It's the sticky question that keeps on giving, and the latest politician to find himself in the auto bailout meat grinder is the very engaging and self-described "high energy guy" John Kasich who runs the state of Ohio.

As you may have heard, Kasich may take another stab at running for president.

This time with 12 GOP candidates in the field and no 800 pound gorilla among them, Mr. K. is back at it again. Can he think of a reason he would not run?

"If I didn't think I could win," was his spot on answer. Don't be mistaken, he thinks he has the right stuff to win with Congressional experience on armed services and budget committees, ten years in the private sector and now experience notches on his belt as governor.

He hasn't pulled the trigger but clearly has an itchy finger, which is why he was in Lansing the other day trying to figure out if he can raise bucks and the support to win the nomination.

In many respects the one-on-one interview with him was reminiscent of the one with then-candidate George W. Bush. He granted an interview with a time restriction on it, and broke the rules so he could actually take more questions.

There was a ten minute deadline on the Gov. Kasich interview but given two chances to end it, he said, "Go ahead, you're on a roll." It was the gamer in him at play.

In fact, when you think about it, the governor's personality is almost a carbon copy of W's. Both are very gregarious, fun to be around, great sense of humor and more than willing to take it and joyfully dish it back.

When it was suggested that he was punting on whether to allow guns in schools by saying he needed more data, he shot he would not hesitate to punt rather than be drawn into something he did not want to say.

Which was his strategy on the auto bail out question.

"Mr. Ohio governor, did you support the federal assistance for GM and Chrysler?

His first response, "I can't really tell you that because I wasn't there to study it."

Was it a hypothical question? Yes it was.

When pressed, Kasich offered this defense of his non-answer, "I don't think that I'm avoiding something when I'm telling you what I would have done had I been in Congress. I don't know what I would have done, just like a don't know what I would have done had I landed on the moon. Pick up a rock? I don't know."

With that the interview progressed to other issues.

But unlike the others who have fumbled around with the auto question, this guy asked for another bite of the apple, "Let me just go back on one thing," he advised the interviewer.

It was a fascinating twist and seemed to reflect that, while the rest of the interview was going on, in his head he's thinking he needs to try again.

Given another chance, the Governor says had he been in Congress he might have found a different solution, "I'm not refusing to take a stand...I didn't have a vote. I'm pleased the way it came out." He also pointed out that, "I was never against it."

So did his "going back" mean he felt his first answer might get him in trouble being from an auto state and all?

And then this confession, "Look, I'm not perfect in everything I want to say and if you can't get it right, then go back and try a littler harder, OK? I'm free with this."

He still didn't take a stance but he made sure the voters understood why he didn't. An aide privately told his boss later it was the smart thing to do.