Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is running for President — but she doesn’t seem to understand the process.
Though she’ll have to participate in a primary campaign before she (or someone) heads to the general election, she seems to think she can campaign against President Joe Biden without first facing off against Donald Trump.
Making the rounds of the Sunday morning news programs, Haley seemed supremely unprepared for the most basic question every candidate faces: why you?
She dodged and danced around the question, unable to handle questions about the first hurdle in pursuit of the presidency — beating Trump.
Haley insisted that she’s “not focusing on” Trump, because she’s got her eye on the plan to beat Biden in the general.
Even so, she couldn’t say what, exactly, she thinks makes her a better opponent for Biden than her known and likely GOP competitors.
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Trump is already attacking Haley for throwing her hat in the ring after she said she wouldn’t run against him —- but she seems to believe she’s actually not.
To Fox News‘ Shannon Bream, she insisted:
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“I don’t focus on President Trump, and it’s amazing that the media wants to talk about that so much…I will tell you, I think Americans need to have options.”
Further, she said, when she made her announcement, nobody wanted to talk to her about the former president.
Instead, she said, they’re all focused on the current one.
Her speech, of course, was made to an audience of people interested in her announcement — not necessarily a representative sample of primary or general election voters.
She did hint at one way she differs from both Trump and Biden, though.
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She’s at least two and a half decades younger than either one.
“I think they need a new generation,” she said. “I think we need new energy going in. I think we need to leave the status quo of the past and start looking ahead.”
Trump, however, has no problem laying out the reasons he believes he’s a better choice for America than Haley.
His campaign sent out an email just minutes after her announcement, reminding the public of her past comments on cutting Medicaid, Medicare, and social security, according to The Hill.
SHANNON BREAM: Where do you differ from Trump?
NIKKI HALEY: I don't focus on President Trump
BREAM: But to get through the primary, you'll have to
HALEY: I am focused on Joe Biden pic.twitter.com/i2HeKGulDh
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 19, 2023
Steph Bazzle covers politics and theocracy, always aiming for a world free from extremism and authoritarianism. Follow Steph on Twitter @imjustasteph.