Donald Trump gives plum UN role to vocal critic

[webfact]

Donald Trump gives plum UN role to vocal critic

Catherine Hardy

 

 

WASHINGTON: -- US President-elect Donald Trump has picked South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to be the US ambassador to the United Nations.

 

Haley was critical of him during his election campaign and has little foreign policy experience.

 

The choice was announced by Trump’s transition team.

 

“Governor Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together, regardless of background or party affiliation, to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country,” the Republican president-elect said in a statement.

 

Who is Nikki Haley?

 

• 44 years old
• Daughter of Indian immigrants
• Active voice of tolerance

 

Haley sharply criticised Trump during the presidential campaign over his harsh rhetoric about undocumented migrants.

 

She condemned Trump during the Republican presidential primary for not disavowing the support of white supremacist group the Ku Klux Klan and one of its leaders, David Duke.

 

Haley also criticised Trump for not releasing his tax returns.

 

This prompted the New York real estate mogul to hit back on Twitter, “The people of South Carolina are so embarrassed of Nikki Haley!”

 

Countering criticism?

 

Commentators say the choice of Haley as the US ambassador to the UN may be aimed at countering criticism of Trump’s divisive comments about immigrants and minorities as well as accusations of sexism during his election campaign.

 

A possible vice president?

 

During the early days of the primary contest to pick this year’s Republican presidential nominee, Haley was mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick.

 

She supported Trump rivals Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, both US senators.

 

But last month she said she would vote for Trump, despite reservations about his character.

 

Little foreign policy experience

 

Haley, a state lawmaker before becoming governor, has little experience in foreign relations.

 

She will succeed Obama’s UN envoy Samantha Power in the high-profile position.

 

The US is one of the five permanent veto-wielding powers on the 15-member UN Security Council.

 

The others are Russia, China, France and Britain.

 

Washington is the largest funder of the 193-member UN, paying more than a quarter of the 8 billion US dollar peacekeeping budget.

 

It funds 22 percent of the overall budget.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-11-24

 

[ClutchClark]

Nikki Haley is one of those rare politicians--an actuslly decent person.

 

And intelligent.

 

This is a great choice for the job.

 

but wait...isn't Trump supposed to be a misogynist who hates minorities? 

Edited November 24, 2016 by ClutchClark

[theoldgit]

Sexist comment, and response, removed.

[helpisgood]

1 hour ago, ClutchClark said:

Nikki Haley is one of those rare politicians--an actuslly decent person.

 

And intelligent.

 

This is a great choice for the job.

 

but wait...isn't Trump supposed to be a misogynist who hates minorities? 

 

To say that Trump is a misogynist or a racist or whatever is one point.

 

However, as was referenced in the OP's article, Trump appeared to pander to racists during the campaign.  One highlight of this concern was that CNN Jake Tapper interview in which Trump awkwardly pretends to not know David Duke or the KKK and that he "doesn't know anything about white supremacists" as if he has never lived in the USA.  How embarrassing!  I understand that his camp later modified that statement most likely because he had professional people, or someone with a modicum of savvy, advise him. 

 

In fact, this is what Haley must have criticized him for, as noted in the OP article above. 

 

Here's the key part of that interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9geYl9J_Mc

[Silurian]

Ah, everyone is buying the Donald ploy of promoting his critics. He is promoting Haley to get her out of the way and complacent. Donald has publicly stated what he thinks of the UN (not a friend of the US). He is moving Haley to a position that he himself sees as irrelevant which in turn moves a pro-Trump supporter, McMaster, into the SC governor role. It is a  win-win for the old Donald.

 

The cynical tactic bosses like Trump use to marginalize their critics

http://qz.com/844850/donald-trumps-appointment-of-nikki-haley-to-un-ambassador-is-right-out-of-a-cynical-bosss-playbook/

 

[Morch]

3 hours ago, ClutchClark said:

Nikki Haley is one of those rare politicians--an actuslly decent person.

 

And intelligent.

 

This is a great choice for the job.

 

but wait...isn't Trump supposed to be a misogynist who hates minorities? 

 

That might be, but all of the above still doesn't address her lack of experience with regard to foreign policy.

I tend to agree with other comments made, namely that is both a calculated PR move, and a political maneuver designed to sideline a popular politician not averse to passing criticism on Trump.

 

 

[Ulysses G.]

1 hour ago, helpisgood said:

 

 

However, as was referenced in the OP's article, Trump appeared to pander to racists during the campaign.  One highlight of this concern was that CNN Jake Tapper interview in which Trump awkwardly pretends to not know David Duke or the KKK and that he "doesn't know anything about white supremacists" as if he has never lived in the USA.  

 

Only he had already denounced David Duke several times before that interview. He said that his earphone was not working correctly, which would explan a lot.

 

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/270931-trump-brushes-off-david-duke-support

[IAMHERE]

Great choice, let her explain Donald Trump and his actions towards the UN. Why would he place someone he cares about into a position that he knows will draw lightening in the very near future? I hope he renegotiates that $2 Billion that the USA gets nothing for.

