Gov. Nikki Haley: 'Hard To See How' Obama Wins in November
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said President Clinton is wrong when he picked up on the "Etch A Sketch" comment and said Mitt Romney will have to wipe away the positions he took in the primary in order to compete in the general election.
"He's got to convince the swing voters that he'll be moderate enough and open enough and inclusive enough to be an effective president, and effective on the economy. And hope that the Republican base voters say, 'Well, okay, so he maybe wasn't as right-wing as he claimed to be in the primary. Still more conservative than President Obama. I guess I'll vote for him anyway and I won't stay home,'" Clinton told ABC News' Jake Tapper.
Haley, who is out with a new book, "Can't Is Not an Option," told me that was merely Clinton saying what "he is supposed to say, but it's just not true."
"I mean if we look at the record of President Obama, if we look at the fact that we lost our credit rating, if we look at the debt that's happening just these three years as supposed to Bush's eight," Haley told me on "GMA." "If we look at the unemployment situation or just the economy right now, if we simply look at his record there is no way they can say he can't win. I would say it would be hard to see how President Obama does win."
The South Carolina governor is more than happy to stump for Romney to help the ticket, but says she won't join it as the vice presidential nominee even if asked.
"No, I would not accept. I would not accept. I made a promise to the people in my state and I intend to keep that promise," she told me.
Nor does she think Romney needs to pick a woman to help with women voters. A recent battleground USA TODAY/ Gallup Poll shows while Romney leads by 1% among men, he is 18% behind in women.
"The more he puts Ann Romney out there the more people will realize he has a very strong woman at his side. And one that is so likeable and a mom and a wife and who balances like we all do every day."