Ron DeSantis lashes out at a reporter, asserting that he is not accepting queries from voters

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June 2, 2023

Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis made headlines when he snapped at a reporter who questioned why he didn't take questions from voters during a campaign event.

According to a report by Fox News, DeSantis' comment was made to the presidential candidate while taking photos at his first campaign event in New Hampshire.

"People are coming up to me, talking to me," DeSantis said, surrounded by members of the crowd, in response to a question from Associated Press reporter Steve Peoples on Thursday.

"What are you talking about? Are you blind? Are you blind? People are coming up to me, talking to me about whatever they want to talk to me about."

After declining to take audience questions after his first New Hampshire campaign event today, Ron DeSantis lashed out at a reporter for asking him about it while he was chatting with members of the crowd individually.

Here’s the video, via @NBCNews —> pic.twitter.com/Z2WtLy0JNj

— Jonathan Allen (@jonallendc) June 1, 2023

NBC News reported that DeSantis "did not answer questions from his lectern so that voters could all hear his answers at once."

The Reporter's Take

The reporter, who is The Associated Press's Chief political reporter, seemed frustrated with DeSanit's response.

Peoples defended his part in the interaction with an apparently irritated DeSantis, saying, "I just asked DeSantis why he hasn't taken any questions from voters so far."

I just asked DeSantis why he hasn't taken any questions from voters so far:

“People are coming up to me, talking to me. What are you talking about? Are you blind? Are you blind? People are coming up to me, talking to me whatever they want to talk to me about.”

— Steve Peoples (@sppeoples) June 1, 2023

DeSantis' Camp Response

DeSantis' press secretary Bryan Griffin spoke out about the video after the confrontation began to circulate on Twitter, pointing the blame at the mainstream media for the altercation:

"This @AP reporter asked this question while @RonDeSantis was surrounded by voters in New Hampshire asking him questions and taking pictures.

"Perfectly illustrative of the modern media shutting their eyes and ears to the truth to push their narrative," Griffin said.

This @AP reporter asked this question while @RonDeSantis was surrounded by voters in New Hampshire asking him questions and taking pictures.

Perfectly illustrative of the modern media shutting their eyes and ears to the truth to push their narrative. https://t.co/izwzps6Sxo

— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) June 1, 2023

Former Trump attorney and conservative commentator Jenna Ellis weighed in, pointint out that Peoples's Twitter profile says that "the other side is not the enemy," seeming to point out the irony.