>> JOINING US IN STUDIO, FORMER
NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR, REPUBLICAN
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, CHRIS
CHRISTIE.
YOU MISSED THE POLL INGING QUOTA
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THAT
NIGHT?
>> TO MAKE THE POLLING THRESHOLD
WAS NOT SOMETHING I COULD DO IN
IOWA.
THAT’S FINE.
NIKKI AND RON CAN DEBATE THAT
NIGHT.
I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHO’S GOING TO
BE WATCHING NIKKI AND RON IN
THAT DEBATE, BUT I HOPE SOME
PEOPLE ARE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT
THEY’LL GET A REAL SENSE OF THE
FACT TWHOOT OF THEM ARE LIVING
IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE.
THEY’LL DEBATE EACH OTHER, AS IF
THE CONTEST IS BETWEEN THE TWO
OF THEM AND MY GUESS IS NEITHER
ONE OF THEM WILL SPEND FIVE
MINUTES BRINGING UP DONALD
TRUMP, BECAUSE THEY’RE BOTH
PLAYING FOR 2028, OR A VICE
PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION IN
NIKKI’S CASE FOR DONALD TRUMP.
SO I DON’T THINK IT WILL BE
WORTH WATCHING.
>> YOU’VE HEARD ALL OF THIS TALK
WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT
IT NEEDS TO BE A TWO-PERSON
RACE.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO TAKE OUT
DONALD TRUMP, IT’S GOT TO BE ONE
OF YOU AGAINST DONALD TRUMP,
MAKING THE CASE AGAINST HIM.
ONE OF YOUR OLD FRIENDS,
GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU OF NEW
HAMPSHIRE, A PLACE WHERE YOU
HAVE PUT A LOT OF YOUR TIME AND
EFFORT, HAS SAID EFFECTIVELY,
YOU SHOULD GET OUT OF THE RACE
AND MAKE WAY FOR NIKKI HALEY, IN
HIS ESTIMATION.
HERE’S WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID.
>> CHRIS CHRISTIE’S A FRIEND,
BUT HIS RACE IS AT AN ABSOLUTE
DEAD END.
HE’S GOING TO SAY ANYTHING HE
CAN.
THIS IS A WHO HAVE PERSON RACE
BETWEEN TRUMP AND NIKKI HALEY.
I KNOW HE WANTS TO STAY IN THE
RACE TO SPEAK THE TRUTH ABOUT
TRUMP, BUT THAT TRANSLATING TO
VOTES IS A VERY DIFFERENT THING.
>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO YOUR GOOD
FRIEND, CHRIS SUNUNU?
>> WHAT’S WHEN YOU THINK SOMEONE
IS GOING TO KNIFE YOU IN THE
BACK, HE’S MY GOOD FRIEND.
I REMEMBER WHEN CHRIS USED TO
CARE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.
HE’S THE GUY WHO CAME, I THINK
TO THE GRIDIRON CLUB AND SAID
THAT TRUMP BELONGS IN A MENTAL
INSTITUTION.
AND NOW HE’S SAYING THAT HE’D
VOTE FOR HIM IF HE WERE THE
NOMINEE, AND HE’S NOW SUPPORTING
A CANDIDATE WHO SAID HE WAS THE
RIGHT PRESIDENT AT THE RIGHT
TIME AND THAT SHE WOULD PARDON
HIM BEFORE ANY EVIDENCE WAS
PRESENTED TO A COURT OR A JURY.
LOOK, I BELIEVE THAT THOSE FOLKS
ARE RIGHT, WILLIE, WHAT YOU
MENTIONED IN YOUR QUESTION,
SOMEONE’S GOT TO BE ONE ON ONE
AGAINST TRUMP, BUT THEY ACTUALLY
HAVE TO BE AGAINST TRUMP.
THE PROBLEM FOR NIKKI HALEY IS,
AND IT GOES JUST TO EVERYTHING
THAT SHE TALKS ABOUT.
SHE DOESN’T WANT TO OFFEND
ANYBODY.
SO HER OWN CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN
ABOUT NOT OFFENDING ANYONE.
I HEARD HER ON NEW HAMPSHIRE
RAID YESTERDAY MORNING WHEN
TALKING ABOUT THE SLAVERY CIVIL
WAR QUESTION SHE WAS ASKED.
NOW HER EXCUSE IS, I WAS TIRED
IS A LITTLE OFF MY GAME.
