The Kasich, Trump divide

At 6:30 this evening, Ohio Gov. John R. Kasich will take the stage at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati to address the annual convention of the NAACP.

That, in and of itself, is noteworthy in light of what’s going on in the country, spotlighted by the recent killings of two black men by police and the subsequent killings of five Dallas police officers by a black sniper.

The racial tension in America is undeniable, which is why Gov. Kasich’s appearance at the gathering of the nation’s oldest civil- rights organization is of importance.

But there’s another reason this has become a major story: It accentuates the divide that exists between Kasich, who was unsuccessful in his bid for the Republican nomination for president, and New York City business tycoon Donald Trump, who will receive the GOP’s nomination Thursday.

Trump has declined an invitation to speak at the NAACP’s convention. According to NBC News, it is only the fourth time since 1980 that a presidential candidate has not appeared at the gathering.

Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, is scheduled to speak to the NAACP convention Monday.

The theme of the five-day event, which began Saturday, is “Our Lives Matter, Our Votes Count.”

“In these violent and horrifying times when a new generation is waking to call for police accountability, economic and education equality and protecting the right to vote for all people, this election marks a significant moral moment for America,” Cornell William Brooks, president and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement.

RNC in Cleveland

The Trump campaign has not publicly given a reason for declining to speak, but Monday’s start of the four-day Republican National Convention in Cleveland undoubtedly will be used to suggest a scheduling conflict.

Trump has more than the required number of delegates pledged to him, which makes his nomination a foregone conclusion.

But that does not faze the popular governor of Ohio. Kasich won re-election in 2014 by a landslide, even defeating his Democratic challenger in heavily Democratic counties.

Kasich, who has made no secret of his disdain for Trump’s slash-and-burn style of politics, will be in Cleveland for the next four days, but will not attend any of the convention sessions at Quicken Loans Arena.

The two-term governor has not endorsed Trump’s candidacy and has refused to say whether he will vote for him.

However, Kasich has made it clear he does not intend to lead delegates in an anti-Trump revolt because “I’m not interested in trying to disrupt any of the proceedings.” Ohio’s 66 delegates are pledged to the governor.

But what Kasich seems to be willing to do – by his words and actions – is highlight the differences between him and the soon-to-be GOP standard-bearer.

As he said recently in commenting on Trump’s candidacy, “What I’m concerned about is dividing people. I don’t like attacks on the basis of religion. I basically believe that trade is good for the world and for us. I do believe we’ve got to spend time fixing our economic problems, including entitlements. But I don’t think we should be scapegoating or blaming someone else for the challenges we have.”

There are a slew of social, economic and political issues that have contributed to the Kasich-Trump divide. It became evident during the Ohioan’s presidential campaign.

The governor, who is breaking with tradition by not addressing the GOP convention as the leader of the host state, is unapologetic for his refusal to abandon his principles for political expediency.

Rock and Roll reception

Kasich’s refusal to participate in the convention sessions doesn’t mean he’ll be ignored this week. There’s a sold-out Rock and Roll Reception on Tuesday featuring Kasich at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. It promises to be a media event given the fact that Kasich has snubbed the soon-to-be Republican presidential nominee.

That said, Kasich isn’t the only prominent Republican who’s staying away from the convention. And despite the verbal gymnastics of some GOP leaders, the absences speak volumes about the state of the party.

Trump has said the Republican National Convention will be unlike any in recent history. There’s no telling what that means.

But this much is clear: the list of convention speakers shows the presumptive nominee does not intend to be overshadowed by anyone on stage.

Indeed, the list reads like a Who’s Who of Trump sycophants. Delegates will be treated to speeches that hail the emperor of the new Republican Party.

And to make sure the world knows he’s Mr. Wonderful, Trump family members will speak.