Gov. Sununu: Only “Liberal Elite” See Jan. 6 as a “Disqualifier” for Trump

>>> AND RETURNING NOW TO THE POLITICS OF ALL OF THIS, FOR YEARS, DONALD TRUMP WAS A FORCE OF UNITY AMONGST SYSTEMS ANDY VGS AMONG REPUBLICANS, BUT NOW THE TABLES HAVE TURNED.

FEW UNDERSTAND THE GOP TRANSFORMATION BETTER THAN OUR NEXT GUEST.

AFTER SERVING AS ONE OF NIKKI HALEY'S MOST VOCAL ADVOCATES DURING THE PRIMARIES, LIKE HER, THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU IS NOW BACKING FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.

AND HE JOINS WALTER ISAACSON TO EXPLAIN WHY.

>> THANK YOU, CHRISTIANE.

AND GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU, WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW.

>> WELL, THANKS.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME BACK.

>> AFTER THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT BIDEN CALLED ON EVERYBODY TO TONE DOWN THE RHETORIC, TO COOL THINGS DOWN.

AND SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON, THE REPUBLICAN SPEAKER SAID JUST ABOUT THE SAME THING.

HOW DO WE DO THAT?

HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

>> WELL, LOOK, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE WITHIN THAT FIRST 48 HOURS BOTH SIDES, EVERYONE SAYING, OKAY, THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN POLARIZING, IT'S BEEN EXTREME, AND OBVIOUSLY WITH THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, AS AWFUL AS THAT WAS, MAYBE THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIT A RESET BUTTON THERE, GET BACK TO ISSUES, GET BACK TO TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

NOW, THE MEDIA CAN DO THAT, ELECTED OFFICIALS CAN DO THAT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN ALL OF US DO IT.

ALL 350 MILLION AMERICANS, AS PARENTS, A COWORKERS, AS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, THAT WE TONE DOWN OUR RHETORIC AS A WHOLE.

IT HAS TO BE A CULTURAL CHANGE.

IT'S NOT EASY TO DO.

I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT IT STARTS WITH LEADERSHIP.

I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS, EVEN IN JUST SOME OF THE RHETORIC I STARTED SEEING YESTERDAY, THE ATTACKS ON J.D.

VANCE, BACK TO SAYING THESE GUYS ARE A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY AND ALL OF THAT SORT OF THING.

THAT'S THE TYPE OF RHETORIC THAT GETS REALLY POLARIZING, IT GETS AWAY FROM ISSUES, IT GETS AWAY FROM THE ELECTION.

AND I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS SAY, WE HAVE OUR DIFFERENCES, LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE.

WE BOTH WANT A GREAT, SOLID AMERICA ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

WE BOTH HAVE DIFFERENT PATHWAYS TO GET THERE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE PATHWAYS.

LET'S DO AN ELECTION THE WAY ELECTIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE, AND NOT TALK ABOUT THESE THREATS TO AMERICA, THESE THREATS TO DEMOCRACY, HOW EVIL EACH SIDE IS.

NO ONE'S EVIL HERE, RIGHT?

THEY'RE JUST FIGHTING A GOOD FIGHT TO HOPEFULLY GET THEIR POLICIES TO GET AMERICAN INTO A BETTER PLACE.

BUT AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THE HEART OF YOUR QUESTION, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US AS INDIVIDUALS TO KIND OF CARRY THAT RESPONSIBILITY, NOT FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, BUT REALLY, INTO PERPETUITY, REALLY SETS THAT EXAMPLE FOR THE ENTIRE NEXT GENERATION THAT'S WATCHING US VERY CLOSELY.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT HOW POLITICIANS ARE SAYING THEY WANT TO LOWER THE RHETORIC, AND ALREADY, THEY'RE NOT DOING SO.

EVEN ON J.D.

