Posted on 10/12/2018 9:01:46 AM PDT by Kaslin
U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley surprised virtually everybody this week when she announced she'd be resigning from her post at the end of the year.
In doing so, Haley has managed something unique. She leaves the Trump administration with her reputation not merely undiminished but actually enhanced. She's popular with both pro- and anti-Trump factions on the right, and with shockingly high numbers of independents and Democrats. She has a long list of accomplishments under her belt and no embarrassments or scandals. She is almost certainly the most popular politician in America.
OK, full disclosure: I'm biased and conflicted. I'm biased because I am a fan of Haley. I'm also conflicted because my wife, Jessica Gavora, works for Haley as her speechwriter and adviser.
While I'm at it, let me also say that one of my wife's more admirable (and annoying) traits is that she never tells me the cool stuff. For all I know, she's got the 411 on what's going on at Area 51. So if there's some secret scandal or devious plan behind Haley's resignation, I don't know what it is and neither does Jessica -- unless she's lying to me.
Whatever Haley's thinking is, one thing is obvious: She has better political timing than anyone else currently in the business. She's not leaving until January, but by announcing it now, she can't be seen as deserting ship if the midterms go badly.
There's the old saying: "It's better to be lucky than good." Haley is both.
An outspoken Trump critic in the primaries, she was nonetheless Trump's choice for U.N. ambassador. There are many theories for why Trump wanted her for the job. Some argue this was the only way to get Haley out of the South Carolina governor's mansion to make room for her then-lieutenant governor, Henry McMaster, a far more full-throated Trumpist.
Also, Trump likes hiring prominent critics in order to make them acknowledge his victory over them. Others say he wanted to unite the party. Recall his overture to sharp Trump critic Ohio Gov. John Kasich to be his running mate. Trump ultimately picked Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who'd technically endorsed Ted Cruz in the 2016 primaries, even if he spent most of his time man-crushing on Trump.
Meanwhile, the timing was fortuitous for Haley to leave before the end of her second term as governor. She had recently handled both a particularly horrific church shooting and the subsequent wrenching debate about the Confederate flag flying at the state capitol nearly perfectly.
Even so, it was a big risk for Haley to take the U.N. job. She had little foreign policy experience to speak of, and the risk that she might be forced to either defend the indefensible or resign in protest was high. Only in retrospect does it seem obvious this was the best job in the Trump administration and that she was the best person for it.
First, the U.N. is the best arena in the world for picking the right enemies. Also, the U.N. ambassador is outside the snake pits of Washington while still at the center of the media world. Haley was also blessed to have a political nonentity, Rex Tillerson, working as secretary of state.
Because it's a foreign policy post, Haley didn't have to weigh in on every Trumpian controversy. But when she did -- on the "Me Too" movement, Russian meddling, etc. -- she did it in a way that differentiated herself from Trump and his sycophants without seeming disloyal or mealy-mouthed.
Haley made it all look easy, in part because she's a good politician -- a daughter of Indian immigrants in a state renowned for ugly politics who managed to win two governor's races.
But she's also willing to do something too few politicians with charm and luck on their side bother to do: her homework. After all, she started out as the family bookkeeper at 13.
The timing and manner of her decision was near perfect. Once again, she's not only leaving on a high note, she's leaving as the only prominent Republican around today who can simultaneously unite the party and also appeal to non-Republicans. (Which is why you can expect the knives to come out soon.)
If Trump runs in 2020, it's doubtful anyone could take the nomination from him. If he doesn't run, the Republicans could be in desperate need of a minority woman who's acceptable to a divided GOP and to voters repulsed by Trump.
It's all about timing, and at 46, Haley's got all the time she needs.
Trump hiring her should show Goldberg that Trump selects people who he feels are right for the job.
But JB can’t recist taking cheap shots at Trump.
All of which make JB, and not Trump, come across as a petty light weight.
More 3-D chess by Trump
He removes a sitting RINO-ish Gov and replacing her with Henry Dargan McMaster is a member of the Republican Party.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_McMaster
I like the way you think!
What is Haley wearing around her neck?
I can’t get it big enough and clear enough to tell. Looks like either a palm tree with a crescent moon, or a Dr. Seuss “Who”.
State flag seal, SC.
Who cares?
Goldberg’s wife, Jessica Gavora, works for Haley as her speechwriter, so this slop is a conflicted POS authored by a despicable Never Trumper.
Why don't we go full-up comedy deprecation and give the job to someone like Norm MacDonald?
It could be a palmetto, the state tree and symbol of South Carolina.
“...she did it in a way that differentiated herself from Trump and his sycophants without seeming disloyal or mealy-mouthed.”
I despise this jerk.
In the grand scheme of things, the move of U.N. Secretary Nikki Haley to resign is a typical move of a professional politician on the establishment side of the GOPe political continuum.
Ms. Haley comes from the political house of Bush; hence the original Rubio support in 2016 etc. She is a political animal from the establishment wing.
Within the traditional political class the customary approach to a White House run is to gain about five years of wealth in advance of a presidential run. Haley would be following a wealth process for a 2024 presidential run.
During this wealth accumulation period the cocktail party circuit (the billionaire crowd) will front-load wealth, purchase homes and all expenses etc, for the future candidate. This ‘Five Year Plan‘ was the same historic approach done for Ronald Reagan.
With a candidate in the private sector, the professional donor-class make investments in the candidate while it is legal to do so. The investments are made in anticipation of future influence. This is simply how money influences politics.
With the “Me Too” movement in high political value, the currency of Nikki Haley, as an investment candidate, is at the apex. Haley checks the right boxes; she is making a predictable move to capitalize on that process, politics and timeliness.
The U.N., as an institution, is also in alignment with the high-brow Prescott Bush clan. Ms. Nikki Haley is regarded by this clan as a very valuable commodity. If they can’t get Jeb, or another Bush (ie. Rubio) over the finish line, they will be much better positioned with investments in Nikki Haley.
It goes without saying the U.N. is not MAGA. In many ways the interests of the U.N. run counter to the more nationalistic MAGA movement. Hence, it was smart for President Trump to put a non-MAGA ambassador into the U.N. while simultaneously, and smartly, using the position to keep the globalists from attacking MAGA policy.
It was a strategic move when it was done and the benefits have been visible.
Moving forward, despite the success of President Trump in taking over the Republican party, the political apparatus still has factions (ie. Never Trump etc.). Those GOPe types will back Nikki Haley in 2024 as they did Jeb in 2016. The outlooks are same/same. This is all entirely predictable.
Due to the increasing success of the MAGA or Trump Republican apparatus, Haley will need to carefully position herself as a stealth Decepticon and not upset the vulgarian hordes; ie. the new republican party base voter. As a smart and tactical politician Haley will invest heavily in the optics of supporting the MAGA movement; and embrace President Trump to avoid any conflict.
Much like the primary of 2016 (w/ Jeb), the primary race of 2024 will determine if Haley can con enough people into not seeing her elitist Decepticon position.
The Bush clan and professional political cocktail circuit was rebuked in 2016, so we can anticipate their strategy in 2024 will be with those strategic lessons at the forefront.
/End.
Nikki Haley isn’t natural born, is she?
No she is not.
Her parents were Indian nationals.
She was born an Indian national.
If her parents had decided to go back to India when she was little, she would not be an American at all.
I’ve always thought she would be Pence’s VP, then, first female POTUS.
Fredo Goldberg.
> voters repulsed by Trump.
I thought they said illegals don’t vote
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