ADAM: WELCOME BACK TO "CLOSE-UP." RETIRED ARMY GENERAL DON BOLDUC MAY NOT HAVE PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ENDORSEMENT IN THIS RACE, BUT THE LATEST POLL FROM THE ST.
ANSELM COLLEGE SURVEY CENTER STRIKING DISTANCE OF CORKY MESSNER, BUT BASICALLY TIED.
GENERAL BOLDUC IS OUR GUEST THIS MORNING.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
GENERAL BOLDUC: IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE, ADAM.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND BEST OF ALL YOUR VIEWERS AND LISTENERS.
ADAM: SO, ARE YOU THE UNDERDOG HERE?
OR HAVE BEEN PEOPLE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS RACE ALL WRONG EVER SINCE THE PRESIDENT'S ENDORSEMENT?
GENERAL BOLDUC: WELL, I AM THE UNDERDOG, OBVIOUSLY.
WHEN YOU'RE OPPOSED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT, SPECIAL INTERESTS AND LOBBYISTS, EVERY TURN IN THE ROAD, IT'S BEEN OBSTACLES PLACED IN FRONT OF US.
ALL THE SUPPORT OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT A PRIMARY CANDIDATE IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM ME BECAUSE OF A DECISION MADE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. THAT WAS
DIRECTED TO THE NHGOP HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE BEFORE ONE NEW HAMPSHIRE RESIDENT OR VOTER CASTED A VOTE.
THAT'S INCONSISTENT WITH OUR DEMOCRACY, OUR REPUBLIC AND OUR AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE, CERTAINLY OUR FOREFATHERS WOULD NOT BE HAPPY WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND CERTAINLY THE PEOPLE OF NEW
HAMPSHIRE SHOULD NOT BE HAPPY WITH HAVING THEIR CANDIDATE DICTATE IT TO THEM PARTICULARLY BY THE ESTABLISHMENT WHICH WE KNOW ON BOTH SIDES IS NOT REPRESENTING US WELL IN
WE HAVE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS THE ECONOMIC CRISIS, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO YES, I AM THE UNDERDOG.
I'VE BEEN THE UNDERDOG MY ENTIRE LIFE.
IN SPORT, I WAS NEVER BIG ENOUGH FOR FOOTBALL BUT I STARTED ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM.
IN BASEBALL, I COULDN'T PITCH BECAUSE MY ARMS WEREN'T LONG ENOUGH BUT I WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL HITTER.
IN BASKETBALL, I WAS TOO SHORT BUT I WAS ONE HELL OF AN AGGRESSIVE GUARD.
RIGHT?
SO AND THEN CARRY THAT ON INTO THE MILITARY, RIGHT?
YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT PEDIGREE.
I MADE IT TO GENERAL OFFICERS AND I SURPASSED THOSE THAT TOLD ME I WOULD NOT BE THERE.
THEY RETIRED AT, YOU KNOW, LESSER RANKS.
SO IT'S ALL ABOUT THIS NEW HARD WORK, NEVER QUIT, ON HIS FAMILY FARM, LEARNED NEW HIS WHOLE LIFE, YOU KNOW, TAKING ON WHATEVER OBSTACLES COME IN FRONT OF HIM AND DOING THE BEST
HE POSSIBLY CAN BECAUSE OF CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY FIRST.
ADAM: GENERAL, YOU'VE SAID YOU DON'T TRUST YOUR OPPONENT, CORKY MESSNER.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS CAMPAIGN THAT HAS LED YOU TO DETERMINE HE ISN'T TRUSTWORTHY?
GENERAL BOLDUC: WELL, LET ME REMIND YOU THAT YOU ASKED ME THAT QUESTION, RIGHT?
AND I DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT MY OPPONENT UNLESS I'M ASKED A QUESTION.
AND IT'S A FACT.
YOU ASKED ME THAT QUESTION, AND I DON'T TRUST HIM.
LISTEN, ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS ENTIRE RACE THAT WE HAVE, I HAVE NOT OPENLY ATTACKED HIM AT ALL.
I HAVE ANSWERED QUESTIONS AND IF THOSE QUESTIONS ARE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR HIM, THEN THAT'S FINE.
BUT HE HAS PRIOR ACTIONS IN HIS PAST THAT I BELIEVE INDICATE WHAT HIS FUTURE BEHAVIOR WILL BE.
AND LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THE D.U.I. ACCUSATION, RIGHT?
IT'S NOT AN ACCUSATION.
HE WAS ARRESTED FOR IT AND HE PLED IT DOWN BECAUSE HE'S A LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 501-C 3.
THE AVERAGE PERSON CAN FIGURE OUT THAT WASN'T HANDLED WELL AND IT'S JUST ONE EXCUSE AFTER ANOTHER.
EVEN ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC WHEN IT CAME TIME TO EXPLAIN THAT.
HONESTLY?
COME ON.
LET'S JUST BE SERIOUS ABOUT THAT.
NOW THERE'S THIS DOMESTIC ABUSE THING THAT CAME OUT, RIGHT?
UNBELIEVABLE.
HE DIDN'T GIVE ANY MONEY TO DONALD TRUMP WHO HE TOUTS AS HIS, YOU KNOW, HIS HERO, RIGHT?
AND -- SO WHAT'S NEXT?
WHAT'S GOING TO COME OUT THAT'S NEXT?
I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT THESE THINGS ALONE MAKE HIM AN INADEQUATE CANDIDATE AND SOMEONE WHO CANNOT BEAT JEANNE SHAHEEN.
