I've spent a lot of time trying to figure it out. Too much time, probably, since there's really only one explanation.
Last week, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley went on Fox News and was asked about fellow conservative Ron DeSantis and his ongoing battle with corporate behemoth Disney. I still can't believe what happened next.
For those who don't remember, Disney attempted to use their economic might to sabotage the will of Floridians as expressed through their overwhelmingly elected legislature.
In accordance with their own aggressive allegiance to LGBT activism, Disney had pledged its voluminous resources to combat a parental rights bill that forbid educators from discussing age-inappropriate sexual topics with elementary children. For a company that once purported to cater to families and kids, it was a revealing admission about what they've allowed the house that Walt built to become.
Governor DeSantis responded by acknowledging Disney's right to express their opinion on legislation while also acknowledging the legislature's right to not extend special concessions and allowances to companies that declare political war on them. And back and forth it's gone since then.
Enter Nikki Haley. A self-proclaimed conservative Christian, and a declared candidate for president, attempting desperately to garner momentum among conservative voters, the former South Carolina Governor decided to use her coveted airtime to… side with Disney?
You'd be forgiven for doing a doubletake. I did, because it was that bizarre. Is Haley actually suggesting that if a company publicly boasted about its commitment to subvert a law meant to protect innocent elementary kids from being indoctrinated by radical sexual curriculum, she would yawn and say "whatever?"
The Babylon Bee had a rather humorous take on the situation:
As a person who once honestly considered Haley a viable option for conservatives in 2024, I was stunned by the damage she did to her candidacy with that performance. Even if she were to backtrack now, she's forever lost the trust of those who have been fighting so hard, across the country, against the rapid onslaught of gender ideology in elementary schools.
Who advised her on those statements? It's simply inexplicable coming from someone trying to win the nomination.
And when I realized that, it all made sense. That's not what this campaign is about for Haley. While I'm thinking of her as potentially presidential material, she is thinking of herself as auditioning for the vice presidency. And if there was ever a question who she envisions playing second fiddle to, check out this tweet:
"Sanctimonious." As in, Ron "DeSanctimonious," that extremely ham-fisted nickname former President Trump tried unsuccessfully to brand the Florida governor with months ago. Nikki isn't eyeing the White House. Remember, she's the one who said over a year ago that she would not run for president if Trump decided to run again. No, she's eyeing a Trump/Haley ticket in 2024, which is precisely why, like the big man, she is concentrating all her firepower on DeSantis. So fearful is she of crossing the former president that she'll prove her loyalty even if that means siding with the proponents of radical gender ideology in schools.
To say that's disappointing, coming from one I thought had the toughness of character to do the job, is a monumental understatement. But at least now we know.
