Pierce: Nikki Haley Might Just Want to Escape Unscathed. Or Maybe There's a Plot Afoot.

[babylonsister]

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a23680468/nikki-haley-resign-un-ambassador-president-trump/

Nikki Haley Might Just Want to Escape Unscathed. Or Maybe There's a Plot Afoot.
One thing we do know: the now-former U.N. ambassador is one of a handful to leave Trumpworld in one piece.
By Charles P. Pierce
Oct 9, 2018


If you're keeping score at home, the number of putative "adults" in the White House is down to Secretary of Defense James Mattis and who he sees in the mirror every morning. Nikki Haley, our ambassador to the United Nations, went to the White House and resigned. The idea of human training wheels for the president* always was pretty hilarious, but it faded long ago into the great fog of crazy that envelops any news out of this administration* almost instantly. Haley, however, leaves Camp Runamuck with a lot more chips on the table than anyone else.

First of all, by any standard, but especially by the standard set by this administration*, Haley is leaving relatively unscathed. She is not being pursued by the law, nor has she been accused of playing fast and loose with the public fisc, although there are rumors flying around about the use of a local South Carolina plutocrat's private airplane. (This seems to be endemic to this president*'s Cabinet members.) Second, it wouldn't be unreasonable for her to want to go home, retool, make some money in the private sector, and plot out her next political move. None of which, of course, obligates us to avoid wild speculation.

For example, suppose that, after the midterms, the president* forces the resignation of Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions. He then appoints loyal palace servant Lindsey Graham to replace Sessions, and then South Carolina governor Henry McMaster appoints Haley to replace Graham in the Senate. After all, it was McMaster, who fairly leaped aboard the Trump Train early, who recommended Haley. She reluctantly clambered aboard the speeding caboose for a job at Camp Runamuck, largely, it was said, to get her out of the state. As I said, wild speculation, but the precipitous resignation a month before what could be catastrophic midterm elections could just be Haley's innate political shrewdness driving her toward the lifeboats.

In any event, Haley was conspicuously vague about her reasons for leaving. She allowed the president* to spin a tale about Haley's telling him that she wanted to stay for two years and then "take a little break," which may or may not be true. From CNN:

Haley said "it has been an honor of a lifetime" serving as UN ambassador, but that it was time to depart the administration. "There's no personal reason," she said, explaining her rationale for departing. "It's very important for government officials to understand when it's time to step aside." "I want to make sure this administration, this president, has the strongest person to fight," she said. She praised Trump's foreign policy, saying "the US is respected." "Countries may not like what we do, but they respect what we do," she said.

Yeah, whatever. (She wants to quit, now, so that the administration* can find the "strongest person to fight"? That doesn't make any sense.) Anyway, if she took the job with the administration* to burnish her resume for a future run at bigger things, she's managed to keep that resume intact and smelling like a rose. Very few people are going to leave this administration* with their political futures so uninfected. She may have played the president* more slickly even than Kim Jong-un.

[mcar]

1. K&R

[TNLib]

2. That and the fact that Trump is literally the laughing stock of the World

I'm sure his performance 2weeks ago in front of the UN had nothing to do with it.

[GoCubsGo]

3. Am I the only one who is not convinced that Graham will replace Sessions?

Mushroom Dick is famous for getting people to grovel at his feet, and then turn around and kick them to the curb. See: Mitt Romney. Trump would not think twice about humiliating Graham by choosing someone else, after Graham has made an ass of himself on Trump's account. Especially if the rumors about Graham's sexual orientation are true, as well as because he was McCain's BFFE. And, Haley has had a few clashes with Mushroom Dick as UN Ambassador. I wouldn't put it past him to tell her that he was going to give Graham the AG spot, and he worked out a deal with McMaster to give the Senate seat--and then fuck her over, too. Remember also that McMaster replaced her in the Governor's mansion. He got her out of his way.

McMaster is up for reelection, BTW. I haven't seen the polls lately, but an August poll had James Smith within striking distance. That could have something to do with the matter, should Graham actually become AG. Perhaps they're afraid they might have to act quickly to appoint Graham's replacement, should Smith win?

[Mr.Bill]

4. Anyone who worked for Trump for one day

lost their unscathed status on that day.

[ananda]

9. Yes. As far as I am concerned, Haley is scum -- very scathed!

nt

[FakeNoose]

5. There's another possibility - maybe Sessions wants to quit

Jeff Sessions, Lindsey Graham and Nikki Haley have all known each other for a long time. As far as I know, they're friends who all drank the right-wing koolaid long ago.

Sessions knows he's probably going to get canned before the end of the year, so maybe his plan is to quit first. Maybe he already knows that Lindsey is in line to replace him (it's OK with him too.) Maybe he also has a deal where Haley would be designated to fill out Graham's term as Senator and then she'd run in 2020 as an "incumbent."

It seems the the old boy network in South Carolina has admitted a few "old girls" to their ranks, and surely Nikki Haley would be one of them.

[benld74]

6. Plot

[only my opinion]

7. If Hillary took the UN job in 2009

she would be President today.

[question everything]

8. If we do inflict a major loss on Trump, then she's rather not be seen as leaving after

Some guests on Nicole Wallace wondered why now, why not wait until after the elections.

[Calista241]

10. I just think she wants to take Graham's place in the Senate.

When Graham becomes AG.

[onetexan]

11. My take is by hitching her wagon to Camp Runamuck

Haley tainted her credibility and her integrity.

[libdem4life]

12. Plus, she probably sees the dementia progressing.

Keep thinking of the book...Everything Trump Touches, Dies...or something like that. I doubt many are using their time in the WH for a Resume Highlight. Now we have the major Trump Org scandal election slush fund, and the IRS fraud with Daddy Fred. I like Camp Runamuck. If she gets out now, she'll escape.