South Carolina Gov. Haley to Republicans: Be better listeners

Nikki Haley Thursday urged Republicans to be more compassionate and better listeners.

The governor of South Carolina engaged in a question and answer session with Reince Priebus, Republican National Committee chairman, at the RNC’s summer meeting in Ohio.

She’s a rising national political star, thanks to her leading the fight to remove the Confederate flag from the State House grounds in Columbia.

She recounted the steps that led to the removal, and said “if we can do that in South Carolina, just think what we can do across our country.”

Remember, Haley said, “Politics is personal, but in order for us to get people to understand where they’re coming from we have to understand we’re they’re coming from.”

Republicans, said Haley, are too often seen as “very hard and cold, but we know we’re not.”

And so, she said, “We need to listen more.”

South Carolina’s presidential primary will be the first Southern test. Haley said she wanted someone who’s not “overconsulted” and who’s “genuine.”

Don’t just throw out promises, she said, give us details. “Tell me in detail what you’re going to do,” she said.

This story was originally published August 6, 2015 at 3:25 PM.