In response to Nikki Haley’s shameless attempt to clean up her failure to acknowledge slavery as a cause of the Civil War by claiming, with zero evidence, that she had “definitely” been set up by a Democratic plant, DNC National Press Secretary Sarafina Chitika released the following statement:

“After her refusal to acknowledge slavery as a cause of the Civil War resulted in a full-on campaign meltdown, Nikki Haley spent over 13 hours cobbling together a bizarre cleanup attempt that is almost as pathetic and disqualifying as her response last night. Haley first accused the voter of trying to trick her with a basic question — ‘what was the cause of the United States Civil War’ — only to double down this morning on the extreme, racist view she’s spouted on this issue for nearly 15 years. Extremism runs deep within today’s GOP — and Haley is proving again and again that she’s cut from the same MAGA cloth as Donald Trump and the rest of the field. As Haley flails desperately to spin her response, she’s showing the American people who she truly is — and her record of defending the Confederacy and rewriting our history are par for the course in a party hellbent on ripping away Americans’ basic freedoms.” 

After her weak cleanup attempt this morning, Nikki Haley just went back to doubling down on her shameful answer from last night by saying the Civil War was “about the role of government” and “the freedoms of every individual.”

Haley: “We know the Civil War was about slavery, but it was also more than that. It was about the freedoms of every individual. It was about the role of government. … We stand by that.”

The Messenger: “Haley in First Campaign Event After Controversial Comments: ‘Civil War Was About Slavery … But It Was Also More’”

Here’s what voters across the country were reading while Haley spent the last 13 hours cobbling together her pathetic cleanup attempt: 

ABC News: Nikki Haley doesn’t cite slavery as cause of the Civil War after question at campaign stop

Associated Press: Nikki Haley, asked what caused the Civil War, leaves out slavery. It’s not the first time 

Axios: Nikki Haley omits slavery when asked what caused the U.S. Civil War

CBS News: Nikki Haley fails to mention slavery when asked about cause of Civil War: “What do you want me to say about slavery?”

The Daily Beast: Nikki Haley Seemingly Forgets Slavery When Asked to Name Cause of Civil War

The Hill: Voter calls out Haley for not mentioning slavery in Civil War answer

New York Times: Haley, Asked About the Cause of the Civil War, Avoids Mentioning Slavery. 

Reuters: Nikki Haley, asked about cause of U.S. Civil War, declines to mention slavery

USA Today: Nikki Haley was asked what caused the Civil War. She didn’t mention slavery.

Washington Post: Nikki Haley was asked what caused the Civil War. She made no mention of slavery.

In New Hampshire: WMUR: Nikki Haley declines to say slavery led to Civil War during town hall in Berlin

In South Carolina: WYFF: “Presidential candidate and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley was asked about the cause of the Civil War and didn’t mention slavery in her response.”