Nikki Haley is a bit kinder, gentler, and more empathetic than her major GOP competitors.
She is running a general election campaign.
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| Haley in Exeter, NH |
Nikki Haley is a foreign policy hawk on Israel, China, and Ukraine. Her Ukraine position sets her apart from Trump, DeSantis, and Ramaswamy. She is hard on foreign military and trade threats -- she calls them enemies, not competitors -- but she talks about compassion, cooperation, and getting to "yes" among fellow Americans. DeSantis talks of confronting Disney and bending them to his will. Haley talks about the tragic murders of Black Christians in the Charlestown church and her work to get consensus to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina statehouse.
She led off in Exeter, as in every speech, by saying that out-of-control spending is due to Republicans as much or more than by Democrats. It sets the tone of Haley-as-truth-teller, willing to say the tough things, to be partisan, but not blindly so.
I have heard the same speech four times now. It is thoroughly practiced and fluent, and to my ear it sounds word for word, with the same inflections, same apparent offhand personal observations, in each iteration. Her newly married daughter still frets about being able to afford a house. Her son in college still has to write papers saying things he doesn't believe to get an "A." Maybe he should take other classes.
Her three minute talk on abortion is an example of this conservative-but-empathetic Nikki Haley. Watch.
Her Town Hall in Exeter lasted exactly one hour. She put intended applause lines into her talk. Here are the ones that in fact drew applause.
Term limits for Congress. (Applause.)
If Congress doesn't pass a budget, they don't get paid. "No budget, no pay." (Applause.)
Parents should know what kids are being taught. (Applause.)
Defund sanctuary cities once and for all. (Applause.)
"No catch and release for illegals. Catch and deport." (Applause.)
It's right for America to have Israel's back. (Applause.)
Israel has shown restraint. They have the right to fight back. (Applause.)
Iran is behind all the trouble in the Middle East. (Applause.)
Our biggest threat is China. They buy our farm land. They are stealing ideas in our universities. They make most of our military drones.They build more ships than we do. China is developing technologies to change our brain waves. (Applause.)
No more letting China buy farm land in America. (Applause.)
To be strong we need energy independence and strengthen our military. (Applause.)
We don't need a department of defense. We need a department of offense. (Applause.)
Kids need to say the pledge of allegiance every day. (Applause.)
In South Carolina we have welfare to work. (Applause.)
South Carolina has the lowest recidivism rate in the U.S. (Applause.)
After her three-minute abortion answer. (Applause.)
Let veterans go to the doctor of their choice. (Applause.)
Members of congress should have to get their health care from the VA. It will become the best health care in the world. (Applause.)
Told long story about taking down the confederate flag. Don't be hating on each other. (Applause.)
I want foreigners to respect America. (Applause.)
Long answer to question from 18 year old. We will make the world better for you young folks. (Applause.)
"I have done over fifty town halls in New Hampshire." (Applause.)
I think Trump was the right president at the right time. But now we need a new generation. (Applause.)
We can't afford a president Kamala Harris. (Applause.)
We need to cut the federal budget back to pre-Covid levels. (Applause.)
Should there be new leadership in the GOP? I think there should be new leadership everywhere. (Applause.)
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| Scrum after the event |
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21 comments:
Haley wants a Department of Offense. Really? What the hell does she think we’ve got? Her comment about Trump being the right president at the right time would be funny if it weren’t for all the wreckage he left behind.
For those who harbor illusions of Haley surging in the polls and signaling a step toward Republican sanity, I have bad news. As of today, her polling average remains at 6.6%, behind Trump (58.4), DeSantis (12.7) and Ramaswamy (7.2).
She is not my cup of tea, but obviously she would be much better than the crook, traitor and sexual predator. Thanks for the report. (It must be so boring listening to the same performance multiple times.)
The Lincoln Project (on Facebook) is very complimentary towards our current president. They appreciate him. It is so refreshing.