VANCE, WHO USED TO BE SOMEBODY WHO WAS A GREAT UNIFIER WHEN HE WROTE "HILLBILLY ELEGY," I THINK PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE SAID, I GET SOMETHING INTERESTING IN THERE, BUT NOW HE'S BEEN SAYING THINGS LIKE THE CENTRAL PREMISE OF THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN IS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS A FASCIST AND MUST BE STOPPED AT ALL COSTS.

THAT RHETORIC LED DIRECTLY TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION.

BUT HE'S SOMEBODY WHO ALSO CALLED TRUMP AN AMERICAN HITLER.

HE WAS MUCH MORE OF A NON-TRUMPER THAN EVEN YOU WERE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIM AS A CHOICE?

>> I THINK HE'S A GREAT CHOICE.

I DO.

LOOK.

LET'S START IN THE VERY BEGINNING.

HIS BACKGROUND IS PHENOMENAL, IN THAT HE HAD A REALLY TOUGH SITUATION GROWING UP.

HE DEALT WITH A LOT OF REAL ISSUES THAT A LOT OF AMERICANS ARE DEALING WITH.

AND HIS FAMILY, THE CHALLENGES OF DRUGS AND MENTAL HEALTH AND POVERTY AND ALL THESE THINGS.

THEY MADE A MOVIE ABOUT HIS LIFE EVEN BEFORE HE WAS A U.S.

SENATOR.

HE'S OBVIOUSLY A MARINE, THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

HE'S INCREDIBLY SMART.

HE WENT TO YALE, SO, HE'S GOT THE BRAINS FOR THE JOB.

THAT'S FOR DARN SURE.

HE'S A U.S.

SENATOR, BUT HE'S ONLY BEEN THERE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.

HE'S NOT AN INSIDER TO WASHINGTON, RIGHT?

SO, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, HE KIND OF BRINGS THAT DISRUPTION A LITTLE BIT.

HE'S NOT GOING TO DO IT AND HASN'T DONE IT LIKE FOLKS HAVE BEEN IN WASHINGTON FOR DECADES AND DECADES.

SO, HE HAS THAT OUTSIDER PERSPECTIVE, WHICH IS VERY REFRESHING, I THINK, TO A LOT OF AMERICANS.

AND FRANKLY, HE'S JUST A REALLY NICE GUY.

HE'S A VERY, VERY NICE GUY.

HE'S HAD DIFFERENCES WITH TRUMP IN THE PAST, AS I HAVE.

I THINK MOST FOLKS ARE AT SOME POINT.

I MEAN, KAMALA HARRIS HAS HAD SOME PRETTY AMAZING DIFFERENCES WITH JOE BIDEN IN HER PAST, I MEAN, IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT DEBATE, WHERE SHE TORE JOE BIDEN APART.

>> WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT RHETORIC LIKE AMERICAN HITLER.

>> AH, WELL, SHE SAID -- I MEAN, SHE CALLED HIM OUT ON RACE, SHE CALLED HIM OUT ON BUSSING.

SHE CALLED HIM OUT ON BEING FRIENDS WITH SEGREGATIONISTS, AND THEN SHE DECIDED TO BE HIS RUNNING MATE.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PARTNERSHIP -- A PARTNERSHIP FOR LIFE GOING INTO THE SITUATION, BUT CLEARLY TRUMP AND J.D.

HAVE FOUND THEIR FRIENDSHIP, THEIR PARTNERSHIP.

I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY EACH BRING SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT TO THE TABLE.

THEY EACH HAVE DIFFERENT SKILLS THEY CAN BRING TO THE TABLE.

AND FOR THAT, I THINK IT'S A GREAT TICKET.

>> LET ME TALK ABOUT J.D.

VANCE FOR A SECOND, BECAUSE I THINK HE REPRESENTS AND SOLIDIFIES THE HOLD OF A CERTAIN WING OF THE PARTY, THE MORE POPULIST, MORE NATIONALIST WING, ONE THAT DOESN'T REALLY SUPPORT NATO THAT MUCH, ANTI-CORPORATE.

