Kasich wooing of billionaire shames him, insults Ohioans

Kasich wooing of billionaire shames him, insults Ohioans

Sheldon called, and they came running. “Sheldon” is Sheldon Adelson, billionaire, casino mogul, and de facto head of the Republican Jewish Coalition whose convention he hosted this spring at his Venetian complex in Las Vegas.

“They” are Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Scott Walker and John Kasich, four GOP governors, possibly Adelson’s “final four,” summoned to this glitzy cattle call to grovel for the dubious honor of being Adelson’s horse, assuring his considerable support for the 2016 presidential nomination.

Bush, perhaps the early favorite, spoke at a private dinner early on in the weekend affair. Later, Christie spoke of his leadership skills that would serve him well in the future, and gushed about his trip to Israel.

Scott Walker pandered shamelessly, saying that alongside his Christmas tree, he displays a menorah.

However, when you talk shamelessness, Ohio Gov. John Kasich stood out. He began with a few remarks about the Holocaust memorial being built in Ohio Statehouse grounds. Then, as he has dozens of times before, began his familiar bleating and braying about balancing the budget.

It was soon obvious, despite the hundreds of guests and large media presence, that Kasich was speaking only to Adelson.

“We do want you to come. We want you to invest. We want you to get to know us ... because Ohio really is the heart of it all,” cooed Kasich.

Oh yes, John Kaisch was ardently courting Sheldon Adelson because the culmination of this bro-mance could wed Kasich’s political ambitions to Adelson’s billions.

A match made in “Citizens United” heaven.

“In Ohio, we’re no longer a flyover, Sheldon.” (Yes, Kasich really did say that.)

No longer a flyover? For John Kasich to imply that prior to his arrival in 2010, Ohio lacked relevance is ludicrous, an insult to every resident of our state.

It is also a prime example of the grotesquely outsized ego possessed by the governor.

Ohio has been a great state for many generations, and will continue to be long, long after John Kasich is just a very unpleasant footnote in Ohio’s history.

Chris Crowe, Canfield