Rumors that Trump is considering Nikki Haley as his VP
There have been a lot of stories (for example, this one) about how Trump is mulling over the possibility of Nikki Haley as his VP. Perhaps they’e even true; who knows? Haley wouldn’t be such a bad choice in the sense that she is perceived by moderates as more level-headed and even-keeled than Trump, not quite as far right, and of course is also a woman.
But Haley is also not liked by most Trump supporters. Would they abandon him if he chose Haley? Some might, although I doubt many would.
But there have also been a bunch of stories saying that his associates and allies have told him not to do it:
Haley’s polling surge has alarmed some staunch Trump confidants who are acutely aware that the former president pays close attention to survey data. In interviews and public appearances, they have emphatically swatted down the idea of Haley for vice president in hopes that Trump won’t warm to the idea. …
Trump’s campaign has dismissed any chatter of vice president picks as premature, maintaining that he is focused on winning the upcoming primary contests. A campaign spokesperson did not comment for this story. A Haley spokesperson declined to comment as well. …
Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son, took to Newsmax to declare he would “go to great lengths to make sure” his father didn’t pick Haley. And Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News host who is frequently in touch with the former president, said on a conservative podcast this week that he would “advocate against” a Trump-Haley ticket “as strongly as I could.”
Republican strategist Roger Stone, a longtime outside adviser to the former president, told POLITICO that he too would be “personally opposed to such a selection, because I believe that [Haley’s] views are so antithetically different than President Trump’s views.”
I wonder who Trump would choose as a VP though, and whether that person would accept.
I have been impressed with both Kari Lake and Tucker Carlson. They are both fairly young, attractive, and most importantly very well spoken! Trump’s worst failing is that he does not speak carefully enough to keep from supplying the media with sound bites to use against him! I don’t think Lake or Carlson would suffer from that.
He should also avoid zeroes like Pence. As soon as a flaming liberal I know said after 2016 that “at least Pence may keep him honest” I knew we had trouble, and right away he proved he was a backstabber!
I should add that I just don’t think that any of the other current declared candidates have the “fire-in-the-belly” to take on the Deep State that Trump feels from his own experience.
True, in the case of New Jersey Fats, that’s a blessing!
Ray Van Dune (4:00 pm) said:
“Trump’s worst failing is that he does not speak carefully enough to keep from supplying the media with sound bites to use against him!”
I agree with that 1,000 percent — except that failing may not be his *worst* failing (of many) — but then again, if the supply of cringe-inducing Trumpian sound bites were to dry up, the media will have no problem at all manufacturing some / many.
I have stated that I don’t see how Trump can get any credible person on his ticket, or in his cabinet, given his track record of alienating or trashing nearly everyone who has been closely associated with him in the past.
I may be proven wrong, but I still believe that. OTH someone like Haley might see it as a gamble with a potential up side as Trump would certainly only be a one term President–if that. If he didn’t ruin her, as he did Pence, she would be the likely successor.
Haley adds nothing–other than her gender–as far as I am concerned. I could almost buy into a Trump-DeSantis ticket, but Trump burned that bridge ahead of himself, as he often does.
Ray Van Dune:
DeSantis has plenty of fire in the belly for it, plus a proven track record.
But as Oldflyer points out, Trump burned that bridge.
Ray Van Dune: “I have been impressed with both Kari Lake and Tucker Carlson. They are both fairly young, attractive, and most importantly very well spoken! Trump’s worst failing is that he does not speak carefully enough to keep from supplying the media with sound bites to use against him! I don’t think Lake or Carlson would suffer from that
He should also avoid zeroes like Pence. As soon as a flaming liberal I know said after 2016 that “at least Pence may keep him honest” I knew we had trouble, and right away he proved he was a backstabber!”
Really?
Well I disagree with both paragraphs for what it is worth. Lake could not carry her own state;. She is trying a comeback, and we will see. Carlson? Well, never mind.
Pence stood by Trump right up until 1/6 when he could not do what Trump wanted; so he was trashed. There is a theme there.
OTH, Giuliani did what Trump wanted him to do, and we see how that worked for him. IMO, the one person who could work for Trump and survive unscathed was Pompeo; but he is so smart and so tough that Trump could not ruin him.
donaldjtrump.com/news
Let us be very specific here: unless a message is coming directly from President Trump or an authorized member of his campaign team, no aspect of future presidential staffing or policy announcements should be deemed official.
Let us be even more specific, and blunt:
People publicly discussing potential administration jobs for themselves or their friends are, in fact, hurting President Trump…and themselves. These are an unwelcomed distraction.