THERE'S ANOTHER WING OF THE PARTY, WHICH I ASSOCIATE YOU WITH, WITH PAUL RYAN WITH AND OTHERS, WHICH I'D JUST CALL TRADITIONAL CONSERVATISM.

YOU CAN CORRECT MY LABELS IF YOU WANT.

DO YOU SEE THE SELECTION OF VANCE AS MOVING THE PARTY AND TRUMPISM DOWN THAT ROAD ON TOWARDS POPULIST NATIONALISM, RATHER THAN THE MORE TRADITIONAL SMALL GOVERNMENT, SMALL SPENDING CONSERVATISM?

>> NO, NO.

I -- LOOK, I -- LOOK, BOTH PARTIES, AND I'LL JUST SPEAK TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WE DON'T HAVE MODERATES AND -- THERE'S A WHOLE SPECTRUM.

THERE'S A WHOLE SPECTRUM IN OUR PARTY OF PHILOSOPHY AND PLATFORM POSITIONS AND WHERE THEY WANT TO GO, BOTH ON DOMESTIC ISSUES, ON GOVERNANCE, ON KIND OF THE CIVICS THAT YOU WANT TO SEE WITHIN GOVERNMENT.

I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND LIMITED GOVERNMENT, LOCALIZED CONTROL.

AND THEN, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THE ASPECTS OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO INTERNATIONALLY AND THE ROLE OF AMERICA THAT WE NEED TO PLAY INTERNATIONALLY AND WE CAN HAVE DIFFERENCES THERE, EVEN AMONGST REPUBLICANS.

NO, I DON'T THINK HE REPRESENTS -- THE PARTY GOING IN ONE DIRECTION OR NOT.

YOU KNOW, FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP, I THINK HE'S DOING VERY WELL, MY GUESS IS -- IF I WAS A BETTING MAN, HE'S GOING TO BE WINNING IN NOVEMBER AND BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT.

HE'S THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE PARTY, J.D.

IS PART OF THAT NOW.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEIR PHILOSOPHIES AND PRINCIPLES REPRESENT EVERY SINGLE REPUBLICAN ACROSS THE BOARD, AND THAT'S OKAY.

NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

IT CAN BE A LOT OF DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT YOU REALLY WANT IS TO HAVE A PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT THAT UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLES, THEY CAN WORK AS A TEAM, WORK WITH STATES, WORK WITH CONGRESS, HOPEFULLY FIND MORE EFFICIENCIES IN GOVERNMENT, KEEP AMERICA STRONG THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, YOU CAN HAVE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES IN HOW TO DO THAT.

BUT I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT WORLD PEACE COMES THROUGH AMERICA'S STRENGTH, AND YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT YOUR ALLIES AND YOU HAVE TO PUT FEAR IN YOUR ENEMIES.

I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF ENHANCE THAT A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP DID IT VERY WELL IN HIS FIRST TERM.

THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT, ON THE INTERNATIONAL SIDE.

AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET BACK TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BRINGING SOME OF THE PEACE THAT FOLKS WANT TO SEE WORLDWIDE, BOTH IN UKRAINE, AND SPECIFICALLY IN ISRAEL.

>> I'M SURE YOU'LL REMEMBER, YOU WERE ON THE SHOW WITH ME, ALMOST EXACTLY A YEAR AGO, AND YOU SAID, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE DONALD TRUMP AND THE -- ISN'T THE NOMINEE, BECAUSE HE CAN'T WIN.

YOU SAID HE JUST CAN'T MATHEMATICALLY WIN IN 2024.

WHAT MADE YOUR THINKING EVOLVE?

>> YEAH, WELL, MY GOODNESS, I MEAN, I FIRMLY BELIEVED IT A YEAR AGO, BUT I WAS WRONG.

I WAS DEAD WRONG ON THAT.

SO MUCH HAS CHANGED.

RIGHT?

I THINK A LOT OF US ASSUMED THAT THE TRIALS WOULD HAVE SOME IMPACT.

IT DIDN'T.

