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đŸ‡ș🇾 Haley's Comet is Headed for the White House?

Plus, this story broke our hearts, but we promise there is a happy ending...

February 07, 2023

The Flag

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Good morning, and happy Tuesday! This story broke our hearts, but we promise there is a happy ending. 

Plus, still trying to get in shape for the new year? Here are 6 weight-lifting tips for beginners from an ‘unlikely coach’ who went from lifting 40 to 300 Lbs. in 8 years.

Also, today’s partner, Masterworks is inviting our subscribers to join an exclusive community investing in blue-chip art. Take a look.

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🐘 Sunday, February 5: General Election: Trump vs. Biden: Trump 48, Biden 45 (ABC News/Wash Post)

📉 Sunday, February 5: President Biden Job Approval: Approve 43, Disapprove 53 (ABC News/Wash Post)

📉 Sunday, February 5: President Biden Job Approval: Approve 45, Disapprove 55 (CBS News)

📉 Sunday, February 5: Congressional Job Approval: Approve 30, Disapprove 70 (CBS News)

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Left: The Only Debt Ceiling Deal Is No Deal at All Jason Linkins, The New Republic

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Right: Dems Want To Hold 2024 Convention in 'Jim Crow' GA Stephen Miller, DC Examiner

Right: The Deep State Is a Weapon Aimed At YouSamuel Mangold-Lenett, The Federalist

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QUICK CLICKS

Biden Blasted, Toxic Train, Economic Establishment

US: Biden admin's closed-door briefing on Chinese spying blasted by top Republican as 'unspecific, insufficient' (Fox News) + Pentagon ‘did not detect’ previous Chinese spy balloons: US general (The Hill)

World: Turkey earthquake: More than 3,800 deaths in Turkey and Syria (CBS News)

Sports: Tom Brady reveals when he'll join Fox Sports after signing $375M contract (NY Post)

US: Ohio crews begin releasing toxic chemicals from derailed train (Axios)

US: Investigators Zero In On Biden Aide With Links To Hunter In Docs Scandal (Daily Wire)

World: Steady rains set off mudslides that kill at least 36 in Peru (AP)

UK: Former PM Liz Truss is blaming the left-wing 'economic establishment' for ousting her (CNBC)

2024

Haley's Comet is Headed for the White House?

Ahead of tonight's State of the Union address, we thought it might be interesting to take a step back and look at a development on the other side of the aisle that was largely glossed over last week.

As originally reported by The Post and Courier last Tuesday, former governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley sent an email to her supporters indicating she plans to run for president in 2024, with a formal announcement scheduled next week in Charleston. The first female governor of South Carolina, Haley also served as Ambassador to the UN during the Trump administration.

From the Flag: Haley’s entrance to the race will mark former President Trump’s first official opponent for the Republican nomination, with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reportedly considering a run, as well as former Vice President Mike Pence. Here’s more from both sides on Haley’s candidacy.

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Trump Is Vulnerable, but Haley Doesn’t Have What It Takes

  • At first glance, Nikki Haley looks to be a promising candidate, but her history will make it hard to win over MAGA Republicans.

  • Many Republicans are ready to move on from Trump in hopes of avoiding an ugly primary, but Haley is unlikely to be the answer.

  • Corporate media is swelling with Republicans who worked for Trump and now bash him with all their might, in a bid to better themselves.

“Nikki Haley for President?” Jeffrey Blehar, National Review: “As a two-term governor of an early primary state, one with credentials that could be pitched either to more establishment-minded GOP voters
 she can certainly tell a story about how she is a dark-horse competitor for the nomination, especially if Trump should fail to gain traction in his revanchist campaign. Upon further consideration, however, the case becomes weaker. Haley is a politician long out of her executive spotlight
 She inspires no strong feelings among voters, most of whom are unaware of who she is, except for a vaguely uneasy sense that her opportunism
 marks her as someone without locatable core principles. She checks certain demographic boxes, can deliver a reasonable stump speech, and has a record as an executive. All of these threshold qualifications will melt away into nothingness the second she makes a play for the loyalties of Trump supporters and Trump reminds those same voters of her ‘disloyalty’ to him.

