CloseUP: Why John Kasich chose not to attend RNC John Kasich sits down with Josh McElveen to discuss why he chose not to attend the RNC. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT [APPLAUSE] TED CRUZ: IF YOU LOVE OUR COUNTRY AND YO LOVE OUR CHILDREN AS I KNOW YOU DO, STAND AND VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE AND VOTE FOR PEOPLE UP AND DOWN THE TICKET WHO YOU TRUST TO DEFEND OUR FREEDOMS AND BE FAITHFUL TO THE CONSTITUTION. JOSH: THAT WAS TEXAS SENATOR TED CRUZ BASICALLY HIJACKING NIGHT THREE OF THE RNC, AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN ENDORSEMENT OF DONALD TRUMP ENDED UP BEING A RALLYING CRY FOR THE DUMP TRUNK MOVEMENT. SKIPPING THE EVENT -- THE CONVENTION, OHIO GOVERNOR JOHN KASICH TO WE SAT DOWN WITH HIM TO EXPLAIN THE DECISION. GOVERNOR KASICH, WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION, WHY NOT? GOV. KASICH: I AM HERE IN CLEVELAND TAKING CARE OF THINGS. I MADE A SPEECH IN NEW YORK AND SAID WE NEED TO UNIFY AND NOT DIVIDE, NEED TO ENGAGE IN THE WORLD AND NOT ISOLATE. I AM NOT COMFORTABLE WITH WHERE WE ARE. I DO NOT WANT ANYONE TO THINK I AM SELF-RIGHTEOUS OR RIDING ON A HIGH HORSE. WE JUST HAVE DIFFERENT VISIONS AND VIEWS OF WHAT THE PARTY OUGHT TO BE. I JUST FEEL THAT, UNLESS HE CHANGES HI VIEWS, THEY ARE NOT CONSISTENT WITH MINE AND WHAT I SAID IN THE CAMPAIGN REALLY MATTERS TO ME DEEPLY. JOSH: SOME IN THE PARTY HAVE CALLED YOU DISLOYA, THEY PLEDGED TO SUPPORT THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE. THE NOMINEE HIMSELF HAS CALLED YOU NAMES THIS WEEK. WHAT WOULD HE NEED TO DO TO CHANGE? GOV. KASIC NO MORE THAN WHAT HAPPENED TO SAUL ON THE ROAD TO TO MASK IS. HE BECAME LATER PAUL AND WROTE TWO THIRDS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. I DO NOT BELIEVE WE SHOULD ISOLATE AND I AM NOT ANTI-TRADE OR ANTI-IMMIGRANT. I AM NOT ANTI-THE POST-COLD WAR INSTITUTIONS. THESE THINGS WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE FOR ME TO BECOME -- I AM NEVER SEEN THE CANDIDATE THAT HAS SECURED OUR NOMINATION WHERE WE ARE JUST SO FAR APART, I OWE IS FELT A CONNECTION AND I THINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT TROUBLE'S POSITIONS HAVE FUNDAMENTALLY DISTORTED WITH THE FACE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS NOW AND I'VE ALWAYS LIKED THE FACE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, NOT THAT WE DID NOT NEED TO BE MORE, BUT THESE POSITIONS IN REGARD TO IMMIGRANTS DEPORTING PEOPLE, OR RELIGIOU TESTS, OR ANTI-TRADE, I JUST DO NOT THINK IT IS GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY. JOSH: WITH THE INFORMATION BEFORE US NOW, DO YOU THINK THE COUNTRY WOULD BE BETTER OFF IF HILLARY CLINTON WAS -- GOV. KASIC IT IS AN UNBELIEVABLE CHOICE. HILLARY HAS BECOME -- I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR HER SISTER SOLDIER MOMENT LIKE HER HAS AND STOOD UP, AND IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYTHING THAT BERNIE SAYS, SHE DOES. NO, I AM NOT FOR HILLARY UNDER ANY SET OF CERTAIN STEP IS BUT I AM FOR KELLY AND FOR THE SENATE AND THE REPUBLICAN HOUSE. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO COMING BACK TO NEW HAMPSHIRE. PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HAVE PRINCIPLED LEADERS. I AGREE. SOMETIMES PEOPLE WHO ARE LEADERS HAVE TO STAKE OUT THINGS ON THEIR OWN. WHEN PEOPLE POUND THEM, THEY HAVE TO BE WILLING T STAND. THAT IS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH -- OF TRUTH. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A CHANGE IN THINGS AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO BE INVOLVED IN PRESIDENTIAL AND RIGHT NOW I DO NOT SEE IT. IF I DO NOT MATTER, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SO CONCERNED WITH ATTACKING ME FOR. I FIND IT AMUSING. JOSH NATIONAL UNITY AND PARTY UNITY AND COMING TOGETHER, YOU WERE IN SINCE MATTY -- CINCINNATI TALKING WITH THE NAACP. WHY DID YOU MAKE THAT THE -- THAT DECISION AND WHAT WAS YOUR TAKE AWAY? GOV. KASIC I AM THE GOVERNOR OF OHIO AND WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES ALL OVER THE STATE AND WE HAVE ISSUES IN OUR URBAN AREAS. WE HAVE DONE MANY THINGS IN THE STATE TO MAKE SURE MEMBERS OF THE MINORITY COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PLACE HERE AND THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. WHETHER IT IS CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, WHICH IS