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The Significance of Nikki Haley's RNC Speech

Guy Benson
Guy Benson  |  July 18, 2024 12:01 PM

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - Last night's main event at the Republican National Convention was, of course, JD Vance's acceptance speech as Donald Trump's Vice Presidential running mate.  It was an exceptionally high-profile opportunity for the freshman Senator, who's not yet 40, to introduce himself to a country that knows little about him.  Some voters were aware of his mega-bestselling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, and the resulting film, while others knew he was an elected official from Ohio.  But according to a new AP poll, six-in-ten don't know enough about him to form any opinion.  That will change in the days ahead, and last night presented an important platform for him to make a first impression with millions of people.  I'll add that some of the most powerful addresses given at this convention have come from non-politicians.  'Everyday Americans,' as they're being billed, are making a potent impact here.  

But among the political speeches, one of the most important remains Tuesday's remarks from Nikki Haley.  The former South Carolina Governor and UN Ambassador attracted approximately one out of every five GOP primary votes cast this year, regularly winning 20 percent or more of the electorate, even well after she'd dropped out of the race.  She had her own base of support, yes, but she also became the vehicle for protest votes from Republicans who remained uncomfortable about, or outright opposed to, their party once again nominating Donald Trump.  These voters matter and are a vital part of a victory coalition for Trump in November.  Public polling shows the former president has largely consolidated the party, but if the election is ultimately decided at the margins, every last voter will matter.  It was a no-brainer to (belatedly) invite her to speak in primetime, and she made the most of the chance.  Her initial reception was mostly positive, with some boos sprinkled in, then she appealed to unifying the party, endorsed Trump, and won the room over:

President Trump asked me to speak to this convention in the name of unity.  It was a gracious invitation, and I was happy to accept.  I’ll start by making one thing perfectly clear.  Donald Trump has my strong endorsement...Our country is at a critical moment.  We have a choice to make.  For more than a year, I said a vote for Joe Biden is a vote for President Kamala Harris.  After seeing the debate, everyone knows it’s true...We should acknowledge that there are some Americans who don’t agree with Donald Trump 100% of the time. I happen to know some of them.   And I want to speak to them tonight. My message to them is simple. You don’t have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him...I haven’t always agreed with President Trump.  But we agree far more often than we disagree.   We agree on keeping America strong.   We agree on keeping America safe.   And we agree that the Democrats have moved so far to the Left that they’re putting our freedoms in danger...We have a country to save, and a unified Republican Party is essential for saving her.

Some Trump fans have groused a bit that Haley's verbiage and delivery weren't emphatic enough; her heart wasn't in it.  But her tone and words were modulated to appeal directly to voters who aren't entrenched Trump supporters.  As I noted on Fox & Friends, if people have an appetite for glowing tributes to Trump, many RNC speeches have scratched that itch.  Haley's message was for other people, who don't necessarily love or deeply admire Trump.  They aren't sold on him, or they're flat-out disappointed he's the GOP nominee.  Many of these votes are nevertheless winnable for Trump, and Haley made a measured and logic-based case for pulling the lever for him:


Her intended audience probably didn't want to hear yet another "Make America Great Again!" applause line, quite frankly. But they also don't want four more years of Biden and Harris, the latter of whom Haley targeted several times in her speech. In short, if Haley didn't come across as sufficiently pro-Trump for your personal taste, you were not the sort of voter she was seeking to each. In terms of what Trump needs on that front, Haley delivered.  I'll leave you with the most memorable line from the speech just after Haley's, delivered by another former Trump rival. who received an electric reaction in the hall: