A surprisingly early endorsement of Gov. Chris Christie by New Hampshire's politically influential newspaper is telling America to "start choosing" White House contenders with more to offer than "hot rhetoric," former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu tells
Newsmax TV.
In an interview Monday on "The Steve Malzberg Show," Sununu, who served as former chief of staff to President George H.W. Bush and has written a book about his presidency,
"The Quiet Man," says the New Hampshire Union Leader's publisher Joseph McQuaid's endorsement was "looking at the [Donald] Trump phenomenon and really understanding how disastrous it is."
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"He's sending a broader message than just endorsing Christie," Sununu says of the
newspaper's support.
"The message he's sending is you got to start choosing — America and the Republican primary voters — have got to start choosing amongst candidates who not only have tough rhetoric, but who are capable of understanding what they're saying and understanding how to implement what they're saying."
Sununu declares if front-runner Donald Trump becomes the GOP presidential nominee, "we lose the Senate, we lose most of the House, and we lose the presidency."
"Trump's hot rhetoric has attracted a slice of the electorate," Sununu says. "Whether people understand it or not, it's still a little early, although the clock is running late — later than usual – and that's one of the reasons McQuaid acted now."
"He senses the same kind of concern that people are going with emotion rather than logic and he's basically saying, 'Hey folks, it's time to start paying attention to the logical side of this not just the emotional side of it.'"
The New Hampshire primary is Feb. 9.
Trump, he contends, "is someone who has turned off 80 percent of America."
"He may have the support of 25 percent of the Republicans, which is about 12 percent of America, but 80 percent of America really does not like this man," Sununu says.
While praising Christie for implementing "a number of conservative's things including dealing with some of the overgrowth of spending" in a "liberal state," Sununu says Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz are also among "the real contenders against Trump in this race up here in New Hampshire."
"We need to change direction and change policies and we need people who can do that," Sununu says.
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