THE TRIALS OF DONALD TRUMP HAVE BEEN SO MISHANDLED BY THE DEMOCRATS, BOTH IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION, THE REALITY, YOU KNOW, OF EACH OF THE TRIALS.

JACK SMITH SCREWING THE MAR-A-LAGO TRIAL UP.

THE FANI WILLIS AND ALL THE SHENANIGANS GOING ON IN GEORGIA, ALL THE ISSUES THAT HAPPENED WITH TRUMP'S TRIAL.

IT'S NOT HURTING HIS NUMBERS AT ALL, BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS ARE BEING EXPOSED FOR A LOT OF THE POLITICALIZATION THAT THEY WERE DRIVING ON WITH A LOT OF THOSE -- A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES.

AND IT'S NOT JUST CHRIS SUNUNU SAYING THAT, AMERICA SAW IT.

HIS POLL NUMBERS WENT UP EVERY TIME HE WENT INTO A COURTROOM.

THAT'S THE REALITY.

THE DEMOCRATS WERE THAT -- BUNGLED THOSE ISSUED THAT BADLY.

>> WELL, WAIT, WAIT.

DO YOU THINK IT'S SIMPLY THE DEMOCRATS THAT MADE HIM POPULAR?

DO YOU THINK THAT HAD THERE NOT BEEN THESE THINGS, HE WOULD HAVE LOST?

>> OH, NO.

THE DEMOCRATS PUT ALL THEIR EGGS IN THE BASKET OF THOSE TRIALS, THINKING THAT WAS GOING TO END DONALD TRUMP, AND BECAUSE -- AND WHY?

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT INFLATION, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE BORDER.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE STRUGGLES OF THE COST OF LIVING THAT EVERY AMERICAN HAS.

SO, THEY TRIED TO MAKE IT ABOUT THIS BIGGER EXISTENTIAL THING.

AND HOW DONALD TRUMP IS A THREAT TO AMERICA AND A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY.

AND NO ONE'S BUYING IT.

NO ONE'S BUYING IT UP AND DOWN.

AND THE MORE WE SAW THESE TRIALS GET MISHANDLED AND ALL THE OTHER SHENANIGANS THAT WERE GOING ON WITH THEM, THE MORE THE LIBERAL MEDIA TRIPLED DOWN ON THAT ASPECT, IT BLEW UP IN THEIR FACES.

AND JUST PUT MORE WIND IN THE SAILS OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.

THE OTHER ISSUE, LET'S REMEMBER, TRUMP WON THE PRIMARIES, RIGHT?

I TRIED REALLY HARD, YOU KNOW, FOR NIKKI HALEY.

WE HAD A LOT OF OTHER REALLY GREAT CANDIDATES OUT THERE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT UNLIKE JOE BIDEN, DONALD TRUMP AND NIKKI HALEY WENT THROUGH STATES, WENT THROUGH THE PRIMARIES, WENT THROUGH THE CAMPAIGNS, AND THE VOTERS HAD THEIR SAY.

EVERYONE SAID, OKAY, WE FOUGHT IT OUT THE RIGHT WAY, EVERYONE HAD THEIR SHOT, THEY VOTED FOR TRUMP, WE'RE GOING TO GET BEHIND TRUMP AND EVERYONE IS GETTING BEHIND HIM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PRIMARIES ARE.

YOU FIGHT IT OUT HARD AND YOU GALVANIZE.

THE DEMOCRATS TRIED TO CORE NATE.

AND THEY TRIED TO TELL YOU THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH JOE BIDEN, THAT EVERYTHING WAS JUST FINE, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO SKIP THE FIRST IN THE NATION PRIMARY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

WEN'T DO NEED TO HAVE REAL CHALLENGERS HERE, AND NOW LOOK AT WHERE THEY ARE.

IT'S -- AGAIN, BLOWN UP IN THEIR FACES.

AND THAT'S THEIR DOING.

THAT'S 100% THEIR DOING.