Second term policy priorities and staffing decisions will not – in no uncertain terms – be led by anonymous or thinly sourced speculation in mainstream media news stories.
Oldflyer:
I also agree with you on Lake and Carlson. The latter is especially awful on foreign policy.
Tucker Carlson has made it explicitly clear he has no interest in running for any office. And why would he? He’s living the dream: tons of money and influence, a large group of loyal followers and a highly public persona on the dissident right.
Kari Lake is hopelessly overrated and a bit of a blowhard. Let her actually win office at the state level (and yes, maybe she lost due to fraud, but she still lost), before anything national is discussed.
Pompeo would be a sensible choice.
Haley certainly could be a good choice, but it’s a risk for all the reasons Neo laid out.
“Let her actually win office at the state level…”
Arizona’s election system is a regrettable embarrassment. I’m placing Kristie Noem’s résumé on the table as a possible alternative to Lake.
I think Haley is overrated, you doesn’t seem to understand or care about the real consequences of our current crisis, she wants a national abortion ban, she would probably have more of those poisonous gnats that we discovered were in pence’s employ,
We need age and experienced maturity to counterblance Trump. A national unity ticket would do much to bring the country together. Maybe Jimmy Carter would be willing to serve.
Trump needs to pick someone very different from himself. Someone calmer, less controversial, less provocative. Pence was in that sense, not at all a bad pick. But Pence was picked when it wasn’t at all clear that Trump could win. This time, an old White guy wouldn’t be a great pick.
Kari Lake would not be a good pick. She’s too uncontrollable and too much like Trump. She wouldn’t bring him any votes he’s not getting anyway and might lose some of those he has been likely to get. Tucker is fine where he is. I agree with him about a lot of things, but he’s a great target for the Democrats: a rich preppy guy with a history of candid, controversial remarks.
Haley is too warlike, and to she doesn’t sound like she speaks from conviction on most issues. I suspect that when she gets to DC she’ll just fall in line with the Washington consensus and the permanent government. Maybe Tim Scott or Kristi Noem would be better picks for Trump.
Presidential candidates are people with big egos. They always choose someone for VP who will not outshine them. And someone who is not usually voted for President on their own. Hence we got Pence. Look for Trump to continue the tradition.
Continued shes 30 points behind Trump in her own state, she might advance more in New Hampshire, because it’s infected with people from Massachussets and they don’t really have a democratic primary this time,
The only relevant argument should be the one which bears on whether or not Haley helps or hinders Trump win the election.
The veep has, if not zero, close to that in terms of influence over the presidency. So Haley is a war-monger? So what?
She’s now the veep to the only president in decades that hasn’t started a war.
Etc. etc, etc.
A hard look at the swing states, electoral votes and related matters is what counts right now. I myself don’t have any particular insights. I live in a solid blue state, so I’m spending what time and effort I have on a local Republican congressional candidate who has a fighting chance to take a House seat away from a Democrat
And why not Kim Reynolds, asks someone from Iowa?
I’d say Pompeo except he should be at State again.
Pompeo was willing to lie about General Flynn on points of order that were long settled, apparently he did very little as John Gentry notes in his memoir to purge the Company of DEI directives, and his successor did worse,
Iowa being a swing state, probably would fit the bill there has been some antagonism, but I don’t think that would really be a deal breaker,
I put my name out there. I am Old, White, Male and live in a solid Blue State (CO). Oh and a Veteran.
No one knows me. What’s not to like.
Bill K, I’d like to see Reynolds and other solid folks continue to build up Iowa as a Midwestern fortress. She could be wasted in DC. (My reasons about wanting Iowa to do well are partly selfish, of course.)
I hope no part of Nikki gets near a DJT administration
I do fear everyone thinks they have to have a female VP
Miguel, to use the current vernacular, your facts are not my facts wrt Pompeo.
Kate, I agree; but I will be shocked, shocked, if Pompeo goes anywhere near Trump. As I have said, and firmly believe, Trump is toxic. OTH, I am shocked on a daily basis.
For the record, I said early on that my two choices would be Pompeo or DeSantis. In that order.
Well, Oldflyer, if Trump wins we’d better hope some competent people agree to work with him. And since the VP is usually a nonentity in policy terms, we’d better hope Trump lasts four years.
Continuing the deep atate campaign against general flynn cut him no ice with me.
