Former Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich was criticized by both the left and the right Monday following his speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention expressing support for former Vice President Joe Biden.
“He’s unlike all of our best leaders before him who worked to unite us to bridge our differences and lead us to a united America,” Kasich said during his speech, in a clear attack on President Donald Trump.
“Yes, there are areas where Joe and I absolutely disagree. But that’s OK because that’s America. Because whatever our differences, we respect one another as human beings, each of us searching for justice and for purpose,” Kasich said during his speech.
“We can all see what’s going on in our country today and all the questions that are facing us, and no one person or party has all the answers. But what we do know is that we can do better than what we’ve been seeing today, for sure. And I know that Joe Biden, with his experience and his wisdom and his decency, can bring us together to help us find that better way.”
Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks at the #DemConvention: “We’re being taken down the wrong road by a president who has pitted one against the other.”
“I’m a lifelong Republican, but that attachment holds second place to my responsibility to my country.” https://t.co/ox37AApufY pic.twitter.com/TaWoUDzqAb
— ABC News (@ABC) August 18, 2020
TRENDING: Watch Christie Savage Kasich for Trump Attack, Then Dem Contributor Joins in: ‘We Don’t Want Him Either!’
But Kasich’s endorsement of the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee won’t change many people’s minds, former New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie said.
“When he was the only Republican governor left on the stage in 2016 — Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and John Kasich, the three candidates left,” Christie said on ABC following Kasich’s speech, referring to the latter part of the 2016 GOP presidential primary cycle, “do you know how many Republican governors, of his colleagues, his sitting colleagues at the time, endorsed John Kasich?”
Former NJ Gov Chris Christie calls former OH Gov John Kasich a “backstabber” and “an untruthful guy”
— Bianca Facchinei (@BiancaFacchinei) August 18, 2020
“Zero,” Christie said.
“And the reason they didn’t endorse him is because he’s a backstabber, and he’s an untruthful guy. And so tonight Republicans are going to look at that and go, ‘You can have him. Please, believe me, give us a break, get him out of our party, you take him for a little while.’”
.@ChrisChristie torches Kasich: “Do you know how many Republican governors….endorsed him? Zero & the reason they didn’t endorse him is b/c he’s a backstabber & untruthful guy….Biden’s going to be getting calls from John Kasich, he’s going to want to change his phone number.” pic.twitter.com/abHLm24TmH
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 18, 2020
Christie wasn’t done.
“On top of all that, I’ve worked with John a lot. He’s exhausting. Joe Biden’s going to be getting calls from John Kasich, he’s going to want to change his phone number.”
Do you think John Kasich’s endorsement will change anyone’s mind?
After Christie was done, liberal ABC News contributor Yvette Simpson, a former Cincinnati city councilwoman, also criticized Kasich.
“I agree with the governor,” she said, referring to Christie.
“We don’t want him either!” Simpson said of Kasich. “I’m from Ohio and I know the damage he did to our state — labor … what he did on choice, what he did to public teachers and public education, what he did with guns and violence, this is not the story we want to be telling.
“Yes, if you’re a Republican who doesn’t like Donald Trump, vote for [Biden], but we should not be taking precious time on the first night engaging Republicans that are not progressives. Progressives are with our party, and if they engage the people who did not vote in ’16, who voted in ’08, we can win this thing.”
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