Nikki Haley Crosses the Rubicon

Semafor: “Haley’s active defense of the anonymous jurors that awarded E. Jean Carroll $83 million in damages after a previous jury found Trump was liable for sexual assault and defamation marked a point of no return.”

Said Haley: “I think that they made their decision based on the evidence.”

“What stands out about Haley’s remarks is not just that it’s a Republican taking on Trump over sexual misconduct, something that’s almost unheard of since he survived the Access Hollywood tape in 2016. It’s that a top rival is actually addressing the core argument of Trump’s candidacy: That he is the target of a vast conspiracy that stole the last election and is targeting him now in order to steal the next one.”

“These twin premises, which Trump has spent years working to build up and maintain, have made it virtually impossible to attack him. ‘Electability‘ is not an effective angle when losses are not considered legitimate.”

New York Times: Haley’s dilemma is how to diminish Trump without alienating Republican voters.