THAT MEANS THAT SHE DIDN’T HAVE
THE SCRIPT THAT HER STAFF HAS
PUT IN FRONT OF HER TO ACTUALLY
BE ABLE TO READ IT.
WE’VE HAD THAT BEFORE IN THE
WHITE HOUSE, WE DON’T NEED IT
AGAIN, AND THE FACT IS, SHE
SHOULD BE WILLING TO STAND UP
AND SAY, IF YOU’RE OPPOSED TO
DONALD TRUMP, YOU’RE OPPOSED TO
DONALD TRUMP.
AND FOR CHRIS SUNUNU TO SAY, I’M
OBSESSED WITH DONALD TRUMP, WHEN
HE CAME TO A MEDIA EVENT IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. AND CALLED HIM
EFFING CRAZY, RIGHT?
I DON’T KNOW.
I’VE NEVER SAID THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THE PROBLEM IS
EVER SINCE CHRIS HAS STARTED TO
SUPPORT NIKKI, YOU KNOW, HE’S
DECIDED TO ADOPT HER "OFFEND NO
ONE" POSITION.
SO, LOOK, HE’S ALL IN.
THEY GOT BIG ENDORSEMENTS LAST
WEEK.
HE CONVINCED HIS FATHER AND HIS
BROTHER TO ENDORSE NIKKI HALEY.
THAT MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE THE
ARM WRESTLING MATCH AT THE NEW
YEAR’S EVE PARTY A AT THE SUNUNU
HOUSE.
>> SO, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
FIRST ONE THAT ARISES OFF OF
WHAT YOU JUST SAID, GOVERNOR
SUNUNU DID, INDEED SAY, THAT IF
IT WERE BIDEN VERSUS TRUMP IN
THE FALL, HE WOULD VOTE FOR
DONALD TRUMP.
>> RIGHT.
>> IF IT’S BIDEN VERSUS TRUMP IN
THE FALL, WOULD YOU VOTE FOR
DONALD TRUMP?
>> NO.
>> SO WHAT IS IT ABOUT VARIOUS
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES FOR THE
PRESIDENCY WHO LIVE WITH THE
KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT TRUMP HAS DONE
TO THE COUNTRY, THE DAMAGE HE’S
DONE TO THIS COUNTRY THAT WILL
ENSUE FOR GOD KNOWS HOW LONG,
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THEM THAT
CAUSES THIS KNEE JERK REACTION,
OH, I WOULD VOTE FOR TRUMP
ANYWAY?
>> IT’S AN INTERESTING
COMBINATION OF TWO EMOTIONS,
MIKE.
FEAR AND AMBITION.
SO THE FEAR PART OF IT IS THAT
ALL OF THEM TREASURE THEIR
TITLES.
AND SO, THEY TREASURE THEIR
TITLES MORE THAN THEY TREASURE
THE HONOR THAT’S GIVEN TO THEM
BY THE PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY HAVE
THOSE TITLES.
THEY DON’T WANT TO LOSE THEM AND
ALL WORRIED ABOUT BEING
PRIMARIED BY SOMEONE WHO WOULD
THERE DONALD TRUMP’S
ENDORSEMENT.
SECOND, AND THIS IS WHERE IT
APPLIES IN BOTH NIKKI HALEY’S
AND RON DeSANTIS’ POSITION, MOST
IMPORTANTLY WITH NIKKI IS
AMBITION.
THE FACT IS SHE’S BEEN ASKED
OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE AND ELSEWHERE -- IN
FACT, SHE GOT ASKED BY
9-YEAR-OLD KID LAST WEEK IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE, WOULD YOU TAKE THE
VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION
FROM DONALD TRUMP, AND SHE
WOULDN’T ANSWER THE QUESTION.
WHAT THAT TELLS YOU, YOU GUYS
KNOW THIS, IN POLITICS, WHEN WE
WON’T RULE SOMETHING OUT, THAT
MEANS WE’RE RULING IT IN.
AND SO THAT AMBITION, THAT
UNBRIDLED AMBITION TO EITHER BE
HIS VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE OR
BE THE NOMINEE IN 2028, SHE
DOESN’T WANT TO OFFEND ANYONE
WHO’S SUPPORTING DONALD TRUMP
RIGHT NOW, THAT’S NOT THE
FORMULA FOR BEATING DONALD TRUMP
IN 2024.
SO TO ANYBODY WHO TALKS ABOUT,
THE RACE SHOULD BE ONE ON ONE,
LIKE CHRIS SUNUNU, IF THERE WAS
SOMEONE ELSE OTHER THAN ME WHO
HAD BEEN WILLING TO TAKE ON
DONALD TRUMP AND TELL THE TRUTH
ABOUT HIM, I MIGHT CONSIDER
GETTING OUT OF THE RACE.
BUT THERE ISN’T.
AND SO SINCE THERE ISN’T,
SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT, AND I’M
GOING TO DO IT.
>> AND THE TOUGHEST CRITICISM
WE’VE SEEN OF DONALD TRUMP FROM
NIKKI HALEY AND RON DeSANTIS,
MIKA, IS THAT HE WON’T SHOW UP
AT THE DEBATE, WHICH IS A PRETTY
SAFE PLACE TO CRITICIZE HIM.
>> I’M SURE HE’S WOUNDED BY
THAT, WILLIE.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
>> WELL, CHRIS, I APPRECIATE
WHAT YOU’RE DOING, BECAUSE THERE
ARE A LOT OF LIES BEING PROMOTED BY DONALD TRUMP AND HIS
FOLLOWERS AND CRONIES AND EVEN
LAWMAKERS ON CAPITOL HILL THAT
CAN’T SEEM TO FACE THE TRUTH
ABOUT OUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND OUR
VALUES.
I’M CURIOUS ABOUT THE FOX NEWS
TOWN HALL AND IF YOU’RE AT ALL
HOPEFUL.
FOX SETTLED WITH DOMINION, $787
MILLION FOR PROMOTING LIES.
THEY PAID BIG FOR SORT OF
GETTING IN BED WITH TRUMP’S
LIES.
BUT HE’S GOING TO BE INTERVIEWED
BY TWO JOURNALISTS WHO ARE
REALLY TALENTED, COMMITTED
JOURNALISTS.
IS THERE ANY HOPE THAT HE WILL
ACTUALLY BE CALLED OUT WHEN HE
TRIES TO TELL A LIE ON STAGE?
>> LOOK, I HAVE GREAT RESPECT
FOR BOTH BRETT AND MARTHA AND I
THINK THEY’LL ACT VERY DIRECT
QUESTIONS.
YOU MIGHT REMEMBER, BRETT HAD AN
INTERVIEW WITH HIM, AND BRETT
WENT AFTER HIM PRETTY HARD.
AND TRUMP COMPLAINED FOR WEEKS
AFTERWARDS, ABOUT HOW UNFAIR
BRETT WAS.
BUT WHEN HE’S LOOKING TO
DISTRACT FROM THE DEBATE IN IOWA
THAT HE’S GUTLESS TO PARTICIPATE
IN, HE’S WILLING TO GO BACK TO
FOX AND DO IT.
AND LET’S FACE IT, FOX IS
LOOKING FOR RATINGS, BECAUSE THE
FIRST TWO DEBATES THAT THEY DID,
THEY DIDN’T DO A FABULOUS JOB
ON, FRANKLY.
I THOUGHT THE LAST TWO WERE
BETTER AND MORE SUBSTANTIATEIVE
THAN THE FIRST TWO WERE.
AND THEY’RE LOOKING TO GET
THEMSELVES BACK IN THIS GAME
SOMEHOW.
BECAUSE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE,
THERE’S GOING TO BE TWO DEBATES
WITHIN SUBSTANTIVE THAN
THE FIRST TWO WERE, AND THEY ARE
LOOKING TO GET BACK IN THE GAME
SOMEHOW, BECAUSE IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE THERE WILL BE ONE DONE
BY CNN AND ONE BY NBC.
I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN BRET
AND MARTHA, AND I THINK THEY
WILL ASK HIM QUESTIONS.
WHAT I AM THAT’S CONFIDENT OF IS
DONALD TRUMP WILL NOT TELL THE
TRUTH OR ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
AT SOME POINT PEOPLE NEED TO SEE
IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WHAT
THIS IS GOING TO BE LIKE.
THE E. JEAN CARROLL CASE WILL
START IN A COUPLE WEEKS, AND
HE’S NOW FIGHTING TO GET ON THE
BALLOT IN A LOT OF STATES, AND
HE’S GOING TO LOSE THE FEDERAL
IMMUNITY CASE HE HAS, AND MY
GUESS IS THE UNITED STATES
SUPREME COURT WON’T EVEN HEAR
IT, BUT THEY WILL SUPPORT WHAT
THE D.C. CIRCUIT DOES SO THEY
DON’T HAVE TO GET INVOLVED IN
IT, AND PROBABLY INSTEAD OF
MARCH YOU WILL HAVE APRIL TO
HAVE THAT TRIAL GOING ON.
