Nikki Haley, a former UN Ambassador, is vigorously contending for the second position in the race to secure the 2024 Republican nomination for President, with the first Republican Primary only weeks away.
Having served as Ambassador under former President Donald Trump, Haley has been measured in her criticism of the ex-president, who currently maintains a substantial lead in the race. Significantly, Trump has reciprocated by keeping his criticisms of Haley limited, leading many to speculate that she might be on Trump’s shortlist for a vice presidential candidate.
However, the rising political figure is currently facing backlash for her recent responses to questions concerning the Civil War. During a campaign stop in New Hampshire, a member of the audience asked her to comment on “the cause” of the war between the states.
In response, Haley made a jest about the question’s complexity, stating, “Well, [you] don’t come with an easy question…[do you]?” She then went on to offer her perspective on the cause of the Civil War, suggesting that it was essentially rooted in the question of how the government would operate, encompassing considerations of freedoms and restrictions on individuals.
Haley added: “I mean, I think it all comes down to the role of government,” she added. “We need to have capitalism. We need to have economic freedom. We need to make sure that we do all things so that individuals have the liberties so that they can have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to do or be anything they want to be without government getting in the way.”
This marks the end of Nikki Haley’s campaign.
— Gene Church (@GeneChurch1776) December 28, 2023
It’s about slavery. pic.twitter.com/f1MEbjPgzx
The individual who posed the question, along with many who have seen the footage of the exchange, expressed astonishment that the potential Commander in Chief of the United States did not incorporate the word ‘slavery’ in her response to a question about the cause of the Civil War.
In a follow-up inquiry, the voter sought an explanation from the candidate as to why she omitted the term ‘slavery’ in her initial response.
Nikki Haley’s subsequent reply has garnered as much criticism as her initial one: “What do you want me to say about slavery?” she asked. “Next question.”
Facing substantial backlash, Haley later sought to clarify her remarks, acknowledging that the Civil War was indeed “about slavery.”
.@NikkiHaley corrected her Civil War comments at the top of her town hall in North Conway, New Hampshire.
— Kelsey Walsh (@Kjwalsh_news) December 28, 2023
“Of course, the Civil War was about slavery, we know that. That’s unquestioned. Always the case, we know the Civil War was about slavery.”
Full video — pic.twitter.com/GDgqYZ0e6J
