Gov. Chris Sununu opened his final Executive Council meeting on Wednesday with a reading.
“It was quarter past dawn, all the Whos, still a-bed,” Sununu read from How The Grinch Stole Christmas, a room full of government officials and lobbyists hanging on his rhyming words.
Dr. Seuss ends that story with a positive note, and perhaps that’s what Sununu is also manifesting for himself as his tenure in the State House comes to a close.
He has served eight years as governor, and before that, he sat on this council for six years. These regular gatherings, in a way, have become the place where Sununu has developed, performed and perfected his persona as chief executive.
The meetings can stretch for hours, a slog of state commissioners getting grilled about contracts or crises. Councilors, meanwhile, advocate for what they want, while a governor works to advance their own policy agenda.
But in his final term, Sununu became something of a master of ceremonies, almost like a game show host, not afraid to express opinions, or to crack good-natured jokes at his own appointees’ expense.
“Sorry, I’m staring at the commissioner and deputy commissioner back there, that both have these ridiculous mustaches,” Sununu said, apropos of nothing, during Wednesday’s meeting.
“Looking a little silly,” he added, accurately.
At other times, Sununu will cajole councilors into approving a major contract, including at this meeting, where he referenced his own experience in the private sector to advocate for a deal that will give Dartmouth Health control over a youth psychiatric hospital.
Councilor Joe Kenney, a fellow Republican who sits to Sununu’s right at the table each meeting, says he’s watched the governor grow and become more comfortable in the spotlight.
“They always say you need two things in politics: one is, you need a good message, and two, you need to be likeable, and Chris Sununu was full of likeability,” said Kenney.
Backstage with the governor
Starting with the pandemic, Sununu has held press conferences following just about every council meeting. The New Hampshire press corps gets free rein, asking about any topic we’d like, with no time limits.
On rare occasions, he’ll use the setting to criticize coverage of himself.
“I think that article was complete garbage,” Sununu said Wednesday in response to a question.
(To be clear, I wrote that complete garbage he was referencing.)
But more often, he has used these freewheeling sessions to break news on if he’ll sign or veto pending legislation, or to advocate for a policy he believes in. Ultimately, to get his message out.
“The job is communication. Above all else, the job is to communicate,” he said.
At this final press conference, Sununu wouldn’t give specifics on what’s coming next, but did say he plans on working in some capacity in the media once his term ends next month. That’s not a big surprise, given how often he now appears on cable news.
And, after eight years in office and three terms on the Executive Council before that, he seems ready to move on.
“During this meeting, someone texted me: six years on the council, this is meeting number 335,” Sununu said from his seat at the head of the table as the meeting came to a close. “And I love you guys, but I’m glad there is not a 336.”
At the next meeting, it’ll be a new governor – Kelly Ayotte – seated at the head of the table, all eyes and ears on her.
The Sununu Show will be a memory.
