Kasich Open to Constitutional Convention



Republican presidential candidate John Kasich is open to the idea of a constitutional convention.  His primary focus is adding a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, but expressed support for a convention as an alternative if Congress does not propound such an amendment.

Kasich referred to a constitutional convention during a town hall in West Lebanon, New Hampshire.  Here’s what Kasich had to say when I asked him about that comment afterwards.

Kasich on McKinley



Ohio Governor John Kasich doesn’t like the recent renaming of Mt. McKinley, but he appears to not share the outrage of other Ohio Republican elected officials.  Kasich, who hopes to follow McKinley’s path from member of Congress to Ohio governor to president, responded to my question with a laugh, saying “they shouldn’t change the signs, cause when I’m president we’re gonna put the signs back up again.”

Kasich & D’Amato



“I can’t wait to be in New York City with Alphonse D’Amato, we are gonna have the time of our lives.”  That’s how Republican presidential candidate John Kasich responded when I asked about D’Amato’s recent endorsement of Kasich.

Three term senator D’Amato has now been out of office, and a lobbyist, for nearly as long as he was in office.  I asked Kasich what D’Amato’s endorsement signaled about Kasich’s general relationship with lobbyists.  Here’s what he had to say:

D’Amato was George Pataki’s primary political patron, playing a key role in Pataki’s first gubernatorial run.  Last week I asked Pataki about D’Amato’s endorsement of a Pataki competitor.

Kasich Gaggles



He came, he spoke, he gaggled.

2016 Republican presidential candidate John Kasich rolled across New Hampshire Wednesday, holding town halls in Hooksett, Henniker, New London and West Lebanon.  He spoke with the press afterwards at three of those town halls.

Each gaggle was short, with two clocking in at about three minutes and the lengthiest just about five minutes.  Although the gaggles were brief the questions were wide ranging, starting in Hooskett with “are you angry enough to win the Republican nomination” and ending ten hours later in West Lebanon with a discourse on rock and alternative music.  Other topics included raising the minimum wage, his endorsement by former senator Al D’Amato, the renaming of Mt. McKinley dropping the name of the Ohian former president, whether Kasich plans to attack his rivals, the Iran nuclear deal, whether he will seek to defund Medicaid money currently directed to Planned Parenthood, who his foreign policy advisors are and the seeming interest of Republican primary voters in candidates who have never held political office.

Hooksett:

New London:

West Lebanon: