Nikki Randhawa Haley, the Indian-American Governor of South Carolina, took the national political stage for the first time on Tuesday and punched holes in President Barack Obama’s record even as she took aim at her own party’s presidential front-runner Donald Trump over his venomous comments against Muslims and immigrants.
Delivering the Republican response to President Obama’s State of the Union address, Haley said Obama’s election as president seven years ago did break historic barriers and inspire millions of Americans, but his record in office “has often fallen short of his soaring words”.
“As he enters his final year in office, many Americans are still feeling the squeeze of an economy too weak to raise income levels….”Even worse, we are facing the most dangerous terrorist threat our nation has seen since September 11th, and this president appears either unwilling or unable to deal with it,” she said.
Haley thereafter took unmistakable shots at Trump, remarking, “Today, we live in a time of threats like few others in recent memory. During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation.”
Introducing herself as the “proud daughter of Indian immigrants”, Haley said, “No one who is willing to work hard, abide by our laws, and love our traditions should ever feel unwelcome in this country. At the same time, that does not mean we just flat out open our borders. We can’t do that. We cannot continue to allow immigrants to come here illegally. And in this age of terrorism, we must not let in refugees whose intentions cannot be determined.”
Haley’s comments resulted in a backlash at once, with some of Trump’s supporters demanding that she be deported, regardless of the fact that she is a US-born individual. Conservative commentator Ann Coulter, who is also a strong Trump supporter, tweeted, “Trump should deport Nikki Haley.”