Here’s What Was Missing From Nikki Haley’s Speech

Despite being governor of South Carolina for six years, Nikki Haley seemed to forget to mention her record of signing an extreme abortion ban and supporting Paul Ryan’s plan to end Medicare as we know it during her campaign launch speech.

As governor, Haley signed into law an extreme abortion ban that made no exceptions for rape or incest and threatened doctors with jail time for providing care for their patients. 

TIME: “The law passed the General Assembly last week and blocks women from having abortions after 19 weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Doctors who violate the law could face a fine or jail time.” 

Newsweek: “Haley described herself as ‘very pro-life; and has spent most of her political career fighting for anti-abortion legislation, including signing a law as South Carolina governor in 2016 banning the procedure in most circumstances after 19 weeks of pregnancy unless the mother’s life is at risk.”

Not only did she refuse to expand health care for her constituents as governor, she also threw her support behind Paul Ryan’s plan that would have ended Medicare as we know it. 

Washington Post: “Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador who is planning to announce her own presidential bid this month, also praised Ryan’s Medicare proposal at the time and said lawmakers should examine Medicare and Social Security spending to address federal debt.”

“‘What they need to be doing is looking at entitlements,’ Haley said in a 2010 interview on Fox News. ‘Look at Social Security. Look at Medicaid. Look at Medicare. Look at these things, and let’s actually go to the heart of what is causing government to grow, and tackle that.’”

NBC: “Haley opposed efforts to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (South Carolina remains just one of 11 states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid to allow more Americans to have health insurance).”