Republican South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley late Wednesday said that she misspoke when she said that Republican presidential candidates Marco Rubio "believes in Amnesty" and Jeb Bush "passed Common Core."
At a press conference on Wednesday morning, following her response to President Barack Obama's final "State of the Union" address, she said, "You know, I have disagreements with other presidential candidates," according to The Hill. "You know, Jeb Bush passed Common Core, and Marco Rubio believes in amnesty, which I don't. There's lots of things."
By evening, Haley was doing damage control on her earlier statements. Appearing on Fox News, Haley blamed her choice of words on a "long couple of days," according to Politico. "I talked about Marco Rubio - you know, I'm against his Gang of Eight bill. He is not for amnesty, but I was against his Gang of Eight bill," she said, adding, "Governor Bush, he supported Common Core, certainly didn't pass it, but supported it."
Both Bush and Rubio could consider Haley a potential vice presidential candidate because of her appeal to the broad base of establishment Republicans and because of her ability to deliver the critical state of South Carolina. Haley, who was elected in 2010, has developed a national profile in serving as the youngest governor in the country and the first woman in South Carolina's history elected to the post. She was boosted in the national spotlight in July for successfully removing the Confederate flag from the grounds of the South Carolina statehouse. That, along with her strong approval ratings, have all earned her a spot on the short list for potential vice president candidates in Republican circles, according to the National Review.
During her response to the "State of the Union" address on Tuesday, Haley criticized Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, albeit without mentioning his name.
"Today, we live in a time of threats like few others in recent memory," she said in remarks aired from Columbia, Bloomberg reported. "During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation. 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."
Haley also said there was plenty of blame "to go around," beyond the presidential candidates. She said that the Republican party, in general, was ripe for criticism, explaining that it isn't just the Democratic party that is responsible for the "erosion of public trust."
"We need to be honest with each other, and with ourselves: while Democrats in Washington bear much responsibility for the problems facing America today, they do not bear it alone," she said, according to CNN. "There is more than enough blame to go around."
"We as Republicans need to own that truth," Haley continued, Politico reported. "We need to recognize our contributions to the erosion of the public trust in America's leadership."
