Ohio Republican Governor John Kasich visited Your World this week, ostensibly to discuss the looming deadline to sign up for the Affordable Care Act. But host Neil Cavuto threw out “questions” designed to showcase Kasich’s strong points. Which Kasich took full advantage of. It just so happens that Kasich’s 2014 opponent has recently moved within striking distance in the polls.
It started when Kasich mentioned his concern that the “uncertainty” of the ACA, “hurts us, obviously, with job creation, which is something that we’re deeply concerned about out here.”
As if on cue, Cavuto said, “Let’s touch on that because I know you – you’ve been dramatically improving the jobs picture in Ohio.” Cavuto went on to say that “small, medium and even large business guys” are finding the ACA a hindrance. “Is that a reality or what do you find?” Cavuto asked.
From there, Kasich was off and running.
Our job numbers have dramatically improved, and just to give you a sense, in the last year we were 7th in job growth in America. From the time that I’ve come into office, in about three years we went from 48th in job growth all the way down to fifth. …In the time that I’ve been in office, we’ve led the Midwest. We’re up about 238,000 jobs.
…Part of the reason why we’re doing better is that we went from $8 billion in the hole to $1½ billion surplus. We’ve cut taxes consistently, and …we have had a series of efforts to bring common sense into regulations and when you do that, I mean the proof’s in the pudding here in the state. I mean, when you’re the 48th fastest job-growing state and three years later you’re the fifth, it means that what we are doing here makes sense.
But Cavuto, apparently, has eyes on a higher office for Kasich than governor as Ohio. Cavuto said, “I know you pooh-poohed this talk that you’re setting up a run for President. I think you’ve absolutely said that’s not the case, but when I hear reports that George Soros fears you the most of any prospective candidate - maybe owing back to the success you’ve had with the private sector job growth, maybe owing to the fact that income increases are running double the national average in your state …So I’m just saying that he ... has reason to fear you. What do you think of that?”
“There’s no reason to fear me,” Kasich replied. He continued with his re-election spiel. “Look, the only thing I’m in this job to do is try to lift Ohioans, and the thing that makes me feel good about what’s happening out here is we have almost a quarter of a million Ohioans who didn’t have work who now have work and we know when people work, they have more dignity, self confidence, they’re more powerful members of the community, they’re stronger within their family. All good things come from work.”
Cavuto pushed a presidential run more overtly. He said, “You’ve done this with none of the sort of bravado that associates, fairly or not, with Chris Christie. You’ve agitated people on the left and right, kind of like Chris Christie, but that that temperament, that tone, and probably from a governor, is the Republican party’s best chance. What do you make of that?”
Kasich insisted he’s not a presidential candidate. “I’m running for re-election, and I don’t have any interest in the presidency,” he said.
But when asked about signing a pledge that he’ll serve out his term (as his opponent has been requesting), Kasich deflected. “I don’t pay any attention to that kind of stuff. …In Ohio, we had a big deficit, we had too much regulation, our taxes are too high and we come in and in a simple way change that, and what do we get? We have a formula for success. We’re number five in the country in job growth over the last three years.”
“Governor very good seeing you again,” Cavuto said.
“You’re the best,” Kasich responded.
Video below from the March 18, 2014 Your World