Nikki Haley takes stump speech to Virginia university’s commencement ceremony
Cami Mondeaux
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Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley delivered the commencement speech for the graduating class of 2023 at Regent University on Saturday, giving a message of hope that also incorporated some key themes of her White House campaign.
In her speech titled “Believe in America,” Haley congratulated the graduating class on their accomplishments while offering a warning that the future of the country lies in their hands — noting their “generation is the most important in American history.”
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“What you do will decide whether our country slides downward, toward division and loss of purpose, or moves upward, together, in pursuit of our timeless promise,” Haley said in her prepared remarks. “I am asking you to believe in America. It’s the only way to make America better. And I am confident that, together, we can bring out the best of America.”
Much of Haley’s speech focused on the graduates’ experience at Regent University, one of the country’s leading Christian universities, as well as reflecting on her own faith and political journey. The Republican candidate then spent a few moments addressing the current political environment, using the opportunity to subtly tout her campaign platform.
Haley briefly touched on a number of key social issues such as gender identity and abortion, which have become political flashpoints ahead of the 2024 campaign cycle.
“Think about it. We live in a time when men are playing women’s sports. We’re told it’s progress. Believe me — it’s not,” she said. “We live in a time when unborn babies are denied the most basic right there is — the right to life. We’re told it’s wrong to save them. We’re told it’s wrong to support their moms. But that’s exactly what we should do.”
Haley’s comments come after the Republican candidate has broken from the GOP playbook that typically ignores the issue of abortion — a misstep that several Republican leaders have acknowledged may have contributed to their worse-than-expected performance in the 2022 midterm elections.
During a speech last week, Haley called for a “national consensus” on the issue, positioning herself as staunchly anti-abortion. However, Haley stopped short of offering specific policy details or a stance on a federal abortion ban, although she did say she didn’t support women being jailed for getting an abortion.
Haley also touched on the issue of race during her commencement address, reflecting on her experience as the daughter of two Indian immigrants. The former South Carolina governor recalled the hope of her parents to come to the United States, viewing the country as a place of hope and freedom — something Haley warned is fading in today’s political climate.
“Today, in the greatest nation in human history, we’re told that America is actually evil – that our history is racist and our principles rotten,” she said. “Think of a 5-year-old at the start of kindergarten. If she’s white, she’s told she’s bad, and she always will be. If she’s brown or black, she’s told she’ll never be good enough — that she’ll always be a victim.”
“I can’t imagine what would have happened if I’d been told I was a victim when I was 5. It might have put me on a different path. A path of anger and resentment, not optimism and faith,” she added. “That’s what we’re doing to a whole generation. Ninety percent of students today are being taught to hate America. They should be taught the truth about America — that this is the greatest nation in the history of the world.”
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Haley’s speech comes as the Republican candidate seeks to set herself apart from other presidential candidates in a primary field that is expected to grow far more crowded over the coming months.
Five candidates have already declared their intent to run, including Haley, former President Donald Trump, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and conservative radio host Larry Elder. A handful of others are also expected to enter the fray, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).