GOP response to Obama's State of the Union speech: Nikki Haley takes moderate position

The Republican National Committee chose South Carolina governor Nikki Haley to give the official Republican response to President Obama's State of the Union message.   In two different measures of her response, she clearly signaled her position as part of the establishment, moderate wing of the Republican Party.

First, she made the requisite criticisms of President Obama on policy issues;  but she was respectful and civil.   Nor did she focus on issues that inflame the right-wing base.   She stood firmly in a center-right, moderate Republican spot.

Second, she decried the partisan split that has divided the political process and told fellow Republicans that they needed to "look in the mirror" because they bear some of the responsibility for the problem.    She also called for calm in the anti-immigrant rhetoric:

"During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation. No one who is willing to work hard, abide by our laws, and love our traditions should ever feel unwelcome in this country."

The responses from fellow Republicans have been just as widely split as the partisan divide itself.   Paul Ryan and the head of the RNC both praised her glowingly.   The right-wing response has been denunciation.  The point is that, in choosing her and no doubt having prior approval of her speech, the GOP establishment has signaled its intent to pull the primary process back from the fringe.

In fact, the speech could also be seen as a rebuttal to Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, as much as anything else.   And, in doing so, she echoed much of the tone and reach of the president's State of the Union speech -- which also took a lot of swipes at the Trump and Cruz rhetoric.

Following Haley's admirable leadership last year in removing the confederate flag from flying over the state capitol, Haley was already on people's minds as a possible vice presidential nominee.   This speech should guarantee her a position on the short list.

Look at the demographics:   a woman governor of a southern state who took down the confederate flag;  the daughter of immigrant parents from India.   If the GOP nominates Bush or Kasich or Rubio, she'd fit right in.   If they nominate Trump or Cruz, she would provide a small measure of balance.

The problem is that those demographics address two of the big gaps in the Republican party -- but they still remain gaps.   They need to change their anti-woman, anti-immigrant policies, not just put a woman immigrant on the stage -- or the 2016 ticket.

Ralph