Nikki Haley Called Out Donald Trump and Escaped the State of the Union Rebuttal Curse

In the official Republican response to the State of the Union last night, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley took a veiled jab at her party's frontrunner for the presidential nominee by calling for inclusion and mutual respect over anger and divisiveness.

"Today, we live in a time of threats like few others in recent memory," she said, speaking from the state capital of Columbia. "During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation."

"Some people think that you have to be the loudest voice in the room to make a difference," she added. "That is just not true. Often, the best thing we can do is turn down the volume. When the sound is quieter, you can actually hear what someone else is saying. And that can make a world of difference."

Though the implication was inescapable, Haley confirmed this morning that her comments were indeed directed at Donald Trump.

"He was one of them, yes. He was one," Haley told NBC's Matt Lauer Wednesday morning, referring to the reference to the "angriest voices." "Mr. Trump has definitely contributed to what I think is just irresponsible talk."

Related: Nikki Haley Is Checking All the Boxes to Be the GOP's Vice Presidential Nominee

The response to Haley's speech symbolizes the current divide in the Republican party. Right-wing pundits, especially the so-called anti-establishment lane of the party, were not pleased with her critique of the frontrunner for the presidential nomination.

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter expressed her disgust at Haley in a series of six tweets, including calling for Trump to deport the South Carolina governor, who is Indian-American. Conservative radio host Laura Ingraham also took issue with Haley's call to come together, tweeting that "Obama & Haley [should] have [sic] appeared together in new spirit of bipartisanship to offer a joint rebuttal to @realDonaldTrump & @tedcruz." Former Ted Cruz staffer Amanda Carpenter called Haley's speech an example of "GOP self-loathing."

But establishment Republicans, and even some Democrats, praised Haley's speech. Jeb Bush said that he was "proud of my friend Nikki Haley for delivering a positive & uplifting response to Pres. Obama's #SOTU. Clear vision for a brighter future."

Obama's former advisor and current Democratic pundit David Axelrod called Haley's speech "really effective." Republican pundit Matt Lewis also praised Haley's response, pointing out on Twitter that "The Party of Ryan/Haley is a stark contrast to the Party of Trump."

It's especially important that the GOP establishment approved of Haley's performance last night, considering she is seen as a top pick for the vice presidential slot on the Republican ticket. As a woman, an Indian-American, and the youngest governor in the country, it comes as no surprise that Haley is seen as a rising star in the Republican party, which struggles to appeal to the demographics she represents.

Even though going after Trump provoked a negative reaction from some corners of the far-right, it was a politically savvy move for someone gunning for recognition on the national stage, said Bill Whalen, a Republican political commentator and research fellow at the Hoover Institute.

"To lay a punch on Donald Trump gives her the undying gratitude of the party establishment," said Whelan.

This was essentially a high-stakes job interview for Haley. Being chosen to give the SOTU response is an indicator that the party establishment sees that politician as having a bright future on the national stage. Many Americans were first introduced to a young, sweaty junior senator named Marco Rubio when he gave his infamous water-sipping 2013 State of the Union response. With his Poland Spring-guzzling days behind him, Rubio is now a top contender for the Republican presidential nomination.

But the extreme national exposure and high expectations that come along with the SOTU response often causes plenty of them to flop. Just ask Louisana Governor Bobby Jindal, whose disastrous 2009 speech is still to this day the shining example of the "rebuttal curse."

Haley departed from the usual SOTU response by opting toward a message of inclusion, rather than just the party line. She cited her own track record as example. After the mass shooting in Charleston this past summer that killed nine parishioners at a black church, Haley said, "We didn't turn against each other's race or religion. We turned toward God, and to the values that have long made our country the freest and greatest in the world."

Related: South Carolina Governor Calls for Confederate Flag to Be Removed from Statehouse Grounds

The governor won praise for having the Confederate flag removed from the state capitol grounds following the massacre, when it was revealed that Dylann Roof, the killer, had brandished the banner as a symbol of white supremacy.

"I think the more important part is it should have never been there," she said at the time. "These grounds are a place that everybody should feel a part of. What I realized now more than ever is people were driving by and felt hurt and pain. No one should feel pain."

In her speech on Tuesday, Haley urged Republicans to "accept that we've played a role in how and why our government is broken."

Admitting that the Republican Party isn't perfect was "a notable departure in 2016 politics," Whelan said, calling the show of humility wise.

It bodes well for Haley's veep chances that she seems to have dodged the rebuttal curse. That is, if she even wants the job.

When asked by CNN's Don Lemon on Wednesday if she would consider the nomination, Haley insisted that she doesn't spend much time thinking about it. But she didn't dismiss the possibility either.

"If anytime someone wants to sit down, I'm happy to sit down with a candidate," she said.

Follow Olivia Becker on Twitter: @obecker928