GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley flubbed her praise of Iowa Hawkeyes basketballer Caitlin Clarkâappearing to confuse her for a CNN anchor with a similar name during a local restaurant event ahead of the Hawkeyes game.
âWeâre excited to see the Lady Hawkeyes team,â Haley said. âWhat a great coach they have. Kaitlan Collins is phenomenal.â
Collins is the host of CNNâs The Source, not Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark.
Haleyâs critics seized on the confusion. âUnlike Haley, Caitlin Clark is great under pressure,â Never Back Down Deputy Communications Director Jess Szymanski tweeted.
Collins herself chimed in on the mix-up, writing on X: âI can assure you her free-throw percentage is much better than mine.â
The flub capped a rough week for Haley, who drew widespread criticism after she declined to name slavery as a cause of the Civil War before being labeled the ânew John Kerryâ by a 9-year-old.