Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley is cleaning up a comment she made about the cause of the Civil War.
During an interview with “The Pulse of NH” on Thursday, the former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor stated slavery was the cause of the Civil War — after she declined to say so during a campaign even the previous evening.
“The Civil War was about slavery. We know that. That’s the easy part of it,” Haley responded.
She added, “What I was saying was what does it mean to us today? What it means to us today is about freedom. That’s what that was all about. It was about individual freedom, it was about economic freedom, it was about individual rights.”
Watch the video below:
Nikki Haley today: “Of course the Civil War was about slavery. We know that. That’s the easy part of it. What I was saying was what does it mean to us today? What it means to us today is about freedom. That’s what that was all about.” pic.twitter.com/6qqP0ijCM9
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) December 28, 2023
Haley went on to suggest the question that prompted her much-criticized response was the work of Democratic operatives.
“In town halls, I answer every question, and they are planting questions there,” she claimed. “It was definitely a Democrat plant. When I asked him, he didn’t want to answer. He didn’t give reporters his name.”
"It was definitely a Democrat plant. When asked him, he didn't want to answer. He didn't give reporters his name. " — @NikkiHaley on question re: cause of Civil War at last night's town hall in Berlin, NH.@NHGOP #FITN
— NH Journal (@NewHampJournal) December 28, 2023
During a campaign event, an attendee asked, “What was the cause of the United States Civil War?”
“I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run, the freedoms of what people could and couldn’t do,” Haley responded.
She then asked the man what he thought the cause of the war was, however, he declined to answer her question.
Haley went on:
“I think it always comes down to the role of government and what the rights of the people are. And I will always stand by the fact that I think government was intended to secure the rights and freedom of the people. It was never meant to be all things to be all people. Government doesn’t need to tell you how to live your life, they don’t need to tell you what you can and can’t do, they don’t need to be a part of your life. They need to make that sure you have freedom.”
However, the man shot back, “In 2023, it’s astonishing to me that you would answer that question without mentioning the word slavery.”
Haley then asked, “What do you want me to say about slavery?”
