*Berlin, New Hampshire* – Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and a prominent figure in the Republican Party, engaged in a discussion on Wednesday with a voter during her visit to Berlin, New Hampshire, where she addressed questions about the cause of the Civil War.
During a town hall event, a voter confronted Haley, expressing concern that she did not mention slavery in her response to the query about the Civil War’s cause. Haley, known for advocating the removal of the Confederate battle flag from South Carolina’s statehouse grounds during her tenure as governor, offered her perspective, attributing the Civil War to a clash over governmental control impacting people’s freedoms.
“I mean, I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run. The freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do,” Haley remarked, outlining her viewpoint on the conflict.
In an exchange with the voters, Haley further elaborated on her stance, emphasizing the role of government in securing people’s rights and freedoms. When pressed by the voter for not mentioning slavery, Haley defended her response, indicating a focus on the government’s intended purpose.
The voter, identified as Patrick, voiced his surprise at the absence of the word “slavery” in Haley’s answer, highlighting its significance in discussing the Civil War in modern times.
Following the interaction, Patrick spoke to reporters, labeling his question as fundamental and expressing his curiosity about Haley’s response, considering her prior engagements on the topic. He noted the similarity between Haley’s current and past answers.
President Joe Biden’s campaign and Democratic circles swiftly reacted to the exchange, with Biden sharing a video of the interaction on social media, accompanied by a statement affirming slavery as a central cause of the Civil War.
Nikki Haley was asked what caused the US Civil War, responding, “…basically how government was gonna run. The freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do. What do you think?”
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) December 28, 2023
“In the year 2023, it’s astonishing to me that you can answer that question without mentioning the… pic.twitter.com/OvjL3JGfMx
Haley, known for her complex relationship with Confederate symbols, previously defended states’ rights to secede and had been associated with South Carolina’s Confederate History Month and the Confederate flag before advocating for the removal of the flag following the 2015 Charleston church shooting.
In her various engagements, including her tenure as the UN ambassador, Haley has depicted the Civil War as a clash between opposing values—one embracing tradition and the other advocating for change.
Her call for removing the Confederate flag from South Carolina’s statehouse grounds marked a significant shift, driven by the tragic events at a historically Black church in Charleston, further reflecting her evolving perspective on the matter.
Nikki Haley’s recent engagement and subsequent discussions regarding the cause of the Civil War have sparked public discourse, shedding light on differing viewpoints regarding this pivotal chapter in American history.
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