming," David Shafer, Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, tweeted.
"The damning oppo that could sink DeSantis? The revelation he’s a Disney Adult," National Journal managing editor Kirk A. Bado sarcastically said.
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"I suppose before any of my biting criticism of Disney I should have disclosed I once visited the theme park when I was 11. I regret the error," conservative columnist Chad Felix Greene also sarcastically said.
"Democracy Dies in Dumbness," Fox News contributor Joe Concha tweeted.
Others said the piece proved that DeSantis' opponents have little ammunition against him just days from the midterm elections.
"Between this and the NYT story, it makes it rather obvious that the oppo folder against DeSantis is pretty much running on empty," the conservative account AG Hamilton said.
"Imagine thinking that this will land," the Media Research Center's Jorge Bonilla said.
"Is this what you think of voters, that we're manipulated by mean girls journalism?" The Libre Initiative president Daniel Garza said. "In a wasteland of bad journalism, this one deserves 4 eye rolls out of 4."
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Recent polling has given DeSantis the edge in Tuesday's midterms. The governor has the support of 55% of registered voters, with Democratic challenger Charlie Crist at 41%, according to a UNF Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) poll.
Fox News' Power Rankings rate the race between DeSantis and Crist as "likely Republican" and the Florida Senate race as "leaning Republican."
