Why Nikki Haley's Army Wives Appearance Was So Controversial

Politics and drama often go hand-in-hand, and some servants of the people like to add a little fictional calamity to their resumes by guesting on TV shows. Sometimes, these cameos lead to real-life controversy, as was the case with Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley's brief appearance on the Lifetime drama "Army Wives."

Haley guested in the Season 5 episode "Command Presence," where the then-South Carolina governor briefly appears as herself during a celebratory gathering for Joan Burton (Wendy Davis), whose rank has advanced. The controversy came from a surprising place; per The Post and Courrier, newly-installed Haley actually declined to reverse a veto from her predecessor, which would have restored bonuses and incentives for the "Army Wives" crew in 2011 — only months after filming her cameo. It was enough of a statement to draw censure from her political opponents. "It's obviously only an attempt to increase her own celebrity," Phil Bailey, a spokesman for the South Carolina Senate Democratic Caucus said at the time. 

But Haley's press secretary, Rob Godfrey, insisted she did nothing wrong. "As is the case in any economic development situation, the governor will always look at film incentives from a cost-benefit perspective," he said. "If incentives going forward cost the state more than they bring in — as they have in the past — then she won't support them." 

"Army Wives" lasted for two more seasons before concluding, having brought over $100 million to the state's economy. Meanwhile, Haley would sign another film and television incentive act, the Film Rebates Bill, into law in 2013. And she wasn't the only person involved in the 2024 election to appear on "Army Wives."

While Nikki Haley's appearance on "Army Wives" was mired in controversy, Jill Biden's cameo didn't draw half as much attention. The first lady appears in Season 4, Episode 16, "Mud, Sweat and Tears," which was filmed when her husband, President Joe Biden, was Barack Obama's vice president. She acts as the grand marshall for a fun run being held by the main characters, who are hoping to raise money for military mothers without further funds to help themselves. "I'm proud to be here today as a second lady, but I'm even more proud to be here as a military mom," she declares during her appearance. The episode is unique for featuring a large number of real-life military wives during the fun run segment. 

If that isn't enough of a connection to the real-life political and military goings-on, "Army Wives" was based on the book "Army Wives: The Unwritten Code of Military Marriage," which contains the stories of actual military wives as collected by Tanya Biank. That's quite the commitment to grounding all that drama in the real world.