IT'S COMPLETELY ON THEM.

SO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL OF THEIR ATTEMPTS TO, QUOTE, THWART DONALD TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT ISSUES AND FINDING BETTER SOLUTIONS AND DOING ELECTIONS THE RIGHT WAY, THEY TRIED TO DO IT THIS KIND OF DIFFERENT WAY, THIS EXISTENTIAL WAY, AS I LIKE TO SAY, IT'S BLOWN UP IN THEIR FACE.

SO, YES, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT DONALD TRUMP IS IN A MUCH STRONGER POSITION TODAY THAN HE HAS BEEN IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

HE'S GOT ALL THE WIND AT HIS SAILS.

THE DEMOCRATS ARE IN COMPLETE DISARRAY.

WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THAT CONVENTION.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF JOE BIDEN, IN EVERY SINGLE INTERVIEW, ALL OF HIS SUPPORTERS ARE PRAYING HE CAN JUST ANSWER A QUESTION.

>> YOU'VE JUST SAID THAT THE DEMOCRATS MISPLAYED THIS BY MAKING IT SEEM LIKE IT WAS EXISTENTIAL, LIKE A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY.

DONALD TRUMP SAID HE WOULD PARDON PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6th.

YOU CALLED THESE PEOPLE WHO DID THAT DOMESTIC TERRORISTS.

YOU SAID THAT TRUMP, QUOTE, ABSOLUTELY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INSURRECTION.

AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW WHAT MIKE PENCE SAID AND MIKE PENCE SAID HE COULDN'T IN GOOD CONSCIENCE DO IT, BECAUSE OF THIS THREAT TO DEMOCRACY.

DO YOU NOT SEE WHY PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THIS THREAT TO OUR ORDERLY TRANSFER OF POWER THAT JANUARY 6th REPRESENTED?

>> SURE, SO, LOOK, I STICK BY, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THOSE FOLKS SHOULD BE PARDONED.

I'M NOT GOING TO BE PRESIDENT, NOT GOING TO BE MY DECISION.

IF THAT COMES TO BE, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE THE PRESIDENT'S DECISION TO DO THAT.

I DISAGREE WITH THAT.

I THINK THOSE FOLKS NEED TO, YOU KNOW, BE PUNISHED, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6th WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE.

THE DIFFERENCE IS, I -- YOU DON'T SEE JANUARY 6th, I DON'T LIKE IT, EVERYONE HATED WHAT WE SAW THAT DAY.

THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT I, YOU KNOW, FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP, AS I SAID BEFORE, HIS WORDS DEFINITELY HAD AN IMPACT ON WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6th, EVERYBODY SAW THAT.

I DON'T LIKE IT, BUT IT'S NOT A DISQUALIFIER.

AND I THINK TOO MANY FOLKS ON THE DEMOCRAT SIDE SAY, BUT THAT HAS TO BE A DISQUALIFIER, IT'S NOTE.

AND WHAT YOU HAVE, I'LL CALL THIS LIBERAL ELITE THAT'S SAYING, BUT JANUARY 6th HAPPENED, SO, WE JUST CAN'T VOTE FOR HIM.

BUT EVERY AMERICAN HAS THE RIGHT TO HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF PRIORITIES.

SOME AMERICANS ARE GETTING CRUSHED BY INFLATION.

THEIR CREDIT CARD DEBT IS THROUGH THE ROOF, THEY CAN BARELY PAY THE RENT.

AND THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO SAY, I NEED A CHANGE OUT OF WASHINGTON BECAUSE I NEED MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR MY FAMILY.

AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE JUDGED ON THAT.

AND YOU HAVE DEMOCRATS ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY, THE LIBERAL ELITE, AS YOU CALL THEM, JUDGING AMERICA BECAUSE THEY HAVE -- MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF PRIORITIES.

AND THAT'S A FUNDAMENTALLY UN-AMERICAN.

AND IT JUST TICKS PEOPLE OFF.

