Nikki Haley has taken some pretty big shots at Trump during the debates.
She finally got put on notice by Trump with a nasty attack on Truth Social.
She also received a small gift from Trump's campaign that erupted on social media.
Up until recently, Haley had gushed over Trump and vowed not to run against him. She did, however, take some shots at him after the office changeover that did not go too well.
She later met with Trump, telling him of her desire to run, and she received his blessing to run, but that has all changed.
Now that Haley is surging, she is attacking Trump with some pretty heavy hits.
In February 2021, Haley stated:
"We need to acknowledge he let us down. He went down a path he shouldn't have, and we shouldn't have followed him, and we shouldn't have listened to him. And we can't let that ever happen again."
In September 2023, Haley stated:
"He was thin-skinned and easily distracted. He didn't do anything on fiscal policy and really spent a lot of money, and we're paying the price for it. He used to be good on foreign policy, and now he has started to walk it back and get weak in the knees when it comes to Ukraine."
These are just two of her anti-Trump comments, and there have been plenty more, especially during the debates where she has hammed Trump, especially on fiscal responsibility.
I don't think Trump thought Haley would ever become a legitimate threat, but she has surged after each debate.
I have the belief that Trump wanted Haley to run to raise her national profile just enough to make her a possible VP or Secretary of State pick, but not to actually challenge him for the nomination.
After the last debate, where Haley got yet another surge, Trump unleashed on Truth Social:
"MAGA, or I, will never go for Birdbrain Nikki Haley. No loyalty, plenty of lies! 'I will never run against our great President,' she said, 'he has done an outstanding job.' To which I responded, 'How nice of you to say, Nikki,' knowing full well that her words mean nothing. She even came to Mar-a-Lago with her family, 'bearing gifts.' Anyway, Birdbrain doesn't have the TALENT or TEMPERAMENT to do the job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
This has continued the Trump tradition of belittling former administration officials that he picked when he was in office, but it did not stop there.
Someone, allegedly from the Trump campaign, left this outside her hotel room…
After a day of campaigning, this is the message waiting for me outside my hotel room…#PrettyPatheticTryAgain#YouJustMadeMyCaseForMe pic.twitter.com/htbSumo58r
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) October 1, 2023
Haley's Campaign Manager, Betsy Ankney, responded:
"This behavior is weird, creepy, and desperate from a former president feeling the pressure. It's more proof that it's time to leave the drama behind. America is better than this. Let's go."
When I saw that birdcage, I pictured two adolescents dropping it off, knocking on the door, then running down the hall giggling… in other words, very childish.
I don't see how his campaign thought it would be a good idea to help Trump in a presidential campaign.
How many women did that little stunt turn off? How many moderates are just walking away, shaking their head?
Remember, this is not about Trump entertaining his base… he already has their vote.
To win this general election, if he gets the nod, he has to draw in more moderate and independent voters, and childish antics like this are not going to do the job.
We have now gotten to the point that the most serious candidates in this race are not even going to be in the general election unless there is a massive drop in support for Trump.
If I sound worried, I am, because the GOP blew 2020 and 2022, and if we blow 2024, we stand to lose everything.
I have another concern that I brought up before and bring it up again because of Trump's comments in that post. Is he saying that if, for some reason, he does not get the nomination, he will not back Haley? Is he really going to burn the entire house down and tell his supporters to sit out the election if he does not get the nod or cannot run for some reason?
This has become a legitimate threat to vote for him, or he will make sure the GOP does not win in 2024 with anyone else. Just digest for a moment.
