Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Kaisch To Speak At GOP Convention Tonight

The rundown for tonight's Republican National Convention in Tampa puts Ohio's Governor in the prime-time spotlight. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler has a preview.

This won’t be Gov. Kasich’s first time at the Republican National Convention. He spoke in 1996 in San Diego, when he was House Budget Committee chair and had reportedly on the short list to be nominee Bob Dole’s running mate. He talked about the balanced budget he’d worked on the previous year, and used phrases that he would later employ in dealing with Ohio’s budget.
 

“You may think that budgets are about green eyeshades and numbers. But it’s far more important than that. You see, budgets are about ideas. Budgets are about values. And most important, they are about people.”

He also talked about welfare reform, which he worked on and was signed by Democratic President Bill Clinton. And welfare reform has come up in 2012, with Romney attacking and Obama defending changes designed to give states more flexibility in meeting federal welfare work requirements.
 

“Under Obama’s plan, you wouldn’t have to work, and wouldn’t have to train for a job. They just send you your welfare check.”
 

“Seen this ad? Mitt Romney claiming the president would end welfare’s work requirements. NBC calls it ‘dubious’, and they’re right. It’s false.”

Kasich also spoke before the RNC in 2000, several months after he ended
his campaign for the nomination for president. So, what’s in store this time?
 

“It’ll be short, and I hope it won’t be as bad as the other two.”

The governor says – quoting here – it’s just not my thing. But he seems pleased that he’s on the list of speakers.
 

“What I’ve been surprised is people are excited that I’m going to speak. I better not screw this completely up, so I’ll give it the best I can. I’ll talk about Ohio, where we were, where we are, and where we can be if we have new leadership, so it’s not going to be anything you haven’t heard before.”

Kasich will speak after Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, who was thought to be on Romney’s list as a possible vice presidential pick. And Kasich starts a parade of governors that includes Scott Walker of Wisconsin and concludes with New Jersey’s Chris Christie, who closes the night when he speaks right after Romney’s wife Ann.  

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.