Haley Doesn't Mention Slavery When Answering Question About Cause of Civil War at NH Town Hall

A voter in New Hampshire admonished 2024 Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley for not mentioning slavery when she answered his question about the Civil War's cause.

The Details: At a town hall event in Berlin, NH, Haley was asked what she believed caused the Civil War. "I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run," she said. "The freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do." The voter who asked the question then said, "In the year 2023, it’s astonishing to me that you’d answer that question without mentioning the word ‘slavery.’" Haley responded by asking, "What do you want me to say about slavery?", before moving to the next question.

For Context: News of the exchange comes as Haley gains ground in the Republican primary polls, particularly in New Hampshire.

How the Media Covered It: Many sources, including some on the right, covered Haley's comments as a top story on Thursday and framed them as a slip-up for the rising 2024 candidate. The Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) said Haley gave "challengers possible ammo as the former South Carolina governor rises in the polls." The Associated Press (Lean Left bias) mentioned how in 2010, Haley said the Civil War was fought over "tradition" and "change" and that the Confederate flag was "not something that is racist." Update 12/28/23 3:30 p.m. ET: On Thursday, Haley said, "Of course the Civil War was about slavery. We know that. That’s the easy part of it."