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Kasich pleased with debate performance
By Marc Kovac
CLEVELAND
Gov. John Kasich said he was happy with his performance in Thursday’s prime-time GOP presidential debate.
“What was most important for me was to talk about my record and to be relaxed,” the governor told a pack of reporters during a pre-midnight question-and-answer session at Quicken Loans Arena. “I had a great time. Maybe a little bit of home-court advantage, all those people cheering. But in all seriousness, my whole goal was just to be myself. The reaction from people that I’m getting was it was really, really good. I’m happy. I did what I wanted to do.”
Though limited, compared with billionaire businessman Donald Trump and other candidates, in terms of questions and response time, Kasich was able to cover his record in Congress – one of the chief architects of the last balanced federal budget, his time on the armed- services committee – in the private sector and as governor of Ohio.
He recounted the state’s economic position when he was elected and the turnaround under his administration.
Kasich stopped well short of criticizing Trump, instead playing the role of unifier.
“I know that Donald Trump has hit a nerve,” the governor said. “He’s got his answers, and I kind of have mine. People don’t believe politicians anymore, that’s why I just talk so much about my record. It’s not theory. It’s not blue skies. It’s stuff that I have done.”
He added, “I want to lift the country. That’s what we’ve done in Ohio, and that’s what I want to do for America.”
Kasich also said it’s early in the process, with a long road before Republicans choose their ultimate nominee.
“Today, I’m popular,” he said. “Maybe tomorrow, I won’t be, so you take it one day at a time.”
He added, “If they like me, great. If they don’t, I’ll cry a little bit, but life will go on.”
The governor heads back out on the road next week, with a two-day swing in New Hampshire.