Kasich: U.S. should consider ‘taking out’ North Korean leader

It was the John Kasich they wanted to see: Poking fun at himself, respectfully answering questions from the audience and saying “we have to come together in this country.”

So for nearly an hour in a trendy book store in an upscale neighborhood loaded with Democratic voters, the Ohio governor autographed copies of his new book for nearly 150 people while delivering the same sales pitch that resonated with moderates during his unsuccessful quest last year for the Republican presidential nomination.

And while at one point he joked that he wished he “wasn’t such a jerk at times,” the crowd squeezed at the rear of the bookstore loved his message and made clear if he ever runs for president against, he can count on their votes.

“I love Kasich,” said Amanda Linton, a self-described staunch Democrat from Woodbridge, Va., who bought four copies of “Two Paths - United or Divided.” She said Ohio’s governor is “reasonable, he’s fair, he compromises (on) issues, he works with both parties and in a time of true divisiveness he would have healed our country.”

Others had similar reactions: “Real and personable,” said Luci Delsignore of Virginia, who grew up in Brazil. “We need more people saying we need to get back together,” said Pam Duran of Alaska.

Although Kasich said he did not “know what I’m going to do doing” in 2020, Linton said she hoped he runs, no matter what the political party.

He certainly acted like a presidential candidate. Earlier in the day, he met with reporters from major news organization at a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor, a box every candidate has to check before running.

At the breakfast, Kasich suggested the United States should consider “taking out the North Korean leadership,” a reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his quest to build a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach Japan, South Korea and the West Coast of the United States.

When a reporter quizzed Kasich about whether he meant military action, the governor replied, “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

During the book signing, Kasich took a shot at the revised House Republican plan to scrap much of the 2010 health law known as Obamacare, saying Republicans “need to sit down with Democrats” and Democrats need to work with GOP lawmakers to revise and stabilize the law.

He added: “Let’s do it together.”

But in Ohio, Democrats say Kasich hasn’t made much of an effort to reach out to them.

David Pepper, chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, says he gives Kasich credit for being “a clear voice on how bad gerrymandering is and how that is leading to intense partisanship.”

But, he said, “Democrats want to see that bipartisanship in Ohio as opposed to” Kasich “talking about it at the national level.”

(Information from the Washington Post was added to this story.)


KASICH IN BEAVERCREEK

Ohio Gov. John Kasich Saturday will be at Books&Co. at The Greene, 4453 Walnut Street. Autograph line numbers will be given out starting at 12:30 p.m. You must show a receipt to get a line number. The event starts at 1:30.

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