White House Chief of Staff John Kelly’s comments about the Civil War led to a swift response from the internet.
Videos by Rare
“The lack of an ability to compromise led to the Civil War, and men and women of good faith on both sides made their stand where their conscience had them make their stand,” Kelly said while speaking on new Fox News show “The Ingraham Angle.” He also called Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee an “honorable man.”
[protected-iframe id=”a5ff78f2d1f6fce84caf37cc7ccd107c-46934866-88347336″ info=”//video.insider.foxnews.com/v/embed.js?id=5630523067001&w=466&h=263″ ]
Many were quick to criticize the interview:
Chief of Staff John Kelly praises Robert E Lee as "honorable man," says "lack of an ability to compromise led to the civil war," not slavery pic.twitter.com/GSuVRrGKlQ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 31, 2017
Slavery. It was about slavery. States rights…to own slaves. Lack of an ability to compromise…about slavery. https://t.co/lwIsUTYZne
— Justin Gray (@JustinGrayWSB) October 31, 2017
It’s entirely appropriate to question this four-star general. (BTW everyone, the answer is slavery. The Civil War was over slavery. Period.) https://t.co/IF9IdNUm6i
— Kimberly Atkins Stohr (@KimberlyEAtkins) October 31, 2017
RELATED: Trump associate Roger Stone rattles a legal saber after Twitter shuts him down
Others responded to Kelly’s critics, saying that his words were “misinterpreted:”
Willful misrepresentation. He never says slavery didn't play a role. https://t.co/0TM0GxJeCc
— Mike Bastasch (@MikeBastasch) October 31, 2017
John Prideaux attempted to explain Kelly’s comments, saying in a tweet, “His view of the Civil War is consistent with what his generation was taught at school:”
The "both sides were at fault" view was pushed at the end of the war, to help put the country back together
— John Prideaux (@JohnPrideaux) October 31, 2017
But no serious historian has bought it since about 1990, so far as I can see. The war was indeed about slavery
— John Prideaux (@JohnPrideaux) October 31, 2017
Some observed that Kelly’s comments were notably similar to President Trump’s “many sides” comment following a deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, earlier this year.
RELATED: No one was expecting Sean Hannity to say “President Clinton” on his show
[anvplayer video=”4141374″]