Like general mattis between him and mcmaster they seem to have spent all their time gossiping to the Times
“Pence stood by Trump right up until 1/6 when he could not do what Trump wanted; so he was trashed.”
No, Pence threw his lot in with the Deep State almost immediately, when he facilitated the trashing of Gen. Flynn.
I think despite the polls, the state of the world and the strong horse concept, more people than are willing to admit it to pollsters, prefer a strong man as POTUS. Haley is a 5-8 weathervane.
Elise Stefanik.
What would happen if Ron deSantis was able to see the long game prospect of a two-term Presidency after serving as VP for what can only be one term, and what if Trump did the supposedly unthinkable and laid out the sensible argument with a sound political strategy?
Trump has insulted plenty of people that were adult enough to get past it and work toward productive common goals. You don’t get terribly far in politics if you allow grudges to determine your options. Huey Long’s storied political career is a prime example of this.
Kristi Noem is waiting in the wings. She’s done a good job in South Dakota. I know, she looks like an info babe from Fox, but she’s pretty darn smart, and is a conservative. Also, Trump likes to work with attractive women. Just another possibility.
My republican party has come around begging for money. I have only one question to ask them: why haven’t they impeached Biden for the border issue?
It seems to me that now they have made this half/assed attempt at impeachment they have no intention of scheduling the actions necessary in such a timely fashion as to have the whole process out in the open and quickly accomplished or if it fails as it will the process will at least summarize the actions of intent–make them loud and clear for all to know. This crowd in DC now will drag their feet with the thought they are getting some press time–they are wrong once again!
Gosh, if we want a woman then I would be happy with Sarah Palin. Let’s become self-sufficient in energy. I think she hates deep state, too. I suppose I’m in the settle many scores camp.
Ackler–please explain exactly what you mean:
(and yes, maybe she lost due to fraud, but she still lost)
Do you belong to the “that’s how the game is played” club?
(I was told that by my “country club” R neighbor on Nov 5, 2020.)
The Ds can–and do– cheat to win, but Lake is somehow supposed to win, by out voting their cheating?
That she should have anticipated the massive amount of mail in ballots that would be counted without meeting the legal criteria required to verify them?
That adjustments made to the scanners that prevented the day-of ballots–over 75% for her–from being read as there was a size mismatch of an inch programmed in to the reader v the actual ballot size would be made the day before the election in the predominantly R voting districts?
That the officials in the rural counties who called for having an audit on their votes before verifying them would be threatened with prosecution for doing so?
How do you propose she COULD have been declared the victor in light of those facts?
And exactly how should she have addressed that, other than how she has, through the courts?
That all happened, so she is not a “winner” in your eyes.
That said–I don’t see her strengthening the ticket.
VPs do matter–when they are moles looking to undermine the POTUS, as Pence and his staff did, starting with Flynn.
I do think the assumption that DeSantis would not take the VP spot if offered is naive, and shows a lack of recognition –or maybe acceptance–of how these people are wired.
He’s first and foremost a politician, and has been for a long time.
If he sees being Trump’s VP as serving him–and 2028 isn’t too far away–he’ll “forgive and forget.”
I’d prefer he do it as seeing it “for the good of the country”, but Ron has shown us he’s not that guy. His repeated failures to address the outrage of lawfare when it happens–instead, waiting to get his consultants’ take–as well as his flip flop on Ukraine showed anybody looking who he’s looking out for.
He’s done a strong job in Florida, and I expect he’ll continue to show the country what conservative governance can do.
Kari Lake? Tucker Carlson? Really?
There was a time when a VP pick was supposed to unite different factions of the party. Even Mike Pence was a nod to the saner portions of the party. Not anymore. The message to Trump-skeptical Republicans seems to be that we’ll get nothing and like it.
Don’t be surprised if a lot of us walk out the door, or find something better to do on November 5th of next year.
Only the purest of the pure can satiate an Isolationist:
The most capable conservative governor in the US isn’t good enough. Because, reasons (Russia). And golly gee, Ron DeSantis is a politician since he is a Governor and elected in a process called “politics,” just like every other elected official.
I want to elaborate on my preference for Carlson or Lake. They are excellent communicators (especially Tucker) who could fulfill a very important role, and that is to keep the media back on its heels!
The media acts as an organ of not only the Democrats, but the Deep State! I think those of us who get our information from diverse (in the true sense of the word) sources may underestimate how critical the media is in controlling the minds of the average American, to the near-exclusive political benefit of Democrats. A VP that is a media-savvy communicator could go a long way in combatting that advantage.
