'Deplorable depiction of Americans': Chris Sununu draws flak as he likens Biden-Trump race and debate to 'reality television'

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu ignited a firestorm of criticism after likening the presidential race between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump to "reality" television.

His comments were made during an appearance on NewsNation’s 'Cuomo'. On Friday, June 21, Sununu voiced his concern about the public perception of the 2024 presidential race, as reported by The Hill.

Chris Sununu compares presidential race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump to reality TV

"I think one of the challenges we have is so many Americans right now are seeing this entire presidential race unfortunately, more like a reality TV show, right?" Sununu stated. He continued, "They want to see if Trump’s going to be abrasive and lose his top, they’re gonna see if Biden is gonna have a senior moment."

Sununu also highlighted the difficulties that CNN’s debate moderators, Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, could encounter due to this perception. "I think they’re going to do a terrific job, but they got to make it substantiative, right?" he said.

CNN's presidential debate, set for Thursday, June 27, is anticipated to be a pivotal event in the race for the White House. Both Biden and Trump, the presumptive nominees for their respective parties, have met the debate requirements.

However, independent candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr and other third-party contenders did not qualify, setting the stage for a repeat of the contentious 2020 debates.

Sununu expressed surprise at the level of seriousness and professionalism in Trump’s 2024 campaign compared to previous efforts.

"I know they’re practicing, they’re strategizing, and I think that’s where this kind of change in tone is coming from. They’re telling him you got to set the table of expectations in order to make sure we come out of this ahead. It’s going to be a challenge, but it’s going to be a pretty interesting night," Sununu noted.

Currently, Trump holds a narrow lead of 0.6 percentage points over Biden, according to a national polling index by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ. The race remains exceedingly close, with a Fox News poll last week showing Biden ahead of Trump by 2 points.

Trump and his allies have already dismissed the possibility of a strong debate performance by Biden, suggesting without evidence that any impressive showing would be due to performance enhancers.

This rhetoric follows attempts by Trump and his supporters to undermine Biden’s credibility, portraying him as a weak and confused leader, particularly after his well-received State of the Union address earlier this year.

Despite his previous support for former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley, whose presidential run has since been suspended, Sununu has pledged to support Trump as the GOP nominee, while maintaining his earlier criticisms.

Chris Sununu's remarks likening presidential race to reality TV provoke backlash online

Sununu's remarks provoked a substantial backlash online, with many rejecting his comparison of the presidential race to reality TV.

One Facebook user declared, "Those of us with functioning brains don’t see it that way." Another remarked, "What bs and a deplorable depiction of Americans." Another user emphasized, "This is not Reality TV; it is REAL LIFE and we must view politics as serious business that will affect this country for decades!!!"

"No, Mr. Sununu, Trump has brainwashed MAGA Republicans into seeing the debate, and everything else these days, as a reality TV show starring him. The rest of us know better. That's why we detest Trump and his supporting cast, like you," another user wrote.

One user stated, "No, that's how trumpers see it. We're taking it seriously." Another added, "America isn’t a reality show to where you can cut and edit the good and bad parts. America is a country with real lives involved and real consequences."

"Sununo is a certified moron on everything, just like the GOP membership," a user lambasted. Another expressed frustration, writing, "No we don’t - we see it as an EMBARRASSMENT to this country that Trump is being ALLOWED to run again."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.