NIKKI HALEY FOR GOVERNOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 23, 2010

Contact: Tim Pearson
tim@nikkihaley.com
(803) 767-8943

This week, U.S. Senator John McCain took a large step back from his support of the infamous $700 billion Wall Street bailout that he voted for in 2008, saying he was “misled” by then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson [http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0210/McCain_suspending_bailout_support.html].

In response to Senator McCain’s new position, gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley released the following statement as it pertains to South Carolina Congressman Gresham Barrett’s vote for the same bailout:

“Like millions of Americans, Senator McCain now understands that the bank bailouts were a colossal waste of taxpayer dollars that did not ease lending to businesses and consumers. Congressman Barrett voted for the same bailouts, yet he has repeatedly taken a very different tact, publicly stating on multiple occasions that if he had to do it all over again he would still favor bailing out Wall Street.

“In my version of capitalism, if a company succeeds, you don’t punish them by raising their taxes sky high; and if a company fails, you don’t reward them by having taxpayers bail them out. This philosophy goes to the heart of what kind of Governor I would be.

“South Carolina voters deserve an answer to a simple question for Congressman Barrett: Are you finally willing to admit that your vote to send 700 billion of our tax dollars to Wall Street banks was a mistake?”

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