PLUS, HE'S BRINGING ALL THIS STUFF INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE FROM COLORADO.
OUTSIDERS BRING OUTSIDE PROBLEMS.
AND THAT IS -- THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE.
WE HAVE TO WIN AS A REPUBLICAN PARTY.
WE NEED SOMEONE THAT STANDS FOR CHARACTER, INTEGRITY AND DEMONSTRATE WITH SELFLESS PERFORMANCE.
HE'S NOT CUTTING IT ON ANY LEVEL.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT'S NEXT AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE PRIMARY AND THE NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTERS NEED TO KNOW THIS.
THEY'RE VOTING FOR.
AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE A CANDIDATE THAT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN THE KUNG FU STANCE THE ENTIRE GENERAL ELECTION FENDING OFF ACCUSATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO CAUSE US TO LOSE THE
ELECTION.
THIS IS COMMON SENSE.
RIGHT?
COMMON SENSE.
ADAM: YOU MADE A PRETTY BIG SPLASH CALLING OUT SOCIAL PANSIES.
CAN YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC THOUGH?
WHO ROUGH IDENTIFY AS SOCIALIST PANSY IN NEW HAMPSHIR GENERAL BOLDUC: HE A.D. WAS SHE HAS BEEN WEAK IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
SHE HAS SUPPORTED THE ESTABLISHMENT 97.9% OF THE TIME.
SHE COMPLETELY MISMANAGED THE COVID CRISIS.
SHE'S A TRANSACTIONAL LEADER.
MEANING THE ONLY TIME YOU'RE GOING TO GETTING IN FROM HERE IS IF YOU GIVE HER SOMETHING.
SHE DOES WITH IT THE OPIOID CRISIS.
SHE HASN'T FIXED THE WATER CONTAMINATION CRISIS.
SHE'S NOT STANDING UP FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE.
SHE WANTS TO GET RID OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
HER RECENT VOTE ON THE SENATE FLOOR TO GIVE THE U.N. AUTHORITY TO TAKE UP WEAPONS AWAY FROM U.S. CITIZENS.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
SHE HASN'T BEEN A VOCAL VOICE FOR ANY OF THE VIOLENCE GOING ON ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SHE DID NOT COORDINATE OUR U.S.
CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO LEAD THROUGH WITH AND BY THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PEOPLE WHEN THEY HAD THEY WEREN'T WORKING FOR US.
DELAYING VOTES, VOTING CONTRARY TO WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE WANTS THAT WILL MAKE US SAFE.
SANCTUARY CITIES, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
ALL THESE THINGS FROM LIMITED GOVERNMENT TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE FACT THAT SHE IS UNDERMINING THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE AND AMERICA.
THAT IS WEAK.
WE NEED SOMEONE DOWN THERE OF ACTION.
WITH A 1-800-NUMBER WHERE YOU CAN CALL IN AND GET ALL KINDS OF GREAT IDEAS.
THERE.
WHAT WE NEED IS A PERSON OF ACTION THAT'S GOING TO GO DOWN THERE AND DO SOMETHING FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE IN THE -- AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
I HAVE DONE IT IN -- ALL MY LIFE.
ADAM: YOU SPENT A CAREER AND A LIFE SERVING THIS COUNTRY IN THE U.S. MILITARY WHERE THE LINE IS VERY CLEARLY DRAWN BETWEEN DUTY AND SERVICE AND POLITICS.
DO YOU THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THE PRESIDENT TO ESSENTIALLY HOLD A NOMINATING CONVENTION AT THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, THE WHITE HOUS GENERAL BOLDUC: WELL I THINK
IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THE PRESIDENT TO DO WHATEVER HE THINKS HE NEEDS DO IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT HE DID OVER THE LAST FOUR DAYS WAS EFFECTIVE.
I WOULDN'T CRITICIZE BIDEN FOR DOING IT WHERE HE DID IT NOR SHOULD WITH CRITICIZE THE PRESIDENT TO DO IT WHERE HE DID IT IS THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE BUT HE RESIDES THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON LONE TO HIM -- LOAN TO HIM FROM THE PEOPLE.
BUT THAT'S A VERY APPROPRIATE PLACE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
PRESIDENTS HAVE DONE THAT THROUGHOUT HISTORY.
ADAM: WE GOT ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT HERE, GENERAL.
WHAT'S YOUR STRATEGY HEADING INTO THE GRANITE STATE DEBATE?
GENERAL BOLDUC: I DON'T PULL ANY PUNCHES.
ALL I HAVE TO DO IS SAY TO MY OPPONENT GET READY BECAUSE IT'S COMING AND WHAT GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO SHOW CONTRAST.
CONTRAST BETWEEN ME AND HIM.
THE WHOLE VENUE IS THAT WE'RE NOT STANDING SIDE BY SIDE SIX FEET APART BECAUSE THAT IS A VISUAL PEOPLE NEED TO SEE.
HONESTY IS A HUGE PART OF THIS.
I WILL BE HONEST.
ANSWER QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE SOME LAWYER ANSWER, SOME CIRCULAR ANSWER AROUND A QUESTION.
RIGHT, WRONG, INDIFFERENT, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE RIGHT ANSWER FROM ME AND IT IS GOING THAT'S WHAT'S WRONG WITH WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN IN WASHINGTON,
D.C.
PEOPLE AREN'T STANDING UP.
ADAM: GENERAL, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
GENERAL BOLDUC: ALL RIGHT.
AD