New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R), who has endorsed Nikki Haley for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, shrugged off her controversial comments about the Civil Warfare and urged former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to drop out to give her a clearer course to defeat former President Donald Trump and win his state’s major.

Sununu used to be a visitor on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday morning, and anchor Dana Bash asked him about the former South Carolina governor’s solution to a question about the cause of the Civil War, in which she at first didn’t mention slavery however then after extreme and bipartisan backlash, walked that back.

Sununu called Haley’s comments “an absolute nonissue,” but did acknowledge it was a mistake that she “quickly cleared up.”

Bash additionally asked the governor about Christie’s criticism of Haley and whether he was once acting as a possible spoiler. Sununu spoke back that Christie had “hit a ceiling” and hoped that he would “make the proper resolution in the end and make certain that this can be a two-particular person race, the place, if Trump can’t get 50 p.c of the vote, which he can not in New Hampshire, then he’s in trouble,” in order that the GOP “can start transferring forward as a birthday party, bringing everyone collectively.”

Bash pushed back on Sununu’s remark that it was once a two-individual race, and he replied that there was “no doubt that, if Christie stays in the race, the chance is that he takes her margin of the win, proper?” so he idea Christie was once “going to make the fitting determination finally…to make sure this party comes collectively,” as a result of Haley used to be the “simplest individual transferring” within the polls in opposition to Trump.

If Christie dropped out, Sununu concluded, then “Nikki Haley could make up five or 10 factors and more or less provide Trump that defeat that nobody notion was that you can imagine in the following couple of weeks. And I think that’s very more likely to happen. So, again, I feel the voters are going to return Nikki’s method. I think, indirectly, confidently, Chris comes Nikki’s way. But that’s really a call for Chris to make.”

Transcript of above video:

BASH: Let me ask you about what came about this week to your state, Nikki Haley coming below hearth.

When she was once requested about the cause of the Civil Warfare, she pointed out how executive was once going to run and the rights and freedoms of the folks, did not point out slavery.

The previous day, she said — quote — “In fact the very first thing I should have stated was once slavery.”

Was once her original response a mistake?

SUNUNU: Neatly, seem, she cleared it up quickly, proper? Obviously, if something needs to be cleared up slightly bit, you would like you had said it a little otherwise the primary time, nevertheless it used to be quickly cleared up.

It’s an absolute nonissue. She stated, like you stated, in fact it was slavery. I think she was once speaking extra to the freedoms and liberties that we would like for every American and the lessons that come out of that going forward. So, yes, I feel she just kind of skipped right over the obvious.

And, sure, I guess the press and people needed to listen to her come again to the apparent on slavery. She cleared it proper up and everybody’s transferring on.

BASH: So, it used to be a mistake?

SUNUNU: Oh, seem, yes — I imply, sure. If it’s a must to resolve an answer, you go, gee, I assume I should have answered that otherwise. Let’s go clear it up, so, sure, certain.

BASH: Nikki Haley also walked a line on this issue when she used to be running for governor in 2010. now We have seen some of her opponents deliver this up, described the Civil Conflict as two sides preventing for tradition and change.

She stated she believed that states have the fitting to secede from the United States. You understand your state in New Hampshire better than someone. How do you assume the individuals in New Hampshire react to views like this when they hear it from her opponents?

SUNUNU: Seem, Nikki Haley is the first feminine minority governor within the u . s . a .’s history. She’s the one that stood up and insisted, didn’t take compromises, insisted that the Accomplice Flag get faraway from the statehouse garden.

I don’t think someone’s questioning her credibility and credentials relating to race and equity and equality on this us of a. So, people understand that. They comprehend what she’s about. It’s a nonissue.

BASH: This is the best way that one in all her opponents, Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor, is pronouncing on the ground on your state, as he criticizes her query — or her answer on the Civil Conflict question.

He says that she’s trying to be the whole lot to everybody. Listen to what he informed voters in New Hampshire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FMR. GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She didn’t say what she said ultimate evening and as of late about this as a result of she’s dumb. She’s now not. She’s smart, and he or she is aware of better.

The rationale she did it’s only as bad, if no longer worse, and should get all and sundry concerned with her candidacy. She did it because she’s unwilling to offend any person by using telling the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: He says she’s slippery. What do you say in response?

SUNUNU: Sure, look, Chris Christie’s a friend, however his race is at an absolute useless end. He’s going to say anything else he can.

This is a two-particular person race, right? It’s between Trump and Nikki Haley. Every person understands that. He knows his voters, who need to see Trump defeated, are all coming over to Nikki Haley. If truth be told, the one person that wants Chris Christie to remain within the race is Donald Trump, proper? I mean, take into accounts the irony of that.

So the fact that Chris is available in the market looking to attack or trying to make methods, that’s no longer surprising. However, at the end of the day, this can be a two-individual race. And if — persons are not simply transferring on from that problem. They’re really engaging with Nikki on the place The usa goes, on what is about the future.

Chris is most effective talking about Trump. That’s it.

BASH: Smartly…

SUNUNU: That’s — he’s kind of a one-man show. And I know he says he wants to remain within the race to speak the reality about Trump, but that translating to votes in a major is an awfully totally different factor.

And he’s hit a ceiling. And, at this time, he probably won’t even get any delegates in the state of New Hampshire if the race have been as of late. So, if Chris is right to his message about defeating Trump, he’s going to remember the fact that the voters are coming. I believe he’s going to make the correct choice ultimately and make sure that this can be a two-individual race, where, if Trump can’t get 50 p.c of the vote, which he can not in New Hampshire, then he’s in bother.

And, ultimately, we will start transferring ahead as a birthday celebration, bringing everyone collectively.

BASH: Are you announcing that he should drop out prior to the votes come?

Because, as — you say it’s a two-person race, however, in fact, it’s not. And there’s a query about whether or not Nikki Haley can beat Trump if Christie is within the race.

SUNUNU: There’s definitely that, if Christie stays in the race, the risk is that he takes her margin of the win, right?

And so I believe Chris goes to make a handy guide a rough calculation. He’s really — obviously really upset all the pro-Trump individuals, proper? I think he’s a smart man. He needs to have a voice in this party. He doesn’t need to go ahead upsetting all of the anti-Trump individuals too as a result of he more or less overstayed his welcome, put his ego first.

So I just assume he’s going to make the right determination in spite of everything. He desires to make sure this birthday party comes collectively. He — I believe all these candidates understand it’s all the time kind of a long shot. And at the conclusion of the day, he’s — he’s — the only individual transferring is Nikki Haley. Chris Christie isn’t going to make up 30 factors within the subsequent three weeks, right?

Nikki Haley could make up five or 10 factors and roughly give Trump that defeat that nobody thought was that you can imagine in the following few weeks. And I believe that’s very prone to happen. So, again, I believe the voters are going to come Nikki’s way. I believe, indirectly, optimistically, Chris comes Nikki’s way. But that’s truly a decision for Chris to make.

BASH: Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, thanks so much. Again, chuffed new year.

SUNUNU: You guess. Happy new year.

Watch above by the use of CNN.

The put up Sununu Shrugs Off Haley’s Civil Battle Gaffe As ‘Absolute Nonissue’ And Urges Christie to Drop Out So She Can Win Primary first regarded on Mediaite.