Nikki Haley Forgot About Slavery When Questioned to Mention The Cause of Civil War

Nikki Haley addressed several major challenges gripping the nation, delving into the complexities of issues such as the fentanyl crisis, escalating inflation rates, and the ongoing conflicts abroad. Amidst her discussion, a member of the audience at the town hall session questioned the Republican presidential candidate about a significant issue. “What was the cause of the United States Civil War?” the individual asked Haley, a previous U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a governor of South Carolina. She refrained from attributing slavery as a direct cause and opted to blame the responsibility on the government's role instead. This omission startled the individual and others present, leaving them shocked by her stance.

"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,” said Haley, according to The Daily Beast. She then turned the question back to the person, inquiring about their perspective on the war's cause. In response, the man stated that he was not a presidential candidate. "I wanted to see your view on the cause of the Civil War," he said. Haley restated her previous response, reaffirming her initial standpoint on the matter. She said, “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 freedoms of the people."

"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," Haley added, as reported by Politico. Shortly after, the audience members responded with disappointment to Haley's remarks. “In 2023, it’s astonishing to me that you would answer that question without mentioning the word ‘slavery,’” he said. This caused Haley to seem uncertain about the individual's intended question.

“What do you want me to say about slavery?” she questioned. However, that particular comment said it all. She then asked for another query from the audience. Nonetheless, President Joe Biden drew focus to Haley's statements by sharing a brief four-word response.  “It was about slavery,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, just hours following Haley's slip-up. The interaction occurred approximately an hour and a half into the town hall gathering, highlighting the distinctive environment and common challenges that candidates typically encounter in New Hampshire.

The outbreak of the Civil War resulted from various contributing factors, yet the conflict, deemed the deadliest in U.S. history, primarily arose due to the South's steadfast ambition to uphold and maintain slavery. Meanwhile, Haley's missing remarks regarding slavery might present significant challenges for her in the weeks ahead, potentially affecting her stance and perception among the public.