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What About Nikki Haley?
Kurt Schlichter writes a brutal takedown of Nikki Haley as the right’s version of Kamala. While I think he goes too far in comparing her to the awful Kamala, his article crystallized in my mind some concerns I have about Haley.
She didn’t have any real accomplishments as governor. Yes, she is pro-life, anti-alphabet gang, in favor of low taxes, etc., etc. But did she have any signature achievements as governor? After a little internet research (i.e., Wikipedia), I couldn’t find much.
Schlichter also criticizes her for not having any strong policy proposals. Her campaign announcement was a gauzy, saccharine video. Maybe she’ll come out with some good proposals, but combined with her lack of achievements as governor, this could be a major weakness.
She agrees with a lot of leftist hoaxes (e.g., George Floyd was a saint, that garage door pull really was a noose, and others) as John Hinderaker observes. And Gavin Sample. It seems that she wants media approval more than standing for what’s right.
Although I sort of agreed with removing the Confederate flag in South Carolina, I felt she threw the Republican legislators under the bus time and again as she implied they were still old-school racists while she was the enlightened one who got rid of the flag.
I’m not deeply bothered that she is running after saying she wouldn’t run against Trump. Politicians say that kind of stuff all the time. Yes, it would have been a little smarter on her part to think ahead and not make that kind of promise, but it’s par for the course.
On the plus side, she was a tough, well-spoken UN ambassador. She was effective in denouncing the crooks and thugs that run that body. So maybe she does better implementing someone else’s policy rather than being at the top herself.
She is also well-spoken and quick on her feet with good one-liners (“it hurts more when you kick them with heels”). She would be great in a debate with Dementia Joe. When a reporter from Christianity Today asked if she wanted her parents to convert to Christianity, she said, “What I hope is that my parents do what’s right for them,” which is a great way of not answering a very personal question.
If DeSantis doesn’t run or flames out and if Haley comes up with strong policy proposals, I could support her. She doesn’t have Trump’s baggage, so she would be easier to elect in the general. But I’m not terribly excited about her and have some concerns.
Published in Elections
Probably a lot of them, over the years.
Once the corruption begins, it’s not difficult for a lot of good people to decide they want nothing to do with it.
I’ve seen tons of campaign ads and it is common that in the earliest days of the campaign, the candidate will run feel-good “get to know me” ads just to introduce themselves to a public that doesn’t know much about them. A little bit about their experience, family, and so forth. Even in cases where someone has been the sitting representative or senator for over a decade and ought to be known by just about everyone, they will commonly start the campaign by introducing themselves, showing pictures of their family and pets or whatever. Later in the campaign they start talking about specific issues.
People who pay a lot of attention to politics are going to find these introductory ads to be pointless, but a lot of people don’t even know the names of their governors, so these introductions may be in order.
Seriously? Do you know about law and stuff? (He said respectfully.) I don’t want to do anything outside of the Constitution but I think her idea is a really good one.
Considering what we are experiencing with Biden, I understand the appeal. However, the Constitution is clear on those who may run for President. This is an extra step.
The problem, of course, is who gets to create the tests, and who scores them, etc.
Had to complete the sentence: “Kamala Harris owes her entire career, such as it is, to Willie Brown and his brown willy, such as it is.“
I’ve gotten so many good laughs on this post. We have Willy Brown’s brown willy, giving members sex robots, and a governor locking down the state years after she left office. What a hoot!
Yeah, Ricochet is like Forrest Gump’s metaphorical box of chocolates.
Queen Elizabeth versus General Milley? Golda Meir versus John Kerry or Al Gore? :)
Anyway, I’d vote for Western Chauvinist over any Democrat man anywhere and most Republicans. :) :)
No, she doesn’t have to believe that her parents are going to hell. Not all Christians are as certain about God’s judgment as you are.
I appreciate the vote of confidence, Marci. I am the perfect candidate in the American system in one way — I have absolutely no interest in pursuing political power.
Candace Owens’s criticism of Haley seems measured and honest. She’s not a fan because she doesn’t believe Haley is authentic.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-i-wont-be-voting-for-nikki-haley
And, as Owens says, love or hate Donald Trump, the one thing you can say about him is he’s always authentically Trump.
Agreed. Yup. :)
I’m fine with giving Glen a sex robot; but my conservative, small-government principles are opposed to the government giving it to him.
