Nikki Haley sharpens her attack
Donald Trump her first obstacle
It is interesting to note that on this all-male Presidents’ Day, Monday, the first candidate to officially challenge Donald Trump — and presumably Joe Biden — is a woman.
She is Republican Nikki Haley, 51, a former governor of South Carolina who most recently was President’s Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations where she made a name for herself defending Trump and the interests of the U.S.
Now she is running against the man who gave her the job.
Trump, seeking to regain the White House, earlier declared his candidacy in an effort to win back the presidency following his controversial defeat by Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.
So far Trump and Haley are the only two announced 2024 Republican candidates for president in what is expected to be a crowded primary field.
Four years ago, the primary spotlight was on the Democrat Party when as many as 13 Democrats fought it out in a string of caucuses and primaries for the right to challenge incumbent President Donald Trump.
Biden, of course, emerged as the nominee and went on to defeat Trump. Trump is seeking a rematch.
Now in a reversal, a dozen or so Republicans are planning to seek the GOP nomination, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, in order to run against Joe Biden who has indicated, despite his stumbling presidency, that he will seek re-election.
All of these potential GOP presidential hopefuls will first have to get by Trump who is still the major figure in the Republican Party.
Trump in 2016 was fortunate to run for the GOP nomination in a crowded field. It allowed him to dominate the television debates where he threw civility aside and often insulted other candidates, frequently calling them names or ridiculing their appearance.
“Look at that face,” Trump said cruelly, of GOP candidate Carly Fiorina, a not unattractive former Hewlett-Packard executive. “Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that the face of our next president?”
Trump later apologized, sort of.
Trump, who expresses disbelief and bitterness towards people he appointed to office or helped get elected who are now planning to challenge him in the primary, took a softer gentler tone toward Haley.
Trump said, “Even though Niki Haley said, ‘I would never run against my president, he was a great president, the best president in my lifetime,’ I told her she should follow her heart and do what she wants to do. I wish her luck.”
Observers will wait and see if this gentleness lasts through the first GOP presidential candidates’ debate. Chances are it won’t.
Still, people can change. Haley, for instance, has changed her view of Trump several times. She was initially critical of Trump when he first ran for president, saying that he lacked the temperament for the job.
Nevertheless, Trump appointed her UN ambassador, a job that boosted Haley’s foreign policy credentials. It was during this period that Haley praised Trump.
However, Haley was again critical of Trump in the aftermath of the Jan 6, 2021, riot on Capitol Hill and Trump’s attacks on former Vice President Mike Pence who did not go along with Trump’s allegations of election fraud.
Trump aside, Haley has a compelling story to tell.
She is the daughter of Indian immigrants who grew up in South Carolina working in her parents’ clothing store. She faced racism at an early age. She went to Clemson and was elected to the South Carolina Legislature. She was the first woman elected governor after overcoming racism and infidelity attacks. She was re-elected in 2014.
In her announcement, she said, “China and Russia are on the march. They all think we can be bullied, kicked around. You should know this about me. I don’t put up with bullies. And when you kick back, it hurts them more if you’re wearing heels. I’m Nikki Haley, and I’m running for president.”
But you can’t put Trump aside. He is a bully. He is also in Haley’s head. Trump is in everybody’s head.
They may not like it, but it delights Trump.