ANYBODY THINKING I AM GOING TO
GET OUT OF THE RACE IS CRAZY, AND A LOT OF VOTERS WILL GET
THAT THIS IS REJECTING A RACE.
>> WHERE ARE YOU ON THE CASE IN
MAINE?
WE WILL HAVE THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON FROM ABOUT AN HOUR FROM
NOW?
SAME IDEA IN COLORADO, ARE THOSE
THE RIGHT CALLS TO KEEP HIM OFF
THE BALLOT?
>> YOU BREAKING UP A LITTLE BIT,
WILLIE.
I DON’T THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE
A CONVICTION.
IN THE SAME WAY THERE DOESN’T
NEED TO BE A CONVICTION IF YOU
ARE NOT 35 AND RUNNING FOR
PRESIDENT, OR IF YOU ARE NOT A
NATURAL BORN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
I THINK THERE’S A BIGGER POLICY
ISSUE HERE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
WE WANT THE COURTS TO MAKE THIS
JUDGMENT GIVEN HOW DIVIDED OUR
COUNTRY IS.
I WOULD RATHER HAVE THE VOTERS
MAKE THE DECISION TO KICK DONALD
TRUMP OUT.
IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT LEGALLY
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, I THINK THE
COLORADO SUPREME COURT DECISION,
WHILE I DISAGREE WITH IT FROM A
POLICY PERSPECTIVE, THERE’S A
LEGAL BASIS FOR THEM DOING WHAT
THEY ARE DOING, AND THE QUESTION
IS WILL THE UNITED STATES
SUPREME COURT DEAL WITH THAT?
I THINK JOHN ROBERTS HAVING GONE
THROUGH WHAT HAS GONE ON IN THE
COURTS IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, HE
WILL TRY AS HARD AS HE CAN TO
GET THE COURT OUT OF IT.
IF HE CAN’T, THEY WILL DEAL WITH
IT.
>> JONATHAN LEMIRE HAS A
QUESTION FOR YOU, GOVERNOR.
JOHN?
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
I WANT TO FOLLOW-UP ON SOMETHING
YOU SAID A MOMENT AGO, CERTAINLY
RESISTING CALLS TO DROP OUT OF
NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND YOU MADE THAT
CASE CLEAR, AND YOU SAID YOU
WOULD STAY THROUGH THE TRUMP
COURT, AND DO YOU THINK YOU WILL
STAY IN IF YOU CANNOT ATTRACT
DELEGATES AT THAT POINT?
>> AT SOME POINT WHEN THIS
STARTS TO FALL APART, THE
REPUBLICAN VOTERS WILL NEED AN
ALTERNATIVE THAT MADE IT CLEAR
THAT THEY ARE AGAINST DONALD
TRUMP AND THEY PREDICTED THIS
WAS GOING TO HAPPEN ALL ALONG.
I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS SINCE I
GOT INTO THE RACE, LIKE ANYBODY
ELSE IN THE RACE.
THIS IS NEVER GOING TO BE EASY,
AND WHEN I GOT IN THE RACE I
SAID EVERYBODY IS A UNDERDOG.
AND THAT’S WHY THIS TALK ABOUT
WHO SHOULD GET OUT OF RACE IS
CRAZY, AND SO THE QUESTION IS,
WHO IS STANDING ON PRINCIPLE?
WHO IS GOING TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT
FOR THE PARTY?
I VIEW THIS AS A FIGHT FOR THE
SOUL OF OUR COUNTRY AND OUR
PARTY.
WHO ARE WE GOING TO BE?
WHAT KIND OF PARTY DO WE WANT?
WHY SHOULD THAT FIGHT BE
DETERMINED BY POLLS?
I HAVE WON AND LOST, AND WIN
SOMETHINGWINING
IS BETTER, BUT I HAVE NOT LOST
ANYTHING YET.
I HAVE QUALIFIED FOR EVERY
DEBATE THAT WAS A NATIONAL
DEBATE.
I HAVE QUALIFIED FOR BOTH OF THE
NEW HAMPSHIRE DEBATES IN THE
WEEK COMING UP BETWEEN IOWA AND
NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND I HAVE MET
EVERY MARK THAT I NEEDED TO MAKE SET BY THE RNC OR THE NETWORKS,
AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ON TERAFIRMA