That’s the only way it would work, as an amendment. Many Constitutional scholars have said laws can’t add to the requirements laid out in the Constitution.
Wait.. All I have to do is make a few insane comments on the internet and I get a free sex robot from the government? And here I payed full retail for mine. Boy do I feel like a fool.
The two Presidential candidates who were credited with the largest vote totals ever (and by a fair margin) did not do things in this conventional, consultant-approved way. I’m not saying that staying in her basement and waiting for the party apparatus to stuff the ballot boxes would work for her, but she should be able to descend an escalator and tell us what she believes.
Having said that, she has published books, so perhaps that will tell us something. Not that this (consultant-approved) move helped Jindal, Rubio or Cruz… Or McCain. Or Romney.
Her current campaign team are folks who have been with her forever, the remains of the Pat Toomey complex who obviously needed a new patron, and Club for Growth types. None of this strikes me as a recipe for innovation. But I have been surprised before. (Perhaps one day it will be pleasantly.)
Reading the tweet I think that was about feeling empathy for other’s pain over the event. That seems like good advice.
Well it didn’t happen so you should be good.
I find it amazing anyone can get worked up about a light weight like Nikki Haley who ain’t going nowhere. She may spend a lot of money from the donors to think tanks, but I don’t see a lot of people buying her dog food.
Yes I agree @aumom. I was very impressed with how she handled both the shooting situation and the issue with the flag. I was working in SC a lot at that time and definitely had several conversations with locals about both things. They were challenging situations for sure. The pastor of that church along with the congregation were the best examples of Christian ethics’ and forgiveness I have ever seen. Truly the hero of the shooting’s aftermath. I have long wanted to shake that man’s hand.
Obviously the reason for the slanderous attacks is that she is either perceived as a threat or they feel the only trait that matters is loyalty to Trump. In that case it is unforgivable on it’s face to dare run when he is a candidate. lol Hilarious. I think I prefer DeSantis but I want to see how it pans out. It’s super early to commit to a single candidate now. I want someone under 80 who can win. :)
For the record I liked it mucho
Exactly.
That she believes in experts rather than the general population who have the ability to make such a judgment shows she is an elitist and not to be trusted.
As soon as that was pointed out I edited my comment to reflect it. But I was not fast enough – many people copied my first draft before I got the correction in.
Yeah. IOW, I’ve already made up my mind, so don’t confuse me with the facts. And if you try to, I’ll just make something else up and keep going. 🤣🤣🤣
As for who’s going to Hell and who isn’t, sure, I’d like it if the people I love joined me in the penthouse, rather than finding themselves stuck in the basement. And I have no problem talking about what I believe, and what I think is the way, what it the truth, and how a life is well-lived. But fundamentally, the state of my own soul is of more interest to me than is that of most others, and keeping it in good order doesn’t really include the sort of dismissive and downright hateful (as in full of hate) language that I sometimes see here.
What is the message sent when someone introduces themselves as “the little brown girl”? That tells me they think that color of skin is more important than content of character. She could have chosen to lead off with helping run the family store as a child.
How about if the test is that the candidate has to run a vigorous campaign with months of exhausting public appearances and tough interviews. Then the citizenry decides through a voting mechanism if that person is competent. How about that?
I think she lacks what I’ve come to call “personal power.” Many of the original 16 candidates in 2016 were very smart and capable people, but they lacked a powerful presence. For example, I really liked Bobby Jindal, but I knew he couldn’t win. After the primaries were over, he wrote a really brilliant op-ed piece for the Wall Street Journal on why people should vote for Trump even if they had qualms about his outward personality.
It’s an indefinable personality trait I see in people who rise to the top in business and politics. Biden has always had it–despite the facts that he makes up stuff and he is smug and arrogant.
Trump has a lot of it. I really enjoyed his “America is open for business” speech. :) His confidence backed up what his words were saying. :)
With candidates like Nikki Haley and Bobby Jindal, and Ben Carson and Scott Walker too , I think, the personal power is not as strong as voters want to see.
Part of that problem is the very nature of political campaigns. Candidates need to incite their followers to (a) volunteer and (b) donate. They do that with hyperbole. After six months of anger-inducing speeches, the voters want power in their candidates. :)