Kasich on Cruz Alliance: ‘I Think It’s Fair’

Monday at a diner in Philadelphia, Republican presidential candidate Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) explained the alliance between himself and his opponent Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

Partial transcript as follows:

REPORTER: Governor, what convinced you this was the right thing to do now?

KASICH: Well, my team met with the Cruz people and they made a recommendation to me. I said I think it’s fair because, you know, in some places we haven’t spent a lot of resources. I didn’t spend resources in the state of Wisconsin — minor amount of spending. I don’t you know, like Daddy Warbucks behind me giving me all this money. I have to be careful about my resources. Furthermore, the reason why I’m in this race is I’m the only one that beats Hillary Clinton. Now, I’m going to do everything that I can to make sure we don’t lose the United States senate, the Supreme Court, the state and the local courthouse. I don’t see this as any big deal other than the fact that I’m not going to spend resources in Indiana, he’s not going to spend them in other places. So what? What’s the big deal?

REPORTER:  So who should your supporters vote for in Indiana?

KASICH: I’ve never told them not to vote for me. They should vote for me. You ought to feel good about it. Mine is like the people’s campaign. We’ve been outspent basically 50-1. everybody chill out.

REPORTER: Governor, to people who want reform and are tired of political games as usual, doesn’t this smack of the very same political games that have gone on?

KASICH: Sir, there hasn’t ever been anybody you’ve met in politics that’s led more successful reform than John Kasich, nobody. I’ve balanced the budget, I’ve shrunk the government, I’ve taken on corporate welfare, I’ve reformed the Pentagon. When you talk about reform, check my record and you will see that I’ve been a reformer from the day that I got into politics and I will continue to be a reformer. And I think any way you characterize is as something other than it is is just a mischaracterization. But I’ve become very used to mischaracterizations.

REPORTER:  What do you say to voters who might feel like this process is unfair, this stra they feel like they have a say in this.

KASICH: They have a total say. Get a majority — which people? My people don’t feel that way. Who is it that feels — all you’ve got to do is get the right number of delegates and then you win. If you can’t get the right number of delegates, you don’t win, and then the delegates who are selected through a democratic process get to choose. What’s wrong with that?

REPORTER:  Governor, doesn’t that ruin the strategy if you don’t ask your voters to vote for Cruz in Indiana?

KASICH: I’m not campaigning in Indiana and he’s not campaigning in the other states. That’s all it is. No big deal. But it’s fun, though, you’re all still here. And by the way, and by the way, I’m having the time of my life.

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