>> WELL, WAIT, YOU CALL IT THE LIBERAL ELITE, BUT THE STRONGEST VOICE, TO ME, IS MICHAEL PENCE.

>> NO.

NO.

PENCE IS -- LOOK.

PENCE IS NOT OUT THERE EVERY DAY WITH THE LIBERAL MEDIA TELLING FOLKS THAT TRUMP IS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO AMERICA.

HE'S SAYING, I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT HIM, I CAN'T GET BEHIND HIM.

AND HE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO DO THAT.

GOD BLESS MIKE PENCE.

HE'S EARNED THE RIGHT TO SAY AND DO WHATEVER HE WANTS, AS HAS EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN IN THIS COUNTRY.

THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THE LIBERAL ELITE IS THEY'RE JUDGING PEOPLE.

THEY'RE JUDGING PEOPLE FOR THE PRIORITIES.

SOME PEOPLE THINK THE BORDER IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE.

THAT IT'S A HUGE DOMESTIC, POTENTIAL DOMESTIC AND TERRORIST THREAT COMING ACROSS THE BORDER, AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND I AGREE WITH THAT.

I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE TOP TWO ISSUES IN THE COUNTRY, BUT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE NOTHING, SO, PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WE DEMAND A CHANGE.

WE DON'T LIKE JANUARY 6th, WE DON'T LIKE ELECTION DENIAL, BUT WE NEED A CHANGE.

GOING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION, ALL WE'VE HEARD OUT OF THE LIBERAL MEDIA AND THE LIBERAL ELITE ARE, YEAH, BUT JANUARY 6th AND THESE TRIALS.

JANUARY 6th AND THESE TRIALS.

THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT REAL AMERICANS WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

AND THAT'S WHY REPUBLICANS ARE DOING SO WELL, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT REAL ISSUES.

THEY'RE PUTTING REAL IDEAS ON THE TABLE.

THEY'RE ENGAGING IN THE CONVERSATION IN THE RIGHT WAY AS ELECTIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE.

AND SO, THE DEMOCRATS, AGAIN, HAVE PUT ALL THEIR MARBLES IN, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT TRIALS AND A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY.

I MEAN, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY HERE.

THINK OF ALL THE FOLKS THAT VOTED FOR JOE BIDEN, THEY DID SO, I DIDN'T DO IT, BUT THEY DID SO THINKING THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE MAKING DECISIONS FOR THIS COUNTRY.

IS HE?

CLEARLY NOT.

CLEARLY HE'S NOT MAKING DECISIONS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS FOR THIS COUNTRY.

SO, EVERYONE VOTED FOR SOMEONE, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU WHO IS ACTUALLY MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.

THAT IS VERY UNDEMOCRATIC, RIGHT?

THAT'S NOT THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.

VOTE FOR SOMEONE, BUT DON'T WORRY, SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO BE IN CHARGE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHO IT IS.

I MEAN, REALLY.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHO IS MAKING ALL THE DAY-TO-DAY DECISIONS OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE RIGHT NOW?

NO.

AT LEAST WITH TRUMP, YOU MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH HIS POSITIONS, WE DON'T LIKE HIS TWEETS, WE DON'T LIKE HIS PERSONALITY SOMETIMES, BUT AT LEAST YOU KNOW HE'S MAKING REAL DECISIONS FOR THE COUNTRY, AND WHERE THINGS ARE GOING AND YOU CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHERE THAT IS.

BUT LITERALLY, THE DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING TO NOW GET BEHIND JEB JB, AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY GOT.

NONE OF US DO.

SO, THAT GETS PEOPLE -- THAT'S NOT A DISAGREEMENT OF IDEAS ANYMORE.

THAT'S JUST, WELL, WHAT ARE WE VOTING FOR?

WHO IS LITERALLY GOING TO BE IN CHARGE IF WE VOTE FOR JOE BIDEN?

BUT THE DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING, DON'T WORRY, IT'S JUST NOT TRUMP, THAT'S ALL YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT.

