Rebuilding Rob

I woke up this morning to a news story on CNN that while at a Townhall meeting in New Hampshire yesterday, Nikki Haley shit the political bed when she failed to mention slavery in reference to the causes of the Civil War

It’s a truly interesting exchange. If you haven’t done, so, click on the link to hear about it. (The actual exchange starts at the :35 mark) An audience member asked Nikki Haley, point-blank, what was the cause of the Civil War.

When asked, Haley gave some willy-nilly answer, making references to how the government was going to govern, and what the will of the people was. It was interesting to note that she did not under the phrase used by so many modern day, Republicans and Southerners: “states rights“.

Haley then resorts to the colossally stupid tactic of redirecting the question to the audience member. “What do you think caused the Civil War?” She asked.

The audience number, much to his credit, came back with the best possible answer “I’m not running for president.” He replied.

The audience member makes a great point when he says “In 2023 its astounding to me that you would answer that question without mentioning slavery“

I lived in South Carolina from 2004 to 2012. During that time, Nikki Haley was making her political ascent, ultimately becoming the governor of South Carolina.

For those who don’t know much about my once adopted state, South Carolina was the first state in the union to formally succeed from the Union before the start of the Civil War. When I live there, I would hear people half-jokingly/ half -seriously refer to the Civil War as “the war of Northern aggression“

In addition to being an English teacher, I am also certified to teach history. I minor did it in college. And I have news for all the conservatives, and all of the staunchest “states rights“ believers: No matter how you try to spin it, the Civil War was entirely about slavery. Perhaps the most important of these “states rights“ that the South was allegedly fighting for was the right to determine whether or not they were going to continue to use slave labor.

Republicans will try to avoid it like the plague. They will hide behind the phrase “states rights“. In some cases, they’ll stumble through their words on a hot mic, under the bright lights of an open stage like Haley did.

The reason the Civil War is talked about so much not only in American history, but also in modern American politics, is because it is the watershed moment in the history of this country. Everything that the United States was, and everything that the United States would become collided between 1861 and 1865.

Here’s another thing: Nikki Haley is kind of an idiot. I don’t say that because she’s a Republican, and I most certainly don’t say that because she’s a woman. She has certainly had her moments to shine during this early part of the 2024 campaign. And it certainly is no accident that she became the governor of South Carolina, even facing racism in her home state. But she is, by no means, the sharpest tool in the shed-

The Howard Dean Scream killed any momentum he had in the 2004 presidential campaign. Making fun of a physically disabled journalist during the 2016 campaign should have de-railed Donald Trump’s political aspirations. Although we may not see it immediately, in the weeks and months ahead, I believe that we will look back on this moment as the time with Nikki Haley’s Presidential hopes died

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like, comment and subscribe to my blog below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts as well as some earlier, related posts…

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The article “Nikki Haley Misses a Political Layup“ first appeared on Rebuilding Rob