NOT LOCKING A NONVIOLENT FELON OF NEXT TO A MURDERER AND RAPISTS, GIVING PEOPLE A SECOND CHANCE WHEN THEY PAID HER TIME, REFORMING WELFARE AND CREATING A COLLABORATIVE BETWEEN POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY ARE YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN CLEVELAND, I WISH ALL THE PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE COULD BE HERE, IT IS ASTOUNDING HOW THIS HAS GONE. WE CANNOT PREDICT WHAT WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE THERE ARE ANARCHISTS, PEOPLE WHO COME HERE TO CREATE VIOLENCE. I HAVE LEARNED THAT IF THE PUBLIC DOES NOT SUPPORT THEM, IT IS HARD FOR THEM TO GET TRACTION. WE HAVE SEEN THIS IN CLEVELAND, WE HAVE SEEN A SENSE OF THEM IS HIM AND HOPE YOU ARE. I DO NOT THINK PEOPLE -- OF OPTIMISM AND HOPE HERE. I DO NOT THINK PEOPLE WANT TO GO BACK ON THAT. IT IS AN EFFORT I NEED TO SAY LOOK, HAVING CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES AND BEING CONCERNED ABOUT JOB CREATION, THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY FEELS AS IF THEY HAVE A STAKE IN THIS. I WAS GLAD TO GO. I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE SHOCKING AND I DO NOT KNOW THAT A REPUBLICAN HAS EVER OPENED THE NAACP CONVENTION AT THE FIRST MAJOR TALK, BUT I WAS GLAD TO DO IT. IT WAS VERY COMPANY. -- JOSH: LET'S GO TO NEW HAMPSHIRE. THE PLACE IN THE PROCESS WAS SAFE FOR 2020. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST TAKE AWAY FROM HAVING SPENT SO MUCH TIME THERE BEING A PART OF THE PRIMARY PROCESS, FINISHING SECOND, PROBABLY MADE A LOT OF MEMORIES AND FRIENDS. GOV. KASICH: I LOVE NEW HAMPSHIRE. I HAD THE BEST TIME. I'VE ALWAYS LIKED IT. BEFORE I GOT THERE IN THIS CAMPAIGN, WHEN I HAD A SHORT CIRCUIT LAST TIME, I HAD NOTHING BUT GOOD MEMORIES. THIS TIME, I MADE SO MANY FRIENDS AND I CANNOT WAIT TO GO BACK. IT IS A GREAT PLACE. PEOPLE ARE FRIENDLY AND ENGAGED. WHAT CAN I SAY? I HAD SO MUCH GOOD, AND I MISS IT. I REALLY AM LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING BACK. I REALLY AM, AND SEE ALL THE FOLKS AGAIN. SPENT SO MUCH TIME THERE BUT IT WAS NOTHING BUT GOOD. NO, IT IS GREAT. WHAT HAPPENED THIS TIME IS I DID EXCEEDINGLY WELL, BUT THE MEDIA WAS SO FOCUSED ON CONTROVERSY IN TRUMP THAT WE NEVER REALLY GOT THE BUMP, BUT THAT WILL CHANGE. I THINK NEW HAMPSHIRE IS A GREAT PLACE WHERE PEOPLE PROVIDE THE SCREEN THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY CAN LOOK. I THINK THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL TIME BUT NOBODY EXPECTED ME TO BEAT EVERYBODY OTHER THAN TRUMP HERE AND WE JUST DID NOT GET THE BUMP WE THOUGHT WE WOULD GET. BUT NO SOUR GRAPES OR WHINING ABOUT IT HERE JUST A FACT. I THINK IT NEEDS TO STAY HERE. IT ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE THE FIRST PRIMARY IN THE COUNTRY. PEOPLE THERE DO A GOOD JOB. JOSH: A TOU SENATE RACE WITH THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. GOV. KASICH: I WILL HELP HER DO WHATEVER SHE -- WHATEVER I CAN TO HELP THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. I BELIEVE STRONGLY IN KELLY. THE FACT THAT THE RACE IS CLOSE, THERE IS NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT IT. A GOVERNOR WITH BIG-NAME ID. THESE ARE TWO WOMEN WHO ARE TRYING TO CLAIM A UNITED STATES SENATE SEAT AND IT EXPECTED TO BE CLOSE. I THINK SHE WILL PREVAIL AND SHE IS A REAL FORCE IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING AT HER SIDE IF SHE WANTS ME. I WILL CAMPAIGN FOR OR AGAINST HER, WHATEVER WILL HELP. JOSH: LET'S HYPOTHESIZE. LET'S SAY THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE ONCE AGAIN, DO YOU THINK YOU STILL HAVE THE FIRE IN YOUR BELLY TO GIVE IT ANOTHER SHOT? GOV. KASIC A LOT OF PEOPLE DID NOT THINK I HAVE FIRE IN THE BELLY THIS TIME. THE REAL QUESTION IS, IN YOUR MIND, COMMITMENT TO YOUR COUNTRY. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I WILL BE DOING IN FOUR YEARS OR WHAT -- OR IN THE NEXT FOUR HOURS. WHAT YOU DO IS WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU WILL BE A GOOD VOICE TO HELP THE COUNTRY. THAT IS THE KEY TO IT WHETHER I WILL DO IT AGAIN, I DO NOT KNOW. YOU DO NOT CLOSE T DOOR ON ANYTHING BUT IT IS NOT LIKE I AM PLOTTING AND PLANNING. WE ARE NOT THROUGH THE YEAR. DO THINK THAT WAY I THINK WOULD BE STUPID AND SECONDLY NOT APPROPRIATE.

SIGN UP FOR BREAKING NEWS Get local stories sent straight to your inbox as news breaks. Submit Privacy Notice