Nikki Made Too Much Sense
I found myself in Spring, Texas, just north of Houston, on the Monday before Super Tuesday, 2024. My daughter had alertly purchased tickets (they were free) to the midday Nikki Haley for President Republican primary rally, very near her house. As our group walked along the road to the indoor/outdoor rally venue, we encountered a number of Trump supporters peacefully protesting the rally.
A large white hearse with MAGA signage and American flags formed the focal point of the demonstration. We spotted a body lying prone at the back of the hearse; it was unclear who it represented but the betting was on either Nikki or President Biden.
Unnerved but undaunted, we entered the staging area, ordered a Texas-sized burger, and awaited Nikki’s entrance. It was a beautiful Spring day, and as we eyeballed the crowd, it was evident that everyone was upbeat and even boisterous about the prospect of hearing Nikki and celebrating American democracy in action.
Having vanquished all of the “fellas”, except Trump, in the Republican primary, it was 10 down and one to go. From the moment Nikki bounded onto the stage, everyone could see why she was the only one left standing. Magnetic, intelligent, articulate and confident, Nikki jumped right into a discussion of the issues confronting the American people.
Unafraid, she waded into the national debt and entitlement challenges while humorously emphasizing that she was an accountant, which is exactly what the country needed. Moving briskly yet exhaustively, she addressed the economy, the southern border, Putin, Hamas, and other issues facing America.
Not only could she string together more than a few sentences in a logical order, a trait not shared by either of her remaining opponents, she spoke eloquently about how the country could come together to meet its challenges. Young, vivacious, attractive and totally on her A game, Nikki looked every bit like what the President of the United States should be.
The following day, on Super Tuesday, Nikki encountered a rough day at the polls as Republican primary voters chose her opponent for the nomination. She did become the first woman in history to win a state Republican primary (Vermont) and she was the choice of approximately 30% of Republican primary voters, a very considerable number. While ultimately coming up short, Nikki ran a terrific race, and Americans are better off for having seen her as a candidate; Nikki demonstrated what true Presidential talent resembles and let us hope she is only pausing in her journey and will soon reappear.