Nikki Haley Enrages GOP Fringe With State of the Union Rebuttal

Proud of her Indian-American Heritage, the two-term Governor of SC said religion and race should not be the criteria when it comes to legal immigration.

“I feel very strongly about immigration:”.

After the speech – which many viewed as a direct response to some of Trump’s bombastic rhetoric on the campaign trail – conservatives like radio host Laura Ingraham were quick to call Haley’s response “not smart”.

“Over the years she’s asked me for a hell of a lot of money in campaign contributions”, Trump said. She warned against the siren call of the country’s angriest voices and said Republicans share the blame for our current state of affairs and should look in the mirror. Obama, he said, “lectures us on civility yet he has been one of the most divisive presidents in American history”.

“Mr. Trump has definitely contributed to what I think is just irresponsible talk”, Haley told NBC’s “Today Show”.

When asked about a possible Trump-Haley ticket, the real estate tycoon said the governor is not off to a good start after what she said and stressed that he would pick someone who is very strong on illegal immigration. But the front-runner so far, Donald Trump, has called for deporting millions of immigrants in the US illegally. “But I think our country will be better if we take it”, Haley said.

Her response may have disappointed those on the party’s fringe, but it was praised by the Republican establishment.

Conservative author and columnist Ann Coulter criticized Haley using a similar tone, accusing her of wanting to shut up voters. I understood that when I hit Republicans and Democrats, I was going to upset people.

The reaction to Tuesday’s speeches showed that the starkest divisions in USA politics aren’t merely between the parties – but within them, as Republican elites align against much of their party rank-and-file. Following the shooting, Haley called for the removal of the Confederate flag from state capitol grounds, marking a shift from previous remarks.

ABC News notes that Haley is the first woman governor of SC and the only non-white governor in the history of the state.

Yet for a GOP establishment that has struggled with how to respond to Trump and Cruz, Haley and Ryan stand as a welcome rejoinder.

Haley told a national audience Tuesday night that Republicans have not been as inclusive as they should be, specifically pointing to Donald Trump’s comments about banning Muslim emigrants to the United States. “The President has read news accounts of it, so he certainly is aware of her response”, he said.

“You know, I have disagreements with other presidential candidates”, she said.

The Civil War began with the secession of SC and the shelling of Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor.