Sununu Fights With Psaki Over Russian Collusion 'Nonsense'

June 6th, 2023 12:03 PM

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu stopped by MSNBC’s All In on Monday to be interviewed by guest host and former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki about his decision not to seek the GOP presidential nomination and all things Donald Trump. During the discussion, the two would get into a tense argument about “Russian collusion nonsense,” with Sununu blaming the media for enabling Trump to reasonably claim he is a victim.

Before that though, Psaki wanted to discuss Trump’s legal predicaments, “Do you think that any and indictment, an indictment on issues around other indictments could help other candidates or would hurt Trump? No, you don’t think the indictments matter?”

 

 

As Psaki was asking her question, Sununu was repeatedly shaking his head explaining “no.” After seeing and hearing that response, Psaki asked him to explain.

Sununu explained that nobody in Republican circles takes Trump’s legal problems too seriously and that the media has nobody to blame but themselves for that, “Obviously they don’t. No, they absolutely don't matter. No. These indictments, if I may, a combination of the media, you’re creating The Boy Who Cried Wolf Syndrome, right?”

Speaking to the New York indictment, Sununu declared that it is “wrong” and that “they are beating up on Trump for political reasons, everybody sees that.”

Sununu declined to run for president in an effort to help consolidate the anti-Trump vote. Yet, he still saw that indictment as being just the latest in a long line of examples of Trump’s fiercest critics being out to get him, “What happened with the Russian ‘collusion’ that never existed effectively exonerated the guys, so he can play a victim card. You've all created a situation where, god, what kind of planet are we on where Donald Trump’s become the victim?”

As Sununu started to wrap up his thoughts, Psaki interrupted in an attempt to rebut, “Well, we know, I have to stop you right there, because we know very clearly that Putin and the Kremlin did intervene in our election in order to try to help Donald Trump back in 2016. So we know that is true but you may think that they shouldn't engage in this as a messaging tool because it is not helpful to them, is that what you are saying?”

That wasn’t what Sununu was saying. He was clearly talking about the collusion narrative that went nowhere despite never-ending claims that it was true. It is a completely different issue than Russian interference and debates over what Moscow’s aim was.

Short on patience, Sununu responded, “Yeah, I’m not going to relitigate, you know, the Russian collusion nonsense that went on for two years—”

Again Psaki interrupted, “You don't need to relitigate it, it’s been litigated by lawyers and investigators.”

Yeah, and there was no evidence of collusion. After Sununu again referred to it as “nonsense,” Psaki utilized her low standard for factual accuracy to add “That’s arguably not true, but continue.”

Sununu ultimately blamed fake scandal mongering for Trump’s high poll numbers, “Yeah, but nobody buys that any attack on Trump's isn’t anything but political. You’ve created, everybody has, kind of, created this scenario, he’s playing it to the fullest. He is playing the violin strings better than anyone imagined which is why his poll numbers have miraculously, are actually going up.”

This segment was sponsored by Chase.

Here is a transcript for the June 5 show:

MSNBC All In With Chris Hayes

6/5/2023

8:57 PM ET

JEN PSAKI: Do you think that any and indictment, an indictment on issues—

CHRIS SUNUNU: No.

PSAKI: -- around—

SUNUNU: No.

PSAKI: Other indictments could help other candidates or would hurt Trump? No, you don’t think the indictments matter?

SUNUNU: No, no. No.

PSAKI: I don’t want to put words in your mouth. Tell me what you think? They don’t.

SUNUNU: Obviously they don’t. No, they absolutely don't matter. No. These indictments, if I may, a combination of the media, you’re creating The Boy Who Cried Wolf Syndrome, right?

What happened in New York was wrong. I mean, it really was. They are beating up on Trump for political reasons, everybody sees that. What happened with the Russian “collusion” that never existed effectively exonerated the guys, so he can play a victim card. You've all created a situation where, god, what kind of planet are we on where Donald Trump’s become the victim? That’s really what it is

PSAKI: Well, first of all I think—I think—well, we know--

SUNUNU: And so now nobody believes, nobody believes it.

PSAKI: Well, we know, I have to stop you right there, because we know very clearly that Putin and the Kremlin did intervene in our election in order to try to help Donald Trump back in 2016. So we know that is true but you may think that they shouldn't engage in this as a messaging tool because it is not helpful to them, is that what you are saying? – 

SUNUNU: Yeah, I’m not going to relitigate, you know, the Russian collusion nonsense that went on for two years--

PSAKI: You don't need to relitigate it, it’s been litigated by lawyers and investigators.

SUNUNU: Where everyone said it was real, yeah, yeah, it’s nonsense.

PSAKI: That’s arguably not true, but continue.

SUNUNU: Yeah, but nobody buys that any attack on Trump's isn’t anything but political. You’ve created, everybody has, kind of, created this scenario, he’s playing it to the fullest. He is playing the violin strings better than anyone imagined which is why his poll numbers have miraculously, are actually going up.