Trump's friend since 1973, Andrew Stein, believes that Nikki Haley would be a more suitable GOP nominee, citing, among other thngs, that if Trump's convicted voters "would have to choose between an old felon and an old fool."
The Democrat endorsed Trump in 2016 and 2020. However, for the 2024 elections, he is backing the former South Carolina governor because "Ms. Haley is likely to have a broader appeal than Mr. Trump for independents and suburbanites, especially women."
After some urged Trump to listen to his old friend, Haley shared on then-Twitter, "Enough of the false rumors. Vice President Pence has been a dear friend of mine for years. He has been a loyal and trustworthy VP to the President. He has my complete support."
Stein also said, according to Newsweek, "The Democrats hope he wins the nomination and is convicted of felonies, leading him to lose the presidential election. Republicans need to consolidate around Ms. Haley so they have a credible nominee who can take on any Democrat."
Not the first time praising Haley
Stein wrote an op-ed in 2019, saying that Trump should ditch his VP, Mike Pence, and put Haley in his position. Writing for The Wall Street Journal, Stein shared, "It's too late for Mr. Trump to revamp his political personality. But with the 2016 election in the past, Nikki Haley on the ticket could tamp down the antipathy for Mr. Trump that seems to afflict so many moderate and Republican-leaning women."
A Warning, a 2019 book about the Trump administration by the Department of Homeland Security official Miles Taylor, confirmed that Trump regularly raised the idea of abandoning Mike Pence for Haley to senior staff.
The New York Democrat shared that he doesn't take his endorsement "lightly" and praised Trump's first (and only) term. He added, "But a Trump reelection would be difficult, and half the country will never accept him as president."
Trump would "divide" us
Trump's friend added, "It would keep us divided while we face international situations that require this country to be unified." He said, "America needs an alternative, and over the past several months, only Ms. Haley has shown any momentum."
Stein added that "today's polling may prove irrelevant" in the upcoming months, though Trump's leading by at least 30 points, leaving DeSantis and Haley in the dust.
Stein also made an interesting observation, "If Mr. Trump is found guilty of some of the charges against him, voters would have to choose between an old felon and an old fool." Considering the number of legal troubles, including four indictments and several civil cases, Steain's argument is not unreasonable.
In 2010, Stein was indicted for lying about his involvement during the investigation of the multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme involving Ken Starr, a financial advisor to Hollywood stars. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor tax evasion charge and was given 500 hours of community service.
Blast from the past
In 2016, Stein praised Trump, "I think the country's in trouble. Our economic growth is too slow. Our military is being decimated by Obama's cuts," Stein told host John Catsimatidis.
In the same interview, Stein added, "I think he'll be a strong leader. He understands that America has to be great again. He'll cut taxes like JFK and Reagan did and stimulate the economy."
READ NEXT:
- 25 Popular Things Women Wear That Men Secretly Hate
- 33 Dirty Company Secrets Revealed By Employees That We Are Not Supposed To Know
Leave a Reply