Former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC), a Republican presidential candidate, said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that Americans were too smart to vote for President Donald Trump if he was convicted of a crime.
Partial transcript as follows:
ROBERT COSTA: Over the past week, former President Donald Trump, the front runner in the race, he pleaded not guilty to criminal accusations in Georgia. When you were on that debate stage in Milwaukee, which has earned you some good reviews inside of the party- inside of the Republican party, you raised your hand and said you would still support him if he was convicted of a crime and the nominee next year. Do you stand by your decision to hold up your hand on stage and back Trump? Should he be the nominee and be a convicted felon?
HALEY: What you saw were candidates on that stage said that they would do exactly what they signed and pledged to do which is support the Republican nominee. That’s what we are saying. I don’t think President Trump’s going to be the nominee. I think it’s going to be me. But I will tell you that any Republican is better than what Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are doing.
COSTA: Even if they’re convicted of a crime?
HALEY: We know that a vote for Joe Biden is a vote for a President Kamala Harris. It- first of all, he’s innocent until proven guilty. But you are implying that the American people are not smart. The American people are not going to vote for a convicted criminal. The American people are going to vote for someone who can win a general election. I have faith in the American people. They know what they need to do. And so, I think that, yes, I will support the Republican nominee always and I will make sure that that person, we’re going to pick someone that’s going to beat a president Kamala Harris. Because we can’t have a President Kamala Harris or we’ll never get our country back.
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