“No, a long shot Nikki Haley 2024 bid is not comparable to Larry Hogan's delusions” Tiana Lowe, Washington Examiner Opinion: “The increasing number of Republicans wishing to move on from Trump, who will be 78 on election night, are rightly terrified of a clown car primary like the one that almost cost Biden his 2020 nomination... But can Haley coalesce a plurality, or would she simply serve as a spoiler? 
 Does Nikki Haley have a chance of winning the Republican presidential primary? It's certainly too early to say, but critics would point out that her numbers don't look great, either to win the entire primary or to galvanize the field against Trump. But Haley retired from the Trump administration half a decade ago. By her calculus, she likely knew she had to get in and gamble on the party, or get out of politics entirely.”

Your Monthly Reminder That Nikki Haley Is A Social-Climbing Political Opportunist Christopher Bedford, The Federalist

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Haley’s Candidacy More Likely To Be a Footnote in 2024 Election

  • Former President Trump says he’s fine with Haley running because he doesn’t see her as a political threat, unlike Ron DeSantis.

  • Haley is worth celebrating as a candidate given her diverse background, but she’s running an uphill battle, even in her home state.

  • It would be a true shame if the first woman elected president was someone like Haley, who defended flying the Confederate flag over the South Carolina statehouse.

“Trump seems oddly relaxed about Republican rival Nikki Haley. Is it because she doesn’t stand a chance?” Arwa Mahdawi, The Guardian Opinion: “Trump said Haley had called him up to chat about running
 he magnanimously told her she ‘should do it’. Trump wasn’t quite as high-minded about another of his former disciples who also has his eye on the White House. During the same press session, Trump attacked the Florida governor, Ron DeSantis
 ‘When I hear that he might [run], I think it’s very disloyal,’ Trump said
 ‘He won’t be leading. I got him elected. I’m the one that chose him.’ Why is Trump bothered about DeSantis and blase about Haley? It’s not sedatives or soul-swapping demons at play, I reckon – it’s misogyny. My guess is that Trump thinks Haley has zero chance of the top job so he’s happy to humor the little lady. DeSantis, meanwhile, is far more of a threat.”

“What Kind of Republican Is Nikki Haley?” Jonathan Bernstein, Bloomberg: “As a former governor with some foreign policy experience, Haley is only the second woman with conventional qualifications to run for the Republican nomination
 So Haley’s announcement, whatever happens next, is a significant landmark in terms of normalizing women as presidential candidates on a bipartisan basis. As the child of Indian immigrants, Haley also contributes to the history of ethnic diversity among Republican candidates. That said, when it comes to party support, Haley is not off to a good start. Most notably, her state’s governor and senior senator already support Trump, while the junior senator is a potential candidate himself. If Haley can’t even solidify support in her own state, it’s not clear why she should expect to gain support from Republican-aligned donors and activists elsewhere. 
 (Party actors) control resources that are valuable in the nomination fight: money, volunteers and expertise, to name a few.”

"Nikki Haley for president? No thanks." Renée Graham, Boston Globe Opinion

FLAG THIS

How Long of a Shot Is Haley?

Recent polling suggests voters in South Carolina are open to someone other than former President Trump being the Republican nominee in 2024. A survey of just under 400 likely Republican voters found 37% prefer Trump as the nominee, while 47% would like to see someone else nominated (South Carolina Policy Council).

A separate poll from Winthrop University, located in South Carolina, asked voters about potential Republican nominees. While 45% favored Trump, 37% picked Haley.

In 2018 a poll showed 55% of Democrats approved of Nikki Haley’s job performance while serving in the Trump administration, with an overall approval rating of 63% (Washington Post).

Do you expect Nikki Haley to be the Republican nominee for president in 2024?

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FLAG FINDS

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WATERCOOLER

Beatlemania Begins, When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep, Movie Theater Pickles

On February 7, 1964, Pan Am Yankee Clipper flight 101 from London Heathrow lands at New York’s Kennedy Airport—and “Beatlemania” arrives.

Today I Learned Texans eat pickles at the movie theater, and many are surprised to learn no one else does.

Plus: A Note From Masterworks. See important Regulation A disclosures.

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