There are a few good posts here, like Ray Van Dune’s, but the majority are scarily nonsense. DeSantis is a great governor, and would not play VP for Trump for 4 years; I prefer him as president to Trump, whom the evil Democratic Party has persecuted with in-house generated lies like the Steele dossier, starting in 2016, early in the primaries..
There is nothing wrong with Haley, nothing. Pompeo is a great man. Posters here seem to seek a person with 100% accordance with their views. Ain’t gonna happen!
He took steps to prevent the steal in florida thats way his statements ring false
So ill put in tudor dixon as my bet
What Trump and the people around him in 2016 understood is that a political outsider needs to balance the ticket with somebody who actually has been elected to something. Trump is more experienced in politics and government now, but he’s still enough of an unpredictable outsider that he still needs somebody who has managed to get elected to something. It doesn’t matter whether a possible running mate was defeated fairly or not, proven electability is a sign that a VP pick has some stability, some competence, some experience in governing, some acceptability to voters and other politicians, and possibly a state to bring to the ticket.
___________
The money guys on local radio are saying that it’s possible the Fed has achieved a “soft landing” — inflation under control with no recession. If that’s true, Biden’s chances of reelection are better than they now appear. A year from now, will it look as though the economy and the country are under control and Donald Trump isn’t? The border situation is one thing Trump really has going for him. Will that be resolved or fake-resolved enough to neutralize the issue? Democrats would have an even better chance if they replace Biden, but I doubt things are as rosy for the Republicans as people are now saying, especially since, when things were so awful last year, they only made minimal gains.
Abraxas – I agree with the second part of your post. I think a true “soft landing” is unlikely, but we may muddle through, kind of like we did during the Obama years. The press will no doubt puff whatever our economic state next year as literally the best in history.
That leaves the border and the clear-as-day fact that the Democratic nominee isn’t up to the job. So, of course, let’s nominate the guy whose approval rating is nearly 30 points underwater and 65% of the population doesn’t want to run again.
Even if the economy evens out by next November, this election is an opportunity that Republicans will regret punting away by nominating Trump.
Of course, I expect Trumpers to rationalize the whole thing by claiming that no Republican could possibly have won. (So Haley is up on Biden by 17 points in the same poll that has Trump up by 2? I’m sure they can rationalize that away too. I predict that a large number of them will claim that Haley was no better than Biden.)
The Republican party has gone mad.
“There is nothing wrong with Haley”
Well, I won’t vote for her. Ever.
Putin is considering negotiations as a way to promote Biden, while turning down the bloodshed and the pain to the Russian economy. Thus all the U.S. media words about his “confidence”.
Good news for Democrats despite Biden is giving the media palpitations of pleasure!
Trump should choose Tulsi Gabbard for VP. That would rock.
It’ll be Roseanne Barr for endless entertainment while she ridicules the MSM for four years. She’ll double as his Press Secretary.
Tulsi is indeed a gorgeous woman, but that isn’t sufficient for VP. Besides she’s a Hawaiian Dem, and I don’t think that ever washes out!
I think that Kristi Noem’s longstanding affair with former Trump Press Secretary Corey Lewandowski should disqualify her.
I don’t want a potential Commander In Chief to be someone who recently trashed her marriage vows!
The narrator of Trump’s Christmas Eve Ad is probably the only lady Gov he trusts.
https://nitter.net/TeamTrump/status/1739015163141832943#m
crasey:
Gov Huckabee Sanders would be a good choice. No skeletons I know of.
Jordan Rivers, I didn’t know that about Noem. If true, you’re right. She’s not a good candidate.
rumor passed off as fact, the problem lies in what can she deliver, women, a certain cohort, a certain group will recoil, she was very sensible on the lockdowns
but those who were most obdurate and wrong seem to advance,
Re: Tulsi Gabbard
Pervy Grin, Ray Van Dune:
___________________________________
Tulsi Gabbard warns AmFest crowd that Democrat elites are ‘willing to do anything’ to hold onto power in 2024
Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard spoke at Turning Point USA’s Americafest (AmFest) on Monday evening, speaking out about the weaponization of government undertaken by the Biden administration and Democrat lawmakers.
“The future of our country is at risk and we are the only ones that can save her,” Gabbard said. “It’s the Democrat elite and the permanent Washington establishment, the war machine made up of both Democrats and Republicans who are abusing their power, undermining our God given rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution with one goal and objective in mind: protecting their power at any cost.”
Gabbard noted that all members of Congress, including herself, take an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States against enemies, both foreign and domestic.
“The sad reality is that many of these very people who raised their right hand and said those words pose a direct domestic threat to the freedom of our country today.”
https://thepostmillennial.com/tulsi-gabbard-warns-amfest-crowd-that-democrat-elite-are-willing-to-do-anything-to-hold-onto-power-in-2024
___________________________________
Sounds good to me.
I don’t know what Gabbard is up to exactly. Maybe she’s just a patriot.
DeSantis and Trump are both from Florida. The 12th Amendment says a state’s electors cannot vote for two people from the same state (for President and VP). That means for that ticket to win, they have to do so without Florida’s 30 electoral votes. Maybe Trump/DeSantis wins in such a landslide that Florida is not needed, but I wouldn’t count on that.
It is also not clear to me that anyone with plans to become president in 2028 would want to be Trump’s VP. I think the best he can hope for is slim majorities in the Senate and House in 2024, and I would expect at least one to flip in 2026. If the House, then the impeachment games will begin on the day they take the oath.
Finally, isn’t it premature to be talking about who will be his VP when not a single state has yet to vote?
its just gossip told by one person to another, actual matters of substance are rarely discussed on CBS unless catherine herridge does it, and she might as well be a leper from the main network,
“…she’s a Hawaiian Dem…”
Not any more.
(Whatever that might mean….)
Banned Lizard: agree! At a minimum, Sarah Huckabee Sanders needs to be on the short list. Well spoken, fearless and a defender of the Constitution.
Haley is of subcontinental origin and has actively worked to suppress SC and US history by removing the SC flag. I do not think an ethnic American should be the Prime Minister of India, and I do not think an ethnic Indian should achieve high office in the US, unless they are fifth-generation or so. Freedom of speech is fundamental to US ethnic heritage, Haley does not get it.
Trump needs a bulldog as VP, someone like Giuliani.
How about that AG from TX? Ken Paxton. He was attacked by the scumbag dems in TX with assistance from scumbag republicans. He survived impeachment and promptly told his enemies to hold on to their seatbelts. He has been very active in retaliation; that is what Trump needs.
Trump needs a lieutenant who will rip the deep state to shreds and put the fear of God into all the leftist scum who are allied against him, including the propaganda ministry, our media.
Erronius
I don’t know if Trump is going to prison for life or facing a firing squad before the election, but one thing is for certain, he won’t be on any of your precious state ballots.
As one commenter put it:
”
“There is nothing wrong with Haley”
Well, I won’t vote for her. Ever.”
And most will not, especially in southern states–can you say a 538-0 electoral college loss called at 11 PM eastern time with no “fortification” required?
IMO, what you want in a VP candidate is as follows: (1) able to take over as chief executive w/o notice, (2) in rough agreement with you on policy questions, (3) able to handle campaigning on a national scale, (4) not generating distractions. (5) able to drag you over the line in a state you might not otherwise carry. The first and the third require previous experience. The fourth requires that you not have skeletons in your closet and that you respond with aplomb when the cretins from CREW and Pro-publica try to manufacture them. The last is the least consequential consideration and only comes into play if your posited running mate is from a purple state. Per Wm. Schneider, a VP selection is good for 2% of the vote in the VP candidate’s home state. That aside, the point is to avoid downside risk. The exemplar of a VP candidate generating disagreeable distractions is Geraldine Ferraro. Hellary’s selection of Tim Kaine in 2016 is an example of an optimal selection.
(6) must be a relative non-entity.
Tim Kaine fit the bill there.
I wonder why Haley gets blamed for the Confederate flag thing. Other governors have taken down Confederate flags, the Civil War, the Civil War Centennial, and opposition to desegregation all being long over.
Haley is promising to do a lot of things that she won’t do. When she gets to Washington, she’ll be told that those things are impossible, and she’ll do what Mitch McConnell (or his successor) and the permanent goverment want.
Trump needs somebody who will reassure voters. An alternative might be to try being more reassuring himself, but that’s not going to happen. Granted, it’s going to be difficult to find someone who will reassure the mainstream and still be loyal to DJT.
(6) must be a relative non-entity.
==
No, that’s not advisable. If they actually were a non-entity, they’d be unlikely to be sitting in a governor’s chair.
Clem (yes he was a non entity) his boy is antifa firemen, he pretended to know spanish,
haley used the occasion of some punk tweeker who should have been in prison to denounce all southerners, and she fell for bubba wallace and went all in on the ‘mostly peaceful protests’ the real insurrection, that scorched half the country