Amanpour Asks Republican Governor If He’s Too ‘Sensible’ to Win ‘Flame-Throwing’ GOP Primary

CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour interviewed New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu on Wednesday and asked the Republican about his intentions to run for president in 2024 and at one point praised him for sounding so “sensible,” but wondered if that would be a kiss of death in a GOP primary.

“So, governor, it seems to be presidential candidacy in the ring season. We’ve seen the president himself has called again for voters to give him a second term. I want to know from you, are you about to throw your hat in the ring? And the famous Kennedy question, fellow New Englander, why do you want to be president?” Amanpour asked the recently reelected governor.

“Well, two very good questions. And so obviously I’m very interested. We’ll make a decision this summer,” Sununu replied, adding:

You know, I think a lot of folks are looking to a governor, to someone who understands how systems work. They really want things to get done. I mean, at the end of the day, Republican or Democrat watching this, Washington just hasn’t gotten a whole lot done in terms of really providing opportunities.

And I think folks see, you know, governors as a potential. So we’ve been traveling the country. I’m a Republican. I want to make my party bigger. I want independents to get on board. I want the younger generation to kind of be that have been disenfranchised to get back on the team. So to say, I think there’s I’m not one of these people that yells at folks. And I don’t think anyone gets inspired by being yelled at. I try to be very positive and optimistic because I woke up in the United States of America, like, let’s start with a sense of gratitude.

After explaining some of the programs he worked to expand and reform in his state, Sununu concluded, “I just think America is looking for folks that, again, know how those systems work. It’s not about headlines. It’s not about political stunts.”

“It’s not about saying one thing and getting nothing done. It’s not about the money in politics, because we all know that’s a problem. It’s really about just brass tacks, getting back to the basics, and putting people first, not government. It’s not about me. I’m the governor. And I’ll tell you, it ain’t about me. I’m not here to solve your problems. We’re here to create opportunity and then let the folks do what they’re going to do best and walk that. I’m from the ‘live free or die state,’ right? That’s what it’s all about,” he concluded.

“Indeed. But you also sound very sensible,” replied Amanpour, adding:

And sensible is not really the term one might use for the strongest wing of your party right now, the Trump wing. So what I want to ask you is a serious question about how you are a four time governor in a purple state. Neither, neither, you know, very Republican or very Democratic could go either way.

That’s a big deal because it means you have to work by consensus on issues that matter to people. Last election, you won by 15 points. How can you translate that into a primary wing when there’s so much flame-throwing by the other candidates, notably Donald Trump?

“Sure, sure, sure. So, look, everybody wants a fighter, but you got to be able to fight. You’ve got to be able to stand on your issues and fight hard. But we got to remind folks, more important than being a fighter is being a winner. Right. There’s no use in having a fighter if they’re always losing the fight, if they don’t get stuff done,” Sununu replied.

“You know, a lot of us backed former President Trump in 16 and in 20, I was 100% behind him because he said he was going to drain the swamp. He didn’t do it,” Sununu continued, taking shots at former President Donald Trump:

He said he was going to fix health care. He didn’t do it. He said he was going to secure the border. He didn’t do it. He said it was going to be fiscally responsible. Lord knows he was anything but. With another $8 trillion added to the to debt, that is real money.

So those are all Republican values, right? Limited government, local control. That’s really what Republicans are built on and that’s what we can all rally around. So, yes, I understand there are a lot of headlines and flame-throwing on one side, especially with the very extreme part of our base, not dissimilar to the Democrats. Right. They have their extreme side of their base, more socialism and all that sort of thing. But most of us are in here, right? Republican or Democrat.

Most of us are in here and just want to get stuff done. And I think as the debates transpire, as the arguments get made, I think there’s going to be a path, an opportunity for folks like myself or others to step forward and drive forward and results-driven leadership. And you got to know how to do it, not just in the private sector, but you have to know how to work within the public sphere, how to actually lead Congress, lead the Senate, give a little to get a lot how to negotiate. If you can’t negotiate, nothing’s ever going to get done.

Watch the full clip above via CNN.

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