Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has weighed in on the Joe Rogan controversy, advising the podcaster that he needs to “stand up” to the cancel mob.
Speaking during a new interview with Fox News, Gov. DeSantis slammed the liberal media and the Left’s cancel campaigns.
As Rogan’s podcast has grown to a size that his audience dwarfs that of the biggest mainstream media shows, he has become a target of the “woke” mobs.
His show, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” is streamed exclusively on Spotify, with the platform now under mounting pressure to cancel the podcaster.
The Left accuses Rogan, and Spotify, of spreading “misinformation” due to past podcast episodes that criticize the Biden administration and for hosting guests who questioned the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and masks.
On Monday, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek wrote a letter to employees stating the company would not be “silencing” Rogan.
Rogan took to Instagram Friday evening, where he issued an apology over past remarks, expressing his “deepest, sincerest” apologies.
However, DeSantis argues that Rogan should “not apologize” for his previous statements.
“No, he shouldn’t have apologized,” the governor said.
“I mean, you see what happens?
“The mob will come after people, and they’re targeting Rogan because he’s threatening to upset the apple cart on some of the things that they’re holding dear.
“And with COVID, he’s just bringing opposing views.
“He’s letting people decide,” DeSantis said.
“They say he’s against [the COVID vaccine].
“I do not listen to his show, but then I read he specifically advocated for people with co-morbidities and elderly to get vaccinated.
“I think a lot of the legacy outlets and I think the left fear the fact that he can reach so many people, and so they’re out to destroy him,” DeSantis continued.
“But what I would say is don’t give an inch.
“Do not apologize,” DeSantis warned.
“Do not cow to the mob.
“Stand up and tell them to pound sand; if you do that, there’s really nothing that they’re able to do to you.
“The only way they have power is if you let them get your goat.”
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In addition, in response to a question asking about CNN pundit Brian Stelter’s recent commentary wondering why people trust Rogan more than CNN, the Florida governor responded that it is because the media outlet has “spewed misinformation.”
“Well, I think when people are going to look back at this, they’re going to look at outlets like CNN, New York Times as having spewed misinformation they claim to be policing it,” said DeSantis.
“But if you look from the beginning, who was advocating for lockdowns? CNN and New York Times. Who is advocating for school closures? Those outlets. Who has advocated for force masking of kids? Those outlets.”
DeSantis then cited a recent Johns Hopkins study that was first reported by Slay News last week.
The study found that found lockdowns in the spring of 2020 reduced COVID mortality rates by only 0.2% in both Europe and the U.S.
“And then what ends up happening?” DeSantis said.
“Johns Hopkins does the study.
“Lockdowns didn’t work.
“You look to see mass jurisdictions do know better than unmasked jurisdictions.
“All the things they’ve said.
“It seems like you wait six, 12 months and then basically the narratives blow up.
“Now they will never go back and admit they were wrong.
“They will never go back and do a mea culpa.
“It’ll just move on to the next thing and craft the next narrative.”
