Politico reports:
In the last few weeks, posts mocking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ strangely shaped cowboy boots have racked up millions of views on Twitter and TikTok, with online sleuths trying to determine whether he’s wearing height-boosting insoles to pump himself up against a 6’3” primary frontrunner with a penchant for nicknames who reportedly considered calling DeSantis “Tiny D.”
Three top experts in the field say the cowboy boot truthers might be onto something. “I’ve dealt with these politicians many times,” says Zephan Parker, the bespoke bootmaker behind Houston’s popular Parker Boot Company, which, he says, has made height-increasing cowboy boots for a number of Texan politicians. “I’ve helped them with their lifts. DeSantis is wearing lifts; there’s no doubt.”
Read the full article. The piece goes on at great length to interview other bootmakers on their “forensic” conclusion that DeSantis wears lifts. The Trump campaign, as you can see below, is celebrating the article. Trending on Twitter at this writing is #bootgate.
The internet is obsessed with one question: Is Ron DeSantis wearing height-boosting inserts in his boots? Menswear writer @dieworkwear asked three expert shoemakers — and all of them said yes.https://t.co/KtOnlJezdT
— POLITICO (@politico) October 31, 2023
🚨 3 Expert Shoemakers Say Ron DeSantis Is Probably Wearing Height Boosters 🚨 https://t.co/ZoVdN4QzKp
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) October 31, 2023
#BOOTGATE pic.twitter.com/6zfUQBDTXr
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) October 31, 2023
Ron DeSantis could have made fun of himself for wearing heels and everyone would have had a good laugh. Instead, DeSantis got defensive and now he looks like a dork. Trump was right. DeSantis has no personality.
pic.twitter.com/pQwePCs8nh— Charles R Downs (@TheCharlesDowns) October 30, 2023