“EDITOR’S PICK: China Barbs Fly as DeSantis Gets Misquoted in Pro-Haley Ad

Pro-Haley Ad Puts Words In DeSantis’ Mouth As Rivals Trade China Barbs In a new campaign ad released on Thursday, the gubernatorial campaign of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has sought to put words in the mouth of her Republican rival, Ron DeSantis, as the two candidates trade barbs over China. The ad, titled “Enough”, features a recording of DeSantis saying, “we’ve borrowed so much money from China, it’s ridiculous,” followed by an announcer declaring “we agree with Governor Haley: we need to stand up to China.” The ad, which uses the audio of DeSantis without his permission, is an attempt to exploit the bad relationship between the two countries, and use a rumored argument against DeSantis to bolster their own standing. The South Carolina Governor’s campaign has come under fire for its tactic, with analysts criticizing the politicization of a delicate diplomatic relationship while seeking to exploit the fears and frustrations of the electorate. “It’s not only wrong to do a hit job on someone in a campaign ad, it’s also counter-productive to U.S.-China relations,” said former U.S. Ambassador to China, J. Stapleton Roy. “It’s both in bad taste and breathes life into an issue that could easily be handled with temperance.” The ad comes as tensions between China and the United States have been rising over trade discrepancies, disagreement on economic policies and military posturing in the South China Sea. While there is no question that the United States should confront China over its behavior in the international community, doing so through a political campaign ad raises questions about the sincerity and legitimacy of the effort. Campaigns often rely on exaggeration and inflammatory tactics to influence voters, but the “Enough” campaign ad fails to recognize the nuanced relationship between the two countries, and the practical implications of their discord. It is unclear whether the campaign will prove effective for Haley, but the implications of the ad suggest a broader erosion of civility and decency in what was already an acrimonious race for election.