Clearly tailored FOX inspired political consultant messaging from someone with no actual principles. The American Flag Tee says it all...purposefully ill fitting jeans?
That simpleminded list would only appeal to those with jaw dropping unfamiliarity with current events, history and common sense. That this person would be considered the "sane alternative" is testimony to the depths the Republican party has descended.
I personally would like a sane republican that maybe would soften the hate and divisiveness. Maybe I, a liberal, would vote for her in the hope that the country could be saved. The MAGA culture needs to be marginalized somehow.
Geyena, Gina, Angina. I got the Wuhan Flu and now they’re coming after my brainwaves with woo-woo.
Be Very Afraid.
Well, on her bright side, she moved up in the polling by about 1 percent.
Here is a timeline of Nimrata and her convincing her Legislative prowess involved in removing that flag. She's quite an adroit lier, but I doubt that gains her the nomination.
The story of Nikki Haley and the Confederate flag
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/15/nikki-haley-confederate-flag-timeline/
I will never again believe, support or vote for any Republican, no matter how sane they pretend to be.
Nothing says freedom of expression like forcing children to repeatedly pledge allegiance to a nation under a diety.
Nikki-
If your daughter can't afford a house that's her problem, not America's problem.
Maybe she needs to pull herself up by her own bootstraps.
Wow, we are back to yet another inane comment about a woman's pants (jeans in this case). Reminds me of all the stupid comments about Hillary Clinton's pant suits.
I am very familiar with purchasing and wearing women's clothing. From the photo, her jeans fit FINE. What is wrong with you? Women wear pants, get over it. And for your information, it is a major challenge for women to find pants and jeans that fit and feel comfortable. Women have curves, some females have had babies, our weight tends to fluctuate, etc.
Since you are so interested in women's pants and jeans, you should study those sections of the L.L. Bean catalogue. You will learn a lot. Please get a life. SMH
For yout information SMH means Shaking My Head. It is computer code. I did not know that but Mr. Google knows everything.
Peter Sage
I think Nikki Haley would easily beat the comically inept Kamala Harris. She might even beat Joe Biden.
We’ll have to see if either the Republicans or Fate take Donald Trump out of the picture.
I agree that she would win big— unless there is a massive third party distraction, e.g. Trump gets on the ballot also. She can appear militant to MAGA Republicans and then whitch to “Normal” or “establishment” tomothers. Biden cannot avoid looking like what he is, a very experienced elderly Democrat. It will pit the post-trump future against the past.
I write this with regret, but it is true, in my opinion. But Iowa and New Hampshire will confirm Trump’s dominance, not show an alternative. Everything I saw at this multi-candidate event is that all of them are staying in and proving the tragedy of the commons.
I long filed the notion if a mandatory Pledge of Allegiance under Propagandistic Indoctrination, suitable for States under Orwellian Dictators, and on a par with forced (peer pressure alone can force a child into unwilling compliance) Christian prayer in schools.
I have to wonder at Michael Trigoboffs unending dismissal and rude putdowns of Kamal Harris, which has been going on since she was Nominated as President Bidens choice for his running mate. She's not as polished as some of the other women who ran, like Amy Klobuchar or Elizabeth Warren, but I don't think she lies nearly as often as Nimrata Haley.
So where from does your disdain spring, MT ?
My attitude towards Kamala Harris stems from the unconscionable racial hit she directed at Joe Biden in an early 2020 debate: “I was that little girl.” — a tactic straight out of the Al Sharpton race-baiting playbook.
Not too hard to figure out where it comes from actually Ed. He's a barely closeted racist, and she's a black woman.
Or "Smack My Head" as I recall
The "giggler in chief" will never be President.
Recall her debate performance back in 2020. Recall how and why she was chosen as Biden's running mate. Yes, there were better candidates.
Recall how well Harris has been handling the border crisis.
Yes indeed, there are better alternatives than Harris.
So brave, flinging the R-word from behind the veil of anonymity. A leading candidate for inclusion in the second edition of Profiles In Courage.
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