[Andaman Al]

10 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

Only he had already denounced David Duke several times before that interview. He said that his earphone was not working correctly, which would explan a lot.

 

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/270931-trump-brushes-off-david-duke-support

Earphones not working, microphones not working, brain before mouth switch not working, whatever next? It must be good to live in your world UG, being able to see the absolute faultless best in people despite them being proven despicable.

[Ulysses G.]

3 minutes ago, Andaman Al said:

Earphones not working, microphones not working, brain before mouth switch not working, whatever next? It must be good to live in your world UG, being able to see the absolute faultless best in people despite them being proven despicable.

 

It is a FACT that Trump had already denounced Duke a number of times.

 

[Andaman Al]

4 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

It is a FACT that Trump had already denounced Duke a number of times.

 

Links please

[thaibeachlovers]

Trump obviously believes in the adage that one should "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" Better to have them in the tent than outside causing problems.

Even more obvious when he is considering Romney for Sec State. I just hope he doesn't offer Jeb a post. That would be a step too far.

 

[helpisgood]

13 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

Only he had already denounced David Duke several times before that interview. He said that his earphone was not working correctly, which would explan a lot.

 

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/270931-trump-brushes-off-david-duke-support

 

Trump's excuse doesn't make any sense at all.

 

If you really listen to what he says, it doesn't matter what was said through the earpiece.  

 

Trump says very clearly:

 

""I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists," he said. "So I don't know. I don't know -- did he endorse me, or what's going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists.""[Emphasis added.]

 

It is obviously a very careless and irresponsible remark.  You can run the quote alone without Tapper's questions and certainly doesn't sound like anyone who should be president. 

 

Here's the link:

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/28/politics/donald-trump-white-supremacists/index.html

 

The fact that he quickly said two days earlier that he disavows Duke shows that he can't keep track of his own b.s.  In fact, your link just shows how incompetent he is.  Thanks!

 

Thus, it is a fact that Trump, when given more than one chance on an interview on CNN (a major news network and thus an important interview) to disavow the KKK and David Duke, failed to do so and instead said a lot of nonsense.  Is there really an American running for the presidency who would utter such silliness? 

[thaibeachlovers]

11 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

It is a FACT that Trump had already denounced Duke a number of times.

 

IMO don't get caught up in that Alinsky diversion. It's not worth the pixels to respond to garbage like that. If Duke had been a close buddy it would have been out there long ago, along with the lying women making unsupported accusations. I wonder what happened to them- vanished without a trace left behind.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, helpisgood said:

 

Trump's excuse doesn't make any sense at all.

 

If you really listen to what he says, it doesn't matter what was said through the earpiece.  

 

Trump says very clearly:

 

""I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists," he said. "So I don't know. I don't know -- did he endorse me, or what's going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists.""[Emphasis added.]

 

It is obviously a very careless and irresponsible remark.  You can run the quote alone without Tapper's questions and certainly doesn't sound like anyone who should be president. 

 

Here's the link:

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/28/politics/donald-trump-white-supremacists/index.html

 

The fact that he quickly said two days earlier that he disavows Duke shows that he can't keep track of his own b.s.  In fact, your link just shows how incompetent he is.  Thanks!

 

Thus, it is a fact that Trump, when given more than one chance on an interview on CNN (a major news network and thus an important interview) to disavow the KKK and David Duke, failed to do so and instead said a lot of nonsense.  Is there really an American running for the presidency who would utter such silliness? 

News flash, Trump won. You all can stop with the Alinsky propaganda now. The world turns and most of us moved on.

[Ulysses G.]

5 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

News flash, Trump won. You all can stop with the Alinsky propaganda now. The world turns and most of us moved on.

 

EXACTLY. He has denounced Duke and the KKK numerous times, but the lefties want to keep revisiting it.

Edited November 24, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[helpisgood]

7 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

News flash, Trump won. You all can stop with the Alinsky propaganda now. The world turns and most of us moved on.

 

That's irrelevant to my point.

 

So, you think that the character of the president-elect is not important? 

 

Not everyone who is critical of Trump has anything to do with Alinsky.  Do I really have to explain this?  Oh yeah, and I am also not a commie, Sen. McCarthy. 

 

I noticed that you ducked my point.  I'll assume that you realized that what I had said made sense. 

 

Edited November 24, 2016 by helpisgood
grammar

[helpisgood]

2 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

EXACTLY. He has denounced Duke and the KKK numerous times, but the lefties want to keep revisiting it.

 

So, the Jake Tapper interview never existed? 

 

You ducked what I had to say.

[thaibeachlovers]

23 minutes ago, helpisgood said:

 

That's irrelevant to my point.

 

So, you think that the character of the president-elect is not important? 

 

Not everyone who is critical of Trump has anything to do with Alinsky.  Do I really have to explain this?  Oh yeah, and I am also not a commie, Sen. McCarthy. 

 

I noticed that you ducked my point.  I'll assume that you realized that what I had said made sense. 

 

Oh dear. Lot of Canutes on here. It's all irrelevant. He won. If you all want to live in the past and try to bring him ( and also the USA- if he fails the US fails ) down, go ahead. He isn't losing any sleep over it.

