Nikki Haley made a surprise cameo on SNL and jokingly confessed that she should have admitted that slavery caused the Civil War as her presidential campaign was winding down.
This week's Saturday Night Live episode began with a CNN town hall sketch in which Haley is asked, “What do you think was the root cause of the Civil War?” And do you think it starts with an “S” and ends with a “Lavery”? '.
“Yeah, I probably should have said that the first time,” Haley replied before delivering the iconic line “Live from New York.”
The joke refers to controversial answers the former UN ambassador gave when asked at a town hall in New Hampshire about the reason for the civil war.
Haley didn't mention slavery in her response, but instead spoke about the role of government, answering that it's about “the freedoms of what people can and can't do.”
Nikki Haley made a surprise cameo on SNL and jokingly confessed that she should have admitted that slavery caused the Civil War as her presidential campaign was winding down
Haley used her SNL appearance to take shots at her opponent, former President Donald Trump
The Republican presidential candidate then turned the question back to the man who asked it. He replied that he was not the one running for president and instead wanted to know her answer.
Haley then went into a more detailed explanation of the role of government, individual freedom, and capitalism.
The questioner appeared to admonish Haley by saying, “In 2023, it's astonishing to me that you answer this question without mentioning the word 'slavery.'”
“What should I say about slavery?” Haley replied before abruptly moving on to the next question.
Twelve hours later, she backtracked on her Civil War comments, broadcasting a radio interview on her campaign Thursday morning in which she said, “Of course the Civil War was about slavery,” which she called “a stain on America.”
She further reiterated that “freedom is important.” And individual rights and freedoms are important for all people.”
Haley used her SNL appearance to take shots at her opponent, former President Donald Trump.
“My question is, why don’t you debate Nikki Haley,” Haley asked Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, as a “concerned voter from South Carolina.”
“Oh my God, it's the woman who was in charge of security on January 6th,” Johnson shouted as Trump exclaimed, “it's Nancy Pelosi.”
Haley then said to Johnson as Trump, “Are you OK, Donald, maybe you need a mental competency test?”
Saturday Night Live concluded this week's episode with a CNN town hall sketch in which Haley is asked, “What do you think was the root cause of the Civil War – and do you think it starts with an 'S' and ends with an ' Lavery” ends? '
“Yeah, I probably should have said that the first time,” Haley replied before delivering the iconic line “Live from New York.”
“I got through it well and passed the test with flying colors,” Johnson said. “I'm 100 percent deranged.” And I'm competent because I'm a man. “This is why women shouldn't run the economy, in fact a woman recently asked me for $83.3 million,” he added, referring to the defamation verdict against Trump last week.
“And you spent 50 million on your own legal defense. Do you need to borrow some money?” she said.
“And you spent 50 million on your own legal defense. Do you need to borrow some money?” she said.
Johnson then went on an incoherent rampage, ending with an “I see dead people” joke, to which Hayley responded: “That's what voters will say when they see you and Joe on the ballot.”
He further joked, “I'm always very nice to you, except when I implied that you weren't born in this country even though you're from South Carolina, and now I'm going to hit you in your state.”
“And did you win your home state in the last election?” Haley shot back, criticizing Trump for losing the vote to Biden in his home state of New York in the 2020 election.
Haley's presidential campaign has weakened and recent polls show former President Donald Trump leading his rival by 26 points in a survey of Republican voters in South Carolina released Thursday.
Former President Donald Trump still has a large lead over his rival Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina. She has gained a 14-point lead since September, while he has increased his share of the vote by 12 points
If she is defeated by the former president in the South Carolina Republican primary on February 24, it could derail her already difficult campaign.
The Monmouth University/Washington Post poll found that 58 percent of Republican primary voters in South Carolina said they would support Trump, while 32 percent said they would go for Haley.
Fully 60 percent of respondents said the Republican Party should keep Trump on the ticket even if he is convicted of a crime related to trying to overturn the 2020 election.
Both candidates benefited from a slimmed down primary field rather than just Haley, which is why Trump is so far ahead.