MANCHESTER, NH – While continuing to campaign in New Hampshire on Sunday, June 11, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum made his first appearance as a presidential candidate on a Sunday morning political talk show, where he connect his agenda focused on the economy and took questions about the indictment of classified documents of the former president.
In one
CBS “Face the Nation” appearance
,” plug-in host John Dickerson asked Burgum about former President Donald Trump’s recent federal indictment for alleged mishandling of classified documents and how he would handle sensitive information as president.
“At the moment I have only made a campaign promise. And that’s if, if I’m elected, I’m going down to the southern border in the first two weeks, I’m not going to take two years, like Biden did,” Burgum said, joining the show from Manchester, New Hampshire. “Also I can tell you that when I am president and when we leave office we will follow all the rules related to the handling of classified documents.”
Burgum is in his fourth day of campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first states to select their preferred presidential candidates. So far, the governor has been promoting a pro-business and pro-energy agenda in a series of speeches and rallies in often smaller towns and rural or agricultural settings.
Before his appearance on Face the Nation Sunday morning, Burgum met and had breakfast with New Hampshire Gov. Chis Sununu, a fellow Republican. Sununu, who
also joined Face the Nation for an interview
told Dickerson that he had a good meeting with the North Dakota governor and that he “would be a spark to watch this fall.”
Sununu stressed, however, that more Republican presidential candidates must take a coordinated stand against front-runner Donald Trump if they hope to alienate the former president’s support. Burgum has so far avoided taking direct aim at any other GOP candidate.
When asked if he discussed the issue with Burgum, Sununu said he did and then went on to praise his fellow governor.
“It’s setting you up with all the things you need to be successful,” he said.
So far, that has resulted in four straight days of campaigning and more than $2 million in ad buys for spots that will air starting Tuesday in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Burgum appeared on a CNN program Thursday morning, and his appearance on “Face the Nation” gives the North Dakota governor another opportunity to introduce himself to the wider American public.
The biggest hurdle for Burgum’s presidential campaign is getting the same recognition as other candidates like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or former Vice President Mike Pence, and if he wants to make it to the August debate stage, he’ll have to get enough support to present. in national surveys.
Burgum is confident in a message he says will appeal to the majority of Americans who are most concerned about fundamental issues affecting their livelihoods, such as inflation or the obstacles to starting and running a business. He has avoided entering bitterly divisive issues such as abortion and gender politics.
Asked by Dickerson what he meant when he told the Forum’s editorial board about a neglected “silent majority” of Americans, Burgum said candidates need to get back to basics and look out for Americans who have been neglected as the political debate is dominated by the margins. more than the middle
“They are longing for leadership that will come and talk to them and listen to them about the issues that affect them in their daily lives,” Burgum said, adding that his campaign stops in recent days have only strengthened that vision
Dickerson concluded the interview by asking Burgum if the “empathy and understanding” that urged North Dakotans to embrace the issue of people wearing masks during the pandemic could be applied to other areas of politics.
Burgum responded with what is shaping up to be a theme in his campaign stops and media appearances: a line about small-town Americans working together through hardship to get things done.
“The best of America is when neighbors help neighbors,” Burgum said. “Our real enemies, you know, when we talk about China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, they love it when we fight each other.”
Alex Derosier covers breaking Minnesota news and state government for the Forum News Service.