If he stuffs up I will be pointing it out, but I grew up thinking that people should be given a fair go, before trying to smash them.

[thaibeachlovers]

28 minutes ago, helpisgood said:

 

That's irrelevant to my point.

 

So, you think that the character of the president-elect is not important? 

 

Not everyone who is critical of Trump has anything to do with Alinsky.  Do I really have to explain this?  Oh yeah, and I am also not a commie, Sen. McCarthy. 

 

I noticed that you ducked my point.  I'll assume that you realized that what I had said made sense. 

 

Anyone that uses Alinsky tactics are to do with Alinsky.

What has that vile man, McCarthy got to do with it?

[Morch]

1 hour ago, Andaman Al said:

Links please

 

There are two different things here, one to do with Trump's rejection of Duke, the other his claim that he didn't know anything about Duke.

 

With regard to the latter, his was obviously lying. With regard to the former - he did denounce him in the past (which makes the claim of not knowing a thing about Duke preposterous), but with regard to this campaign I believe the it was done only after the interview and the public backlash.

 

Trump’s David Duke Amnesia

http://www.factcheck.org/2016/03/trumps-david-duke-amnesia/

 

Donald Trump and David Duke: For the record

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/03/01/donald-trump-and-david-duke-for-the-record/

 

Donald Trump's absurd claim that he knows nothing about former KKK leader David Duke

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/mar/02/donald-trump/trumps-absurd-claim-he-knows-nothing-about-former-/

 

Trump denounces David Duke, KKK

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/03/politics/donald-trump-disavows-david-duke-kkk/

Edited November 24, 2016 by Morch

[elgordo38]

5 hours ago, ClutchClark said:

Nikki Haley is one of those rare politicians--an actuslly decent person.

 

And intelligent.

 

This is a great choice for the job.

 

but wait...isn't Trump supposed to be a misogynist who hates minorities? 

He finally picked a woman the second one I think. She did sound like a rare politician up to the point where she back pedals on her original statements on the Donald and then offers to work on his behalf. Methinks she has an eye on the future for herself to move up the political ladder. Guess I cannot blame her its a everyone for themselves world. A bit of a chameleon style move. Go with the flow. Success does not come cheaply. You have to gouge and scratch a little. The problem is once you reach the top you have forgotten the meaning of the word benevolence. 

[kamahele]

2 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

EXACTLY. He has denounced Duke and the KKK numerous times, but the lefties want to keep revisiting it.

And yet as his chief adviser, he has picked Steve Bannon who through Breitbart (fake) News, drives the alt right racist movement. And you really wonder why people doubt Trump's very very few and very late denials? The people closest to Trump are a group of deplorables.

[dunroaming]

Good to see Trump endorsing the UN. Another backtracking and a good one

[Thrilla]

Hardly a 'backtracking' in the meantime he has  to send someone and she has been vetted as the best for the job - and finally rid of that appalling embarrassment Samantha Powers !

[Ulysses G.]

3 hours ago, kamahele said:

And yet as his chief adviser, he has picked Steve Bannon who through Breitbart (fake) News, drives the alt right racist movement. And you really wonder why people doubt Trump's very very few and very late denials? The people closest to Trump are a group of deplorables.

 

I think the is typical liberal spin. As far as I can tell, Bannon is NOT an anti Semite. In fact, he is quite the opposite.

 

http://www.jta.org/2016/11/15/news-opinion/opinion/bannon-and-breitbart-friends-of-israel-not-anti-semites

[impulse]

7 hours ago, Morch said:

 

That might be, but all of the above still doesn't address her lack of experience with regard to foreign policy.

I tend to agree with other comments made, namely that is both a calculated PR move, and a political maneuver designed to sideline a popular politician not averse to passing criticism on Trump.

 

Given the downward trajectory of US standing in the world over the last 15 years since 9/11, perhaps not being part of that debacle, euphemistically referred to as "foreign policy experience", is a good thing.  

[Xircal]

8 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

Great choice, let her explain Donald Trump and his actions towards the UN. Why would he place someone he cares about into a position that he knows will draw lightening in the very near future? I hope he renegotiates that $2 Billion that the USA gets nothing for.

 

The US gets something very important for their contribution actually. It's called a veto.

 

If the US doesn't like a resolution the UN has voted for, they can use that veto to stop it in its tracks. That's well worth the money I think bearing in mind that only five UN members namely the US, Britain, France, China, and Russia possess veto power.

[sirineou]

After all she said about Trump, to accept the position is beyond the pale.She is a shameless politician, but at least she will bring her extensive international experience she has gained as Governor of South Carolina to the UN.

Personally I could not think of anyone more qualified, why on a clear day she could see North Carolina.

[Jingthing]

For a republican, she seems quite good, but the trouble is that she has to follow trump's orders. I get why she's doing it. She's ambitious. She might be the first female president based on this. But because of who she's working for ... RISKY. 

 

It's a similar problem Rice had working for Bush. She's brilliant but she was tainted by that. 

Edited November 24, 2016 by Jingthing