Nikki Haley—the morally bankrupt politico who served for some time as the Trump administration’s ambassador to the United Nations—has refused to remove herself from the limelight despite the fact that she is not currently serving in any official governmental role.
Rumors have swirled for quite some time that Haley has her sights on 1600 Pennslyvania Avenue. She wants to present herself as a tough but more moderate Republican, perhaps hoping that voters will eventually forget that she happily served and carried out the wishes of the vilest, most incompetent president to ever occupy the Oval Office.
It’s crucial that Americans recognize her now and forever for what she truly is: a cynical opportunist who was all too happy to work with a cryptofascist to forward her own career. There can be no place for an authoritarian enabler like her in our politics, let alone the White House.
In order to make sure that she never comes to power, it’s crucial that we scrutinize her actions and call her out at every turn. Earlier today, she tweeted out a cryptic message that immediately set off ripples of speculation.
“Enough of the false rumors. Vice President Pence has been a dear friend of mine for years. He has been a loyal and trustworthy VP to the President. He has my complete support,” she tweeted out, adding a heart and American flag emoji above a picture of herself seated with the theocratic Pence.
Enough of the false rumors. Vice President Pence has been a dear friend of mine for years. He has been a loyal and trustworthy VP to the President. He has my complete support. ❤️🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/waPyQjC8Eb
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) 21 August 2019
The way in which Haley deliberately omitted which rumors she was referring to is clearly intended to draw attention to whatever rumors she means while also giving her plausible deniability when it comes to spreading them.
So what could she be talking about?
Some, including CBS News, are interpreting the tweet as a repudiation of rumors that Haley might replace Pence as VP on Trump’s 2020 ticket despite the fact that at this point there seems to be little to back up the rumors.
Haley alluding to the idea at all could be interpreted as a test balloon to see if it’s possible to galvanize support for herself. If that’s the case her saying that she actually supports Pence is nothing more than a smokescreen. The best way for to stamp out these “rumors” that almost nobody was talking about would have been to just ignore them. Haley is up to something here.
Twitter immediately exploded with speculation, with some trying to puzzle out if she was referring to running as Trump’s Vice President and others simply mocking the intentionally vague wording of her tweet.
A senior administration official just gave me this reaction to this tweet from Nikki Haley:
“The only person person talking about Nikki Haley as Vice President is Nikki Haley.” https://t.co/CJJn2lpxMD— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) August 21, 2019
Former U.S. Ambassador to U.N. Nikki Haley dismisses speculation that she could replace Vice President Mike Pence on the presidential ticket in 2020, decrying "false rumors" in a Wednesday tweet https://t.co/xf2MwP5Cjs pic.twitter.com/j4o3tsyhi7
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) August 21, 2019
That’s the last I’ll be talking about these heretofore notorious and widespread rumors, so I must say thank you, Nikki Haley, for bringing the truth to our attention as well as this photograph, which is so full of warmth and friendship. https://t.co/2GIn8QVypj
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) August 21, 2019
So, he isn’t a hollow husk filled with baby alien snakes?
Is that the rumor you’re responding to?
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) August 21, 2019
Thank you for saying this while posting a photo that looks like two parents only staying together for the kids
— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) August 21, 2019
I’m sorry Nikki, but they are true…
He’s a dumb motherfucker.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) August 21, 2019
Hahaha but seriously though you own the hell out of this and will for the rest of your life.
— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) August 21, 2019
Consider the rumors, which everyone knew about and was discussing, squashed
— Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) August 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/cmclymer/status/1164268438241644544?s=20
Helping to spread the rumor…we see what you are doing. pic.twitter.com/BWDTcAFJ7h
— Yvette Smith-Smith (@ysmithwas) August 21, 2019
You are both abysmal.
— Robyn A (@rockinrob7970) August 21, 2019
Trump: [nothing]
Pence: [nothing]
The media: [nothing]
The public: [nothing]
Nikki Haley: HEY EVERYONE STOP TALKING ABOUT ME REPLACING MIKE PENCE ON THE 2020 TICKET, WINK, NUDGE. AM I SPREADING THIS RUMOR LOUDLY ENOUGH RIGHT NOW? TRUMP, PLEASE PICK ME!
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) August 21, 2019