Nikki Haley's response to Donald Trump

Moe Lane writing for Red State describes Nikki Haley's post SOTU speech as focusing mostly on Trump for being the nearest concern to GOP and much less so on Obama who is less a concern to them presently. It's a good observation for people who listened to it. He lists three bullet points within Haley's speech signaling to Trump that after Iowa and New Hampshire come South Carolina and Haley has no intention of making it easy for him there.

The bullet points Moe Lane pulls seem easily walked over. They seem innocuous, mere signals.

•  “Today, we live in a time of threats like few others in recent memory. During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation.”

• “In many parts of society today, whether in popular culture, academia, the media, or politics, there’s a tendency to falsely equate noise with results.”

• “Some people think that you have to be the loudest voice in the room to make a difference. That is just not true. Often, the best thing we can do is turn down the volume. When the sound is quieter, you can actually hear what someone else is saying. And that can make a world of difference.”

Response to Moe Lane's response to Nickki Haley's response to SOTU, the ostensible point of discussion.

1)  It's not "a time of threats" nor "anxious time" that are tempting the clarion call, not siren call, rather, it's abject absence of representation. Misidentified problem there, misidentified characterization of the call. And it's not the angriest voices either, it's regular voices and even tempered voices. And no, there is no good reason to avoid the temptation of something better than your party that's become useless in checking the crazy. Acknowledging some party responsibility elsewhere in the speech doesn't cut it. 

2) Agreed, falsely equating noise with results in all those areas listed is exactly why your party is deemed useless and all those areas listed no longer trusted. 

3) Is Trump loud? It's not the loudest voice, rather the clearest and most sensible messaging that addresses directly the areas of neglected concern. Trump is hardly "loudest" it just seems that way to the party candidates drowned out by not addressing areas of concern and talking about other things instead. And often the best thing to do is not turn down the volume but hit mute instead or turn the channel or shut the noise off as when the Republican party is b.s.ing again. We have heard what both parties are saying and reject it. Stop telling people to listen to people who don't listen and then process incorrectly and communicate nonsense like your party, and like these elements within your speech. 

I understand Nikki Haley gave a good speech. Loyal Republicans liked it. Their analysis has a lot to do with her being a fine new image for Republican party sorely in need a change in image. Always image.