'Messed up': Nikki Haley trolled for 'damage control' after not mentioning slavery as cause of Civil War

WASHINGTON, DC: Republican Presidential candidate Nikki Haley has acknowledged that the Civil War was fought over slavery after facing criticism for an answer she gave at a town hall in Berlin, New Hampshire, on Wednesday, December 27.

Haley's response came the next day after she faced a barrage of criticism for the answer she gave at the town hall discussion when she failed to mention slavery when asked about the cause of the Civil War, per DailyMail.

Haley responded that it was "unquestioned" that the Civil War was about slavery, but it was also about the freedoms of every individual and the role of government.

In an interview with Pulse of New Hampshire radio show, Haley explained to host Jack Heath that she was answering the question by putting it in the context of what it means to Americans in the present day.

She also alleged that the voter question came from a Democratic plant who attended the event and that the political operative was sent by President Joe Biden's camp.

What did Nikki Haley say in the Berlin Town Hall?

During the town hall event in Berlin, New Hampshire, a question was posed to Nikki Haley, the 51-year-old Republican presidential contender, about the cause of the United States Civil War.

An attendee asked Haley, "What was the cause of the United States Civil War?"

In response, the former Governor of South Carolina said, "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. What do you think the cause of the Civil War was?"

After the attendee who posed the question saidd that he was not "the one running for president," Haley continued with her statement.

"I mean, I think it always comes down to the role of government," she explained before highlighting the value of "capitalism" and "economic freedom."

She continued, "And I will always stand by the fact that I think government was intended to secure the rights and freedoms of the people. It was never meant to be all things to all people. Government doesn't need to tell you how to live your life."

However, the questioner noted that Haley had not mentioned slavery, which was a central issue leading to the Civil War.

He could be heard saying in the video, “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?" before moving on to the next question.

This opportune moment was later seized by President Joe Biden, who emphasized the matter on his social media handle with the caption, "It was about slavery," along with video footage of the interaction between Haley and the New Hampshire constituent.

What did Haley say regarding the viral exchange the morning after?

On Thursday, in an appearance on ‘Good Morning New Hampshire’ with Jack Heath of The Pulse of NH radio show, Haley clarified her response the day prior and said “Civil War was about slavery.”

“Of course, the Civil War was about slavery. We know that. That's the easy part of it,” Haley said before elaborating on her earlier answer. “What I was saying was: What does it mean to us today?”

The former United Nations Ambassador said, “What it means to us today is about freedom. That's what that was all about.”

“I want to nip it in the bud. Yes, we know the Civil War was about slavery. But more than that, what’s the lesson in all this? That freedom matters. And individual rights and liberties matter for all people. That’s the blessing of America. That was a stain on America when we had slavery. But what we want is (to) never relive it, never let anyone take those freedoms away again.”

With just 26 days remaining until the upcoming elections in the Granite State, the latest polls show that Haley's popularity is on the rise.

The polls show her trailing former President Donald Trump by only 4 percent, with 29 percent support among Republican voters.

However, the recent question asked in Berlin, New Hampshire on Wednesday was perceived by Haley as a means for the opposition to garner media attention to attack her, amid the soaring survey figures.

Haley clarified on Thursday that she is well aware that slavery was a significant reason for the Civil War, a point on which historians generally agree. The division between the Northern and Southern states over the issue of slavery was the primary cause of the Civil War.

Southern states, including Haley's home state of South Carolina, were pro-slavery, while the Northern states were anti-slavery. However, Haley's refusal to acknowledge this fact has garnered criticism from many across the political spectrum.

The campaign of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another of Haley's GOP opponents, recirculated a video of the exchange on social media, adding the comment, "Yikes."

Andrew Romeo, DeSantis' communications director, wrote on X, “Embarrassing cleanup attempt. Even if that is true...If she can't handle a question as basic as the cause of the Civil War, what does she think is going to happen to her in a general election. The Democrats would eat her lunch.”

Internet slams Nikki Haley for her awful comment and attempt at damage control

People on X haven’t taken to Haley even as her numbers in survey polls have surged drastically over the past couple of months.

After her botched voter interaction in New Hampshire, social media users reacted to her response on Thursday with witty remarks and strong statements.

One X user wrote, "Nikki Haley is an awful presidential candidate. The fact that Trump is even considering her to be his VP is criminal. She is a Democrat running as a Republican."

Another user stated, "We can’t have a coward like this as the president of the United States"

Another user tweeted, "Nikki Haley doesn’t need a plant in her audience in order to embarrass herself. She does it on her own every time she says we should be funding war in Ukraine instead of defending our own southern border. Haley is a warmonger. That’s on her."

One user remarked, "Fun Fact: a Presidential Candidate shouldn’t get “messed up” by a simple question about the origins of the Civil War…"

Another user quipped, "She doesn’t need a plant. Her arrogance says that she’s backed by big money."

Finally, this X user said, "If she is not taking responsibility for this small issue, she won't take responsibility for leading the most powerful country in the world."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.