Nikki Haley

[G.Subramaniam]

Nikki Haley: Civil War Was About Tradition vs. Change



Posted on 15. Jun, 2010 by Tim in SC Politics



Doc Rodgers has uncovered a fascinating video of presumptive GOP nominee Nikki Haley discussing the origins of the Civil War. The video is apparently from an interview Haley did with the Sons of Confederate Veterans, apparently seeking their support.



None of that pesky slavery talk for our Nikki. She says the Civil War was, well, a quite civil disagreement on tradition versus change.



I mean again I think that as we look in government, as we watch government, you have different sides, and I think that you see passions on different sides, and I don’t think anyone does anything out of hate. I think what they do is, they do things out of tradition and out of beliefs of what they believe is right.



I think you have one side of the Civil War that was fighting for tradition, and I think you have another side of the Civil War that was fighting for change. You know, at the end of the day, what I think we need to remember is that you know, everyone is supposed to have their rights, everyone is supposed to be free, everyone is supposed to have the same freedoms as anyone else. So you know I think it was tradition versus change is the way I see it.



The remarkable thing about the video is just how uncomfortable Haley looks throughout, as if she’s thinking to herself, “Good God, why am I in a room with this bunch of yahoos?”



But make no mistake – Haley absolutely assures the SCV that she thinks that Confederate flag ought to stay right where it is. Even more illuminating is her discussion of the NAACP boycott of South Carolina:



I mean I think I’m the perfect person to deal with the boycott because as a minority female I’m going to go and talk to them. And I’m going to go and let them know that every state has their traditions and every state has certain things that they hold as part of their heritage. But we need to talk about business.



And we need to talk about having them come into our state, and I want to help be that business advocate that let’s them know that they need to be able to look past that and we will treat them well when they come into our state. And they will be treated with the same South Carolina charm that we give to everyone else.



So relax. Under a Haley administration, we will welcome “them” to our state with open arms.



See it for yourself: