AMHERST, NH — Nikki Haley just did a press gaggle in which she went after Donald Trump as hard as she has done during this campaign, including suggesting that his nomination would be very negative for the future of the Republican Party.
At the same time, she had to deal with the New York Times report that Tim Scott, who got his Senate job thanks to her, plans to unveil an endorsement of Donald Trump tonight here in the state.
Here is Haley’s first reaction to the Scott news when I asked her about it just after she finished up an interview with NewsNation at Mary Anne’s Diner.
Soon I will announce a time for later today when you can all join a 2WAY conversation with me from New Hampshire, likely from the site of Trump’s event, which is where the Times reports Scott will unfurl his support for the frontrunner.
Not too many endorsements matter, but this one does for at least three reasons:
1. It allows Trump to almost certainly win the news cycle in New Hampshire and nationally.
2. It helps Trump in South Carolina, where establishment endorsements mean something — and Trump already has the backing of, among others, the governor and the state’s other U.S. Senator.
3. It allows Trump to argue he is unifying the party around his nomination, with Scott as one of the party’s leading Black leaders, a former presidential candidate, and a member of the GOP’s congressional wing. Mitch McConnell, over to you.
Amidst the grumbling over Haley’s light schedule in New Hampshire earlier in the week, she has a lot of events today, although mostly of the “meet and greet” variety, not big rallies. Reporters and New Hampshire strategists remain baffled by her closing events leading up to Tuesday.
Here is the video of Thursday night’s 2WAY session, with a lot of interesting voices from the 2WAY community, including Joe Scarborough, Ann Selzer, Jill Abramson, Nan Hayworth, Jim Merrill, Matthew Bartlett, and many more. I recommend you watch it.
Also on this 2WAY: Brilliant Republican pollster Ed Goeas, who was a rare voice against the grain, suggesting Haley could still win this primary, a position Haley herself seemed to reject shortly after our 2WAY session when she told CNN she was simply planning to do better in New Hampshire than she did in Iowa, rather than actually win.
At the gaggle and with NewsNation, Haley continued her recent stance, chiding the press for being focused on process and expectations and urging the media to hold Donald Trump accountable for his false attacks on her.
Here are some video clips, played on the 2WAY, from my coverage of Haley on Thursday.
Having covered Haley at this diner, I am headed shortly to a DeSantis press availability in Goffstown, and then to the Trump rally in Concord.
Stand by for information on the timing of tonight’s 2WAY session from New Hampshire. All are welcome to join by Zoom.
Mark