THAT'S A FAILED MESSAGE.

THAT'S A FAILED STRATEGY.

AND THE REASON IS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT SHOWING ANY RESPECT TO THE AMERICAN VOTER.

IT'S NOT SHOWING ANY RESPECT TO THE FACT THAT VOTERS CARE ABOUT IDEAS AND ISSUES AND POLICIES AND THINGS THAT WILL IMPACT THEIR FAMILIES.

IT'S JUST SAYING, TRUST US, IT'S NOT TRUMP.

AND I THINK THIS ALL PLAYS INTO A FAILED MASTER PLAN ON THE DEMOCRAT SIDE THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO BASH ON TRUMP, TELL PEOPLE HE'S SCARY, TELL PEOPLE HE'S GOING TO END AMERICA, THE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY, WE USE ALL THE BIG SCARY WORDS, AND BE SO POLARIZING AND SO FEARFUL OF HIM THAT AMERICA WILL HAVE NO DOUBT BUT NOT VOTE FOR HIM.

THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS, GUYS.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND J.D.

VANCE AGREE ON IS A NEED FOR HIGHER TARIFFS, STRONGER TARIFFS, PROTECT MANUFACTURING, THROUGH TARIFFS.

THAT'S AT ODDS WITH THE TRADITIONAL REPUBLICAN, CONSERVATIVE THINKING.

TELL ME, HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND DO YOU THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA?

>> WELL, LOOK, IT HAS ITS PROS AND CONS.

I DON'T THINK I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.

I'M NOT AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCING EXPERT, PER SE.

I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN FREE TRADE.

I LOVE THE CONCEPT OF FREE TRADE, BUT AGAIN, SEEING THE FREE TRADE IMBALANCE THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE WORLD IS, I THINK, DRIVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME DIFFERENT DECISIONS ON TARIFFS, TO SAY, LOOK, IF YOU WHERE GOING TO TAX OUR GOODS AT X, WE'RE GOING TO TAX YOUR GOODS AT Y.

NOW, THAT CAN HAVE ITS PROS AND CONS.

AND A PLACE LIKE NEW HAMPSHIRE, WE DO A LOT OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS.

WE'RE A BIG DEFENSE INDUSTRY, OUR MANUFACTURING SIDE, TOURISM'S A BIG DEAL FOR US, SO, WE DEAL A LOT OVERSEAS SPECIFICALLY CANADA AND EUROPE.

WESTERN EUROPE, FOR THE MOST PART.

SO, WHAT HAPPENS IN CHINA, OBVIOUSLY, WILL EFFECT AMERICA AS A WHOLE BECAUSE SO MANY OF OUR PRODUCTS ARE BOUGHT THERE.

THAT CAN HAVE A TRICKLE EFFECT TO EUROPE, WHERE, AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A MORE BALANCED OPPORTUNITY THERE.

ANYTHING I CAN DO SO MY BUSINESSES CAN SELL PRODUCTS A LITTLE EASIER OUT OF EUROPE AND BE MORE COMPETITIVE WITH THE EUROPEAN PRODUCTS THAT ARE COMING IN HERE, THAT'S A WIN, RIGHT?

THAT HELPS OUR ECONOMY, THAT CREATES JOBS, THAT PUTS MORE MONEY INTO THE ECONOMY, ALLOWS THEM TO INVEST IN CAPITAL, HIGHER WAGES.

SO, ANYTHING WE CAN DO.

BUT UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS IN CHINA AND EUROPE MIGHT BE VERY DIFFERENT, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO ADD INDIA INTO THE MIX, BY THE WAY.

SO, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH AREA OF THE WORLD A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT ALWAYS HAS TO COME BACK TO THE, WHAT'S THE RESULT?

IS THE NET RESULT BETTER FOR THE AMERICAN WORKER?

IS THE NET RESULT BETTER FOR THE AMERICAN BUSINESS?

THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.

>> GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AGAIN.

APPRECIATE IT.