US Republican Governor’s Comments Incite Firestorm – Within Her Party

Trump reportedly came out swinging against Haley Wednesday, attacking her on immigration and saying he wasn’t anxious about alienating her. “She liked me better when I was a giver of contributions than she does when I’m not”, Trump said, adding that he is leading in Haley’s state of SC. “When I say it about my other friends that are running for president, they don’t throw stones”.

Politico reported that Haley’s response seemed aimed directly at Trump as she tried to distance Republicans from some of his comments without naming him directly. She doesn’t, and I think the people in her great state, I love her state, I’m there a lot, and by the way I have a massive lead in SC.

“You know, the one thing that got me I think was when he started saying ban all Muslims”, she said.

Ms. Haley admitted she was “partially” talking about Donald Trump when she warned against the “angriest voices” in America. In her speech, she didn’t even mention the 11 million immigrants living in society’s shadows and had nothing to propose beyond stopping illegal immigration and turning away “refugees whose intentions can not be determined”. By selecting the 43-year-old Indian-American governor, their most obvious hope was to begin the election year by showcasing a fiscally and culturally conservative with overt potential to win over women, minorities and younger voters. “She certainly has no trouble asking me for campaign contributions”.

At one point, Obama urged Congress to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership legislation – without so much as a nod to the GOP Senate, which in June passed a fast-track trade authority bill in truly bipartisan fashion (13 Democrats voted yes, five Republicans voted no). The President’s speech and the Republican response last night highlight different between the two parties as well as fault lines within the GOP. “We have to say “no” to some people, so if you aren’t prepared to say who we say “no” to, then don’t try to say “yes” to people, either”. Ted Cruz 33 percent to 22 percent, according to the average from Real Clear Politics, though no polls have been released in SC in almost a month.

“There’s other people in the media, there’s people in my state”, she said. “One of the weakest weakest recovery on record, and by far the weakest recovery ever on record”, Trump said.

At the GOP retreat, McMorris Rodgers defended Haley. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said Haley’s view is not that of a “principled conservative”.

Haley took on GOP front-runner Donald Trump (not by name) when she cautioned against following “the siren call of the angriest voices”.

Not that Trump supporters are likely to be swayed by any advice from a Republican governor, let alone the latest sermonizing from a president with the habit of describing nearly everything he favors as “the right thing to do”.