This is really more of an IMHO question, but the subject is very much P&E, so I’m putting it here. But I’m not looking for in-depth analysis (though if you have any, great).
I care a little, mostly because I am from NH (though I haven’t lived there for decades) and so am still a little interested in politics there. I also have a pipe dream that Nikki Haley will do far better than expected, at the very least pissing off Trump and at best somehow becoming a viable candidate for the Republican nomination.
Not that I want her to be president, but if it were between her and Trump, I’d take her any day. She’s the Republican version of Andrew Sullivan’s crack about Hilary Clinton: “wrong, but wrong within normal parameters.”
I hope she has a strong showing at the least - it will signal there are a lot of conservatives who won’t vote for Trump in the general, and they may 1) sit-out the Presidential election, 2) not vote for President, but vote for other Republicans down-ticket like in GA, 3) vote for Biden just to keep that creep out of power. Anything that deepens and extends the schisms is good - better to have the GOP fighting amongst themselves than focusing on Biden.
I care a little because I’m a fool and in my heart-of-hearts I keep hoping for signs that Republicans are ready to reject Trump. At least Haley has exhibited some spine by attacking Trump directly. I’m still voting for Biden no matter who the Republicans put up.
Pretty much this. A good showing here, and maybe in later primaries, shows us that at least some active Republicans haven’t gone completely down the rabbit hole here. If Trump completely trounces her, then all hope is lost for the GOP ever returning to sanity.
My main concern is the media attitude of basically saying we are doomed to another Trump presidency, when in fact the very worst you can say is there is a 50-50 chance of him becoming president (and likely much less than that). Which is a big advantage for Trump going into the general election IMO
Another big trump win in NH would encourage that, an unexpectedly good showing for Haley would flip the narrative, and it would suddenly be “what’s going wrong with the Trump campaign”.
I want her to kick ass and chew bubblegum just to prolong the race and force the GOP frontrunner to spend money on the primaries instead of building up a war chest to take on Biden. Sure, she’s way to the right of me but she does not appear to be a sociopath. I would like for the first time since 2012 to have two sane candidates on the November ballot.
yeah, this is my fantasy, too.
Suppose she gets close to a win, say 49% to Trump’s 51, and then demands a recount.
Trump would scream “no recounts!!”…and then it would be fun to play the tape back to his face in November.
Completely agree. Reporting it as a close race keeps eyeballs looking at TV screens, and occasionally suggesting one or the other candidate is taking the lead will keep people on either side riled-up (and looking at TV screens). To suggest it’s going to be a blowout early will not only keep people from watching, but may also dissuade some from going to the polls in the first place on election day.
There’s at least one thing I’m thankful for, and that is Trump’s old age. It guarantees we won’t have to hear from him or about him for much longer.
Imagine if he were only 45. We would be in for 40 more years of coverage about him.
Back to the topic, I guess Haley is just a feel-good story. Even if she wins in New Hampshire, she’ll simply get steamrolled in South Carolina and it’s game over.
