NH Gov. Sununu: Trump Comment at DC Dinner Was ‘a Joke’

Gov. Chris Sununu made several appearances Monday backtracking and defending his Gridiron Dinner comment about former President Donald Trump, calling it all a joke.

The governor was the Republican speaker at the white tie dinner in Washington, and delivered a speech that was a monologue of one liners highlighted by his salty comment calling former President Donald Trump "f**king crazy." Sununu's message for those critical of his comments: lighten up.

During the Howie Carr Show on WRKO, Sununu called it  "a roast" to which Carr, who is a supporter of the former president, said that usually the person being "roasted" is present.

"The roast is on politics, the press, we made fun of myself, I made fun of my father, I made fun of Republicans and Democrats and Joe Biden. The head of CNN was sitting five feet away. I was mocking him, Fauci," Sununu said.  "This whole event was a comedic roast and everyone roasted everyone, and we all laughed at and with each other."

Carr pressed Sununu that he'd rather be called a "bastard", as the governor called his father, than crazy.

"Someone made a joke at a roast and now we have to get all upset about it. Lighten up. You sound as serious as Washington. I get it. I was the funniest guy in DC. It's like being the best surfer in Kansas," Sununu said.

Carr asked Sununu straight up if he thought Trump is "crazy" and belongs in an institution.

"Of course not. Of course not, Howie...because it's a joke," Sununu said, adding that he owes no one he joked about an apology.

“Comedy is the ultimate truth. Jazz is hitting the notes that no one else would hit, and comedy is saying words that no one else would say," - Tommy Chong

Is it possible there was a grain of truth in Sununu's comments?

"My guess is that he thinks that Trumpism is not good for the future of the GOP. Beyond that, hard to know," Dean Spiliotes, SNHU Civic Scholar and Founder, NH Political Capital told Seacoast Current.

Traditionally, what is said at the dinner stayed in the room, but once Democratic Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Democratic speaker mentioned Sununu's comments on CBS' Face the Nation, all bets were off.

"I can't imagine Sununu thought his comments would stay private," Spiliotes said.

Sununu also spoke with Dan Rea on WBZ radio and said he wrote most of his own material for the dinner and that he was the target of a musical number called "No No Sununu" before he spoke.

"They're doing a whole musical number insulting me. It was actually a very funny number. A bunch of guys in flannel shirts pretending they're from New Hampshire," Sununu said.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH