2024 Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley gave her first community interview to NBC’s Right now co-host Craig Melvin for Thursday’s present and Melvin predictably made Donald Trump the main focus, continually urgent her on why she’d run in opposition to him, his function in January 6, his outlook on the 2020 election, his penchant for insults, and his views on international coverage.

In different phrases, it was the primary of many makes an attempt by the liberal media to tar and feather any and all Republicans (aside from possibly liberal media favorites like Liz Cheney or Larry Hogan) who’d problem Trump in order to make sure the person who’s been a monetary boon to the information enterprise wins the nomination in a runaway.

The 12 minutes and 9 seconds of protection throughout Right now and the third Hour of Right now started on the previous with Melvin noting she mentioned “lower than a 12 months in the past…that if former President Trump was going to run, you wouldn’t run,” so between that and her reportedly calling him a terrific president, “why run in opposition to him?”

Haley countered that the celebration “want[s] to go in a brand new route, however once I first mentioned I wouldn’t run in opposition to him, Afghanistan hadn’t fallen, we didn’t see the rise in inflation…we didn’t see what was occurring in our colleges…and we didn’t see the outcomes of the midterms”.

Melvin spent a lot of the primary block on 2020 and January 6, beginning by questioning how may she imagine that Trump’s “want[ed]…within the Republican Occasion” whereas additionally saying he “will probably be judged harshly by historical past” due to the ugly occasions of January 6.

Haley said the plain that one may “[e]xcept for the media,” however Melvin wasn’t having it: “He might be liable for the rebel however nonetheless be an important a part of the celebration?”

Haley didn’t budge and reiterated “January 6 was a horrible day” and Trump “did actual good on this nation.” She then said an idea some journalists appear to not perceive with media criticism: “Once I see one thing proper, I reward it. Once I see one thing flawed, I criticize it.”

Melvin continued to hammer away on Trump, citing an remoted Monmouth Ballot that claims “61 p.c of Republicans say that President Biden” was illegitimately elected and was thus proof “election denialism has develop into a fairly important a part of” the GOP (click on “develop”):

MELVIN: As , the fast previous President nonetheless maintains that the election was rigged, that it was stolen. He’s not alone. There’s this latest Monmouth ballot that discovered 61 p.c of Republicans say that President Biden due to voter fraud. How do you navigate that?

HALEY: I don’t need to navigate something. We noticed loads the issues occur throughout COVID that wouldn’t usually occur that created mischief that shouldn’t have been there. Is Joe Biden the President? Sure. Joe Biden is the President. I — we shouldn’t query that. Do I believe that everyone wants voter I.D. like what we did in South Carolina so we all know everyone’s vote is legitimate, sure.

MELVIN: However , election denialism has develop into a fairly important a part of —

HALEY: There’s going to be a share of people that don’t assume Joe Biden’s President.

MELVIN: However 61 p.c?

HALEY: I don’t assume it’s 61 p.c.

MELVIN: That’s —

HALEY: I believe you’ve gotten 61 p.c who have been saying look, we have to have belief in our election, and we want it to be as clear as doable.

Following an alternate on China and Taiwan, the main focus shifted to Ukraine with Melvin stating Haley’s assist for the nation runs counter to some within the GOP.

In fact, Melvin made it about Trump, asking her at one level to “acknowledge there’s daylight between you and the opposite declared candidate on that entrance.” When Haley mentioned she would have performed issues in a different way than Biden, Melvin pivoted again to Trump, which led Haley to zing: “[Y]ou guys are obsessive about me speaking about him”.

Half one ended with Melvin noting a big subject allowed Trump to win in 2016 and questioning whether or not she’s prepared for Trump as a result of “he’s been recognized to say some fairly soiled and nasty issues”. On each, Haley mentioned she wasn’t involved.

The third Hour of Right now’s portion included Haley’s household and what they make of her marketing campaign launch, what sort of mom she was to her two kids, and planning her daughter’s marriage ceremony, however the remainder included extra on…Trump (click on “develop”):

MELVIN: Your former boss mentioned that you simply had a tough time making selections, mentioned that you simply “would by no means run in opposition to the President, he did a terrific job, was the perfect President in my lifetime,” his phrases, “instructed Nikki to observe her coronary heart. She’s polling at one p.c. Not a nasty begin.” Your response to that? 

HALEY: What I will let you know is I believe he was an excellent president. There was a lot that he did that was good. What I am speaking about —

MELVIN: Properly, then why not — why not assist him this time? 

HALEY: — as a result of I believe we have to have a brand new technology. For Republicans, we’ve misplaced the final seven out of eight standard votes for president. It means Republicans have to do one thing completely different. 

MELVIN: Is it the message or is it the messengers? 

HALEY: I believe it is all the time each. It is all the time bought to be somebody who actually does hearken to the folks, that has their pulse on the bottom, of what actual households are going by. However I additionally assume it is the way you talk. I do not need simply Republicans with me, I need everyone with me as a result of I imagine that everyone needs to be proud about America.

Melvin briefly touched on abortion: “The senior senator from South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, has proposed a federal ban on abortion. Would you signal that?”

Haley replied there must be “consensus on this,” which left Melvin completely baffled. She additionally fact-checked him, noting Graham’s proposal is for 15 weeks and “not a full-out federal ban.”

Melvin wrapped the coverage portion by taking part in the media-wide dishonest recreation of claiming the GOP needs to slash or ax Medicare and Social Safety: “A decade in the past, you supported considerably scaling again Social Safety, Medicare, Medicaid. Ought to these social security nets be scaled again?”

Haley repeatedly tried to elucidate they need to be “reform[ed]” to take care of monetary solvency, however not “take something from individuals who have” paid into the system.

Melvin accused her of “semantics,” however Haley held agency that maintaining guarantees to seniors wouldn’t be “chang[ing]” or “phasing it out.”

NBC’s obsession with taking down the primary of many new GOP presidential candidates was made doable because of advertisers corresponding to Citi and L’Oreal Paris. Comply with the hyperlinks to see their contact info on the MRC’s Conservatives Struggle Again web page.

To see the related transcripts kind February 16, click on right here (for Right now) and right here (for third Hour of Right now).