Nikki Haley takes her turn at Reagan Institute on future of GOP
South Carolina’s own potential candidate for president, Nikki Haley, was the fifth prominent Republican featured in a series speakers at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and the late president surely would have approved of Haley’s appeal to tell the American story.
The former S.C. governor and ambassador to the United Nations spoke about living the American dream, growing up as the daughter of Indian immigrants. “My parents always reminded me, my sister and two brothers … that even on our worst day, we are blessed to live in America.”
Haley lamented a “plague of self doubt.” It’s not new, “But it’s much worse now. The America-doubters are more powerful than ever. … and they’re using their position to turn Americans against each other, and against our own country.”
Haley did not mention that a major promoter of “this plague of self-doubt” is a certain former president – nor would one expect that any Republican would do so. Indeed, Haley declared that being “woke” and “Critical Race Theory” are “dangerous, but the greatest danger is that anger toward America is now the bedrock belief of the American left.
“Today’s Democrats don’t even believe in America.” In a transcript of the speech, believe is underlined. The transcript is from Stand for America, Haley’s policy group which she founded after leaving her U.N. post in 2018. Haley was elected governor in 2010, and reelected in 2014 and in the middle of her second term when she was a surprise Trump appointment.
‘ONE PEOPLE’
Haley quotes Barack Obama, from his speech in 2004 at the Democratic National Convention, on “We are one American family. … We are one people.”
Haley then asked: “Can you imagine any prominent Democrat making that statement today? I can’t.”
Say what? I can more easily imagine Democrats Joe Biden, Kamala Harris or Nancy Pelosi saying that than Republicans Lindsay Graham, Henry McMaster, or Marjorie Greene. The latter is the anti-Semitic U.S. representative from Georgia.
I can imagine Nikki Haley saying, and meaning, America is not Black, white, Latino and Asian, but one people. It’s disingenuous, or worse, to claim Democrats “don’t even believe in America” when the leader of the Republican party continues outrageous claims about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, when prominent Republicans continue to refuse to protect voting rights, and play dangerous political games with increasing the debt ceiling.
Haley’s speech at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., followed addresses this year by former House Speaker Paul Ryan, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
A BIG `IF’
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute speaker series “Time for Choosing,” is from a 1964 address by Reagan to support Sen. Barry Goldwater’s campaign for president. The Arizona senator lost in a landslide to President Lyndon Johnson.
Haley is in the same position as other Republicans who would run for president in 2024, if the disgraced former president does not seek election. That’s a mighty big if. Haley and the others cannot speak forthrightly about Trump’s behavior because that would make them targets of the vindictive former president.
Haley and the others know about data (Pew Research) showing “two-thirds of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say they would like to see former president Donald Trump continue to be a major political figure for many years to come, including 44% who say they would like him to run for president in 2024.”
So it’s safe to bash Biden in particular and all Democrats in general, the media, foreign enemies, especially Communist China. In her 50-minute speech, Haley mentioned Trump only once, in a reference to Russia and Vladimir Putin. “The media relentlessly and falsely called Donald Trump a Russian stooge.”