In an interview with Chris Ryan, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu discusses preparedness in the Granite State for potentially violent protests on Inauguration Day, explains how threats are received and assessed, reveals his personal feelings about the current political climate in the United States, and explains the timeline for COVID vaccine distribution.
Governor Sununu assures the public that New Hampshire is ready for any violent incidents which may occur on Wednesday, January 20th, Inauguration Day. Coordination with the New Hampshire State Police, National Guard, and the FBI is already in place. Chatter and threats by dangerous individuals and groups are monitored, evaluated, and handled.
The Governor spoke candidly about how ordinary people have become extremists. The political climate combined with the restraints of the COVID crisis seem to have given people the feeling that extreme reactions to persons and things that they don’t like are okay. For example, the Governor described the people with bullhorns protesting at the Governor’s private home and frightening his wife and children. Governor Sununu dismisses the excuse that some of the protestors who stormed the Capitol used that they were patriots who just got caught up in the moment, “You’re a domestic terrorist who attacked our country’s Capitol because you didn’t like the election results—absolutely unacceptable, absolutely un-American.”
When he was asked whether the dates for distribution of the COVID vaccine to the general population had been pushed back, Governor Sununu took exception and pointed to the earlier than anticipated delivery to people 65 and over which will be by the end of January instead of early February. The Governor explained that if distribution dates have been changed, it is because we are dependent upon the amounts of vaccines delivered by the federal government. In addition, Governor Sununu explained why it is more the important to vaccinate the over 65 age group than the general population, “This demographic comprises 95% of the fatalities and hospitalizations. If we can put a protective bubble over that group, we can see this crisis turn into a problem, and then we can get back to normal.”
The Governor goes on to explain that the under 50 healthy demographic seems to be less motivated to be vaccinated than the more vulnerable population. At any rate, Governor Sununu is optimistic that the pandemic could be winding down by Memorial Day despite concerns about new strains of the virus which have been reported. Apparently, this new form of the virus spreads more quickly, but it doesn’t seem more serious and the vaccine is equally effective against it.