Donald Trump is not much of a reader, but a new children’s book published by former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee may grab his attention.
The book, The Kids Guide to Ron DeSantis, has become available only by mail order in recent days, with the first copies not expected to reach customers for several weeks. But an online ad conveys its gist.
“Help your kids learn about Ron DeSantis and why he may be our next Commander-in-Chief!” Huckabee announces.
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The ad copy poses the question, “Next stop: The White House?”
Back in the lead-up to the 2020 election, Huckabee’s firm published The Kids Guide to President Trump, a glowing account of his alleged “greatest achievements.”
That gushing tribute was followed by The Kids Guide to Joe Biden, a tepid effort that was obligatory for a company with a stated goal of educating kids.
The new Ron DeSantis edition, at least from the glimpses afforded by the ads, appears to be in the vein of the Trump tome.
“Who is Ron DeSantis?” one page asked, followed by “Model Student” with “Yale” in the background. There is also “Sports Star” with an image of DeSantis at bat for the college baseball team.
The next description is “He Served His Country,” with a photo of DeSantis in Navy dress whites with a SEAL trident from when he was attached to the elite unit. There is also a Bronze Star he received medal for meritorious service while deployed from October 2007 to April 2008.
Below that is “A Bold Civilian Career,” along with an image of him as governor. There is another photo of him and “The First Family of Florida,” his wife and three young kids.
Mike is not isn’t the only Huckabee feeling warmly toward DeSantis, who has not announced for 2024 but is widely expected to run for president.
His daughter, newly elected Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, appointed a top DeSantis culture warrior as Arkansas’ new schools chief: Jacob Oliva, who championed the “Don’t Say Gay” initiative while opposing all things woke in Florida and will now implement similar policies in Arkansas.
“I am proud to announce that Jacob Oliva will be my nominee for Secretary of @ArkansasEd,” Sanders tweeted. “He is a leader who has proven himself in the fight to empower parents and implement bold education reforms under Governor @RonDeSantisFL and we are ready to transform Arkansas education.”
Sanders served as Trump’s press secretary from 2017 to 2019 but declined to endorse him when asked on Sunday who she is supporting for president in the next election.
“My focus right now has been on 2022,” she told Fox News. “I love the president, have a great relationship with him. I know our country would be infinitely better off if he was in office right now instead of Joe Biden but right now my focus isn’t 2024.”
Huckabee is also playing coy.
A spokesman for her father’s publisher, EverBright, told The Daily Beast that the new book is “by no means an endorsement of Governor DeSantis from the company or Governor Huckabee or anybody else.”
He maintains DeSantis was selected because he is “just the first of many people who are becoming prominent players on the national stage that Americans are evaluating and wondering about.”
That argument might be more convincing if the glimpses of the book suggested there is anything in it about DeSantis calling the COVID vaccine a hazard or taking migrants from Texas and flying them to Martha’s Vineyard.
But that would be in a Kids Guide to the REAL Ron DeSantis.
