Nikki Haley - Yes!

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   Kathleen Cochranposted 23 months ago

   Presidential.
   Intelligent.
   Honorable.
   Does she have a snowball's chance?

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      Sharlee01posted 23 months agoin reply to this

      She presented herself, as well as her agenda well. She was impressive.

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   Willowarborposted 23 months ago

   I think she'll receive the largest boost from her performance on the debate stage. She has the experience, intelligence and character to lead.  I also like the fact that she comes across as genuine, articulate and realistic rather than divisive. She should be a serious contender but unfortunately we have a few too many in our country today that continue to be drawn in by the likes of carnival barker candidates (Ramaswamy) that parrot Trump's most divisive
   rhetoric.
   
   My one problem with Haley: she raised her hand along with five others indicating they would support a trump candidacy even if he is convicted.
   
   I'm hoping she will rethink that. If not, she would be immediately disqualified for me.  The idea that we can have a candidate that would be a convicted felon is ridiculous and totally banana republic.

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      Sharlee01posted 23 months agoin reply to this

      In my view, (and I am going out on a limb)  I feel Desantis and Vivek Ramaswamy will get bumps.

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         Kathleen Cochranposted 23 months agoin reply to this

         Sharlee: As usual, I find myself on the other limb. I thought those two hurt themselves the most. Vivek seemed to be channeling a young Trump. Christy opining on him being an amature needing on the job training was the height of irony for someone who once was a foot soldier for the never ran for anything Trump.

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         Willowarborposted 23 months agoin reply to this

         I am definitely missing the appeal of Ramaswamy.  I think Christi was right when he said Ramaswamy sounded like chat gpt. He was fast talking, loud and hyperbolic. Certainly not genuine.
         He had lots of opinions, but he has little experience in actually handling the things he's  professing expertise about.  I don't agree with his climate denialism, anti Ukrainian stance and his Trump groveling.  For me, he lacked any real substance and was mostly performative politics.
         DeSantis looked terribly uncomfortable on the stage, even nervous. He dodged many questions and only had pre-canned responses for others. Much of what he said was actually rehashed from previous speeches he had given.  Both probably prevented him from actually jumping into the debates with others. He is just not very likable or inspiring in my view. I believe at the end of the debate when others were shaking hands he just sort of walked off.

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            Sharlee01posted 23 months agoin reply to this

            Hey, just getting in on how will get the bump. I appreciate each person on that stage, for one reason or another. Some impressed me more than others. I have already shared I will vote this next time around for one reason --- to get the Democrats out of the White House. So, I probably should stay away from discussions on candidates. It won't matter who the Republican is that wins the primary. They will have my vote.
            
            All on that stage, in my view, would be better for the country than Biden or Kennedy. I don't think the Democrats have anyone else tossing their hat in.

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      Credence2posted 23 months agoin reply to this

      The other point is that Haley did not see the fact that being a woman was a liability to overcome, which sort of was a theme in Hillary Clinton's campaign.
      
      There was no reason to believe that being feminine was an impediment to being an effective leader, much as we have seen in other democratically based societies around the world.

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3. 81

   Credence2posted 23 months ago

   I don't like Republicans in general, and I think most of them were timid in regard to Trumps candidacy. They all waltzed around the topic as one would in the midst of a minefield.
   
   Christie came out like a wet noodle and was disappointing. I could probably see Nikki Haley as the least offensive.

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      Kathleen Cochranposted 23 months agoin reply to this

      David French (NY Times) "Here at last was a conservative who called out Trump’s profligate spending, a pro-life politician who gave an appropriately pragmatic answer to the challenge of national legislation, and a foreign policy hawk who dismantled Ramaswamy’s isolationism on live television. All of it warmed my old-school Reagan conservative heart. If there’s any life left in the old G.O.P., Haley gave it hope."

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         Credence2posted 23 months agoin reply to this

         To bring the GOP back to where they were in the eighties and nineties would be a stark improvement.

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            Kathleen Cochranposted 23 months agoin reply to this

            Credence: I can't think of a time far enough back that would improve on the GOP. The Great Depression, privatization of health care, Watergate, Iran/Contra, subsequent pardons, Iraq War and financial collapse, all followed by Trump. Why Americans haven't had enough yet I'll never understand.

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               Credence2posted 23 months agoin reply to this

               I may need to go back further. There has always been a place for reasonable conservatism regarding government spending and such. In earlier periods before the GOP got on this cultural conservative shtick, the checks and balances between social justice and fiscal responsibility were more in focus. I believed that everything may have worked better then.
               
               All of this may well have been the case between the period of time of FDR and LBJ's "Great Society" legislation. By the early Eighties, the backlash was to begin.

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   Willowarborposted 23 months ago

   She took some chances on stage, which I appreciated.
   She pointed the finger at Republicans  during Trump's presidency for bringing back earmarks. In the 2024 budget, Republicans requested $7.4 billion in earmarks compared to Democrats' $2.8 billion.
   
   "You tell me, who are the big spenders?" Haley said. "I think it's time for an accountant in the White House."

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      Kathleen Cochranposted 23 months agoin reply to this

      I tried to share that sound bite but the technology eluded me. maybe someone more skilled can provide that.
      
      Her statement on "big spenders" blew me away. I wish someone, somewhere would make people realize that spending and tax cuts both add to the deficit and reduce our revenue stream. The question should be "Who benefits" and what does that say about us?

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         IslandBitesposted 23 months agoin reply to this

         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdnNnIuXIzg
         
         "I CARE ABOUT THE FACT THAT NO ONE IS TELLING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THE TRUTH. THE TRUTH IS THAT BIDEN DID NOT  DUE THIS TO US. OUR REPUBLICANS DID THIS TO US TOO. WHEN THEY PASS THE TWO-POINT TO TRILLION DOLLAR COVID STIMULUS BILL, THEY LEFT US WITH 90 MILLION PEOPLE ON MEDICAID. 42 MILLION PEOPLE ON FOOD STAMPS.
         NO ONE HAS TOLD YOU HOW TO FIX IT.
         
         I TELL YOU HOW TO FIX IT. STOP THE SPENDING, STOP THE BORROWING. ELIMINATE THE EARMARKS THAT REPUBLICANS BROUGHT BACK IN. THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THESE ARE TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
         IT IS NOT THEIR DOLLARS. WHILE THEY ARE ALL SAYING THIS YOU HAVE RON DESANTIS, TIM SCOTT, MIKE PENCE, THEY ALL VOTED TO RAISE THE DEBT.
         
         DONALD TRUMP ADDED $8 TRILLION TO OUR DEBT. OUR KIDS ARE NEVER GOING TO FORGIVE US FOR THIS.
         
         AT THE END OF THE DAY HE LOOK AT THE 2024 BUDGET, REPUBLICANS ASKED FOR $7.4 BILLION IN  EARMARKS. DEMOCRATS ASKED FOR $2.8 BILLION. YOU TELL ME WHO ARE THE BIG SPENDERS?
         
         I THINK IT'S TIME FOR AN ACCOUNTANT IN THE WHITE HOUSE."

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            Willowarborposted 23 months agoin reply to this

            This was really a great, key moment. She really was the only one who brought substance to the debate.

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