CNN's Jake Tapper blasts race-based attacks on Nikki Haley: 'Very ugly side of the Left'

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CNN's Jake Tapper says Nikki Haley's presidential run brings out an ugly side of the Left

CNN's Jake Tapper criticized Democrats who are attacking Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley personally for her race.

CNN's Jake Tapper criticized Democrats Tuesday for their targeted attacks on Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley based on her race. 

"One of the things that's odd also, I don't want to make too big a deal out of it, but you see some people on the Left noting that Nikki is not her original first name, I think it's her middle name," Tapper said on "The Lead with Jake Tapper."

"And basically suggesting that she, I mean it's not true, and these are the same people who objected to whenever Republicans would say Barack Hussein Obama," he continued.

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Cindy Warmbier, mother of Otto Warmbier, the American college student who was imprisoned by North Korea and died soon after his release in 2017, introduces Nikki Haley as she announces her run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination at a campaign event in Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. February 15, 2023. REUTERS/Allison Joyce

"I mean, there is a very ugly side of the Left that comes out when Nikki Haley runs for office," he continued.

Nikki Haley announced her candidacy for president on February 15. She is one of three announced Republican candidates: the others being former President Donald Trump, the frontrunner for the GOP nomination, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy announced his candidacy Tuesday. 

Haley has come under a barrage of personal attacks by many in the liberal media in recent weeks. CNN's Don Lemon was compelled to undergo training and faced public backlash after saying that Haley was past her prime as a woman at 51 years old.

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Nikki Haley visits "Hannity" at Fox News Channel Studios on January 20, 2023 in New York City. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

"The View's" Whoopi Goldberg echoed similar criticism of Haley. 

Haley herself has made age an issue in the campaign, arguing that politicians over 75 should be forced to take a cognitive ability test in order to run for office. Such a standard would apply to both President Biden and Trump.

Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley greets people as she announces her run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination at a campaign event in Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. February 15, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst  (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

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Haley appears to have a steep hill to climb to secure the Republican nomination. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted earlier this month, she is polling in fourth place at four percent, below Trump at 43 percent, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 31 percent. Former Vice President Mike Pence also polled ahead of Haley at seven percent.