Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley had a memorable line early in the debate, when she called out GOP spending and declared that “it’s time for an accountant in the White House.”
"No one is telling the American people the truth,” Haley said of Republican support for spending increases. “The truth is that Biden didn't do this to us. Our Republicans did this to us too. When they passed that $2.2 trillion COVID stimulus bill, they left us with 90 million people on Medicaid, 42 million people on food stamps. No one has told you how to fix it."
"I'll tell you how to fix it," she continued. "They need to stop the spending. They need to stop the borrowing. They need to eliminate the earmarks Republicans brought back in. And they need to make sure they understand these are taxpayer dollars, it's not their dollars."
"You have Ron DeSantis, you've got Tim Scott, you've got Mike Pence — they all voted to raise the debt. And Donald Trump added $8 trillion to our debt. Our kids are never going to forgive us for this," Haley added.
"At the end of the day, you look at the 2024 budget, Republicans asked for $7.4 billion in earmarks. Democrats asked for $2.8 billion," she said. "So you tell me, who are the big spenders? I think it's time for an accountant in the White House."
But how genuine was the former United States ambassador to the United Nations?
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said he didn’t remember ever receiving her support when he was the lone GOP holdout on the CARES Act.
Yeah, I don’t remember Nikki Haley supporting me when I was the ONLY member of congress actively opposing the CARES Act. https://t.co/5yP04lrz51
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) August 24, 2023
Massie faced criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike, including then President Trump, when he tried to require House members to take a recorded vote in order to pass the massive COVID relief package.
“I swore an oath to uphold the constitution, and I take that oath seriously. In a few moments I will request a vote on the CARES Act which means members of Congress will vote on it by pushing ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or ‘present,'" he said at the time.
While the effort ultimately failed when the House approved the measure, hundreds of lawmakers were forced to return to DC amid the threat.
Trump at the time called Massie a "third rate Grandstander" and accused him of just wanting the "publicity" and called on the Republican to be thrown out of the GOP.
...& costly. Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive. Virus wasn’t their fault. It is “HELL” dealing with the Dems, had to give up some stupid things in order to get the “big picture” done. 90% GREAT! WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020