Nikki Haley Delivers GOP response To The State Of The Union Address

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• published: 13 Jan 2016
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South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley delivered the GOP rebuttal to President Barack Obama's last State of the Union address. In her remarks, Haley addressed the shooting that took place in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015, and mentioned the debate over the Confederate flag that took place in her state in the aftermath of the massacre. She also took a subtle jab at Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump while talking about immigration.“Good evening. Nikki Haley delivered her State of the Union rebuttal tonight, and as she talked about her own background, there was a very clear, if indirect, reference to the leading Republican presidential contender. She talked about immigrants coming here to live the American dream before saying, “During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the silent call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation. No one who is willing to work hard, abide by our laws, and love our traditions should ever feel unwelcome in this country.” Haley did emphasize the need to crack down on illegal immigration, but still said it’s not right to discriminate potential immigrants “by race or religion.”“I’m Nikki Haley, Governor of the great state of South Carolina. “I’m speaking tonight from Columbia, our state’s capital city. Much like America as a whole, ours is a state with a rich and complicated history, one that proves the idea that each day can be better than the last. “In just a minute, I’m going to talk about a vision of a brighter American future. But first I want to say a few words about President Obama, who just gave his final State of the Union address. “Barack Obama’s election as president seven years ago broke historic barriers and inspired millions of Americans. As he did when he first ran for office, tonight President Obama spoke eloquently about grand things. He is at his best when he does that. “Unfortunately, the President’s record has often fallen far 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. We’re feeling a crushing national debt, a health care plan that has made insurance less affordable and doctors less available, and chaotic unrest in many of our cities. “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. “Soon, the Obama presidency will end, and America will have the chance to turn in a new direction. That direction is what I want to talk about tonight. “At the outset, I’ll say this: you’ve paid attention to what has been happening in Washington, and you’re not naive. “Neither am I. I see what you see. And many of your frustrations are my frustrations. “A frustration with a government that has grown day after day, year after year, yet doesn’t serve us any better. A frustration with the same, endless conversations we hear over and over again. A frustration with promises made and never kept. “We need to be honest with each other, and with ourselves: while Democrats in Washington bear much responsibility for the problems facing America today, they do not bear it alone. There is more than enough blame to go around. “We as Republicans need to own that truth. We need to recognize our contributions to the erosion of the public trust in America’s leadership. We need to accept that we’ve played a role in how and why our government is broken. “And then we need to fix it. “The foundation that has made America that last, best hope on earth hasn’t gone anywhere. It still exists. It is up to us to return to it. “For me, that starts right where it always has: I am the proud daughter of Indian immigrants who reminded my brothers, my sister and me every day how blessed we were to live in this country.