Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday scoffed at a claim by John Kasich that he would care about the interests of African Americans. The new presidential candidate appeared on GMA and asserted, "...If you're black, if you're brown, if you're struggling, we care about you and we're going to work to make sure you're included in the American dream."
A suspicious Stephanopoulos responded, "You think your party is ready to accept that message?" This is nothing new for Stephanopoulos. On May 13, 2007, he speculated that the racists would vote Republican:
ABC's Sam Donaldson: '[Senator Barack Obama is] an African-American. Is the country ready? Well, I think it is. And he said he thinks it is. He said he thinks he'll lose some votes because of that, and so the question is, what does the word 'some' mean?....'
Moderator George Stephanopoulos: 'Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm naive, but Sam, I guess I think that anyone who's not going to vote for Barack Obama because he is black isn't going to vote for a Democrat anyway.'
— ABC's This Week, May 13, 2007.
More recently, Stephanopoulos was forced to apologize after secretly donating $75,000 to the Clinton Foundation.
Naturally, the former Clinton operative didn't question Kasich from the right. He did not press Kasich on his decision, as governor, to expand Medicaid. In 2014, the Republican defended his actions as the Christian thing to do: "I don't know about you... But when I get to the Pearly Gates, I'm going to have an answer for what I've done for the poor."
Instead, Stephanopoulos pressed Kasich on personality: "As you said yourself, you can be tough sometimes. To someone who questions whether you have the temperament to be president?
A transcript of the July 22 segment is below:
7:07
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Now, Trump's rally did steal some of the spotlight from the newest GOP candidate, Ohio Governor John Kasich. He launched his campaign in Columbus on Tuesday, becoming the 16th Republican in the race and right after the speech I asked him to explain what sets him apart from the rest of the pack.
JOHN KASICH: I don't think I want to get into how I'm better. I'm just going to say that my record is unique in the field. You know, national security experience. You remember the days of the balancing the budget in Washington which hasn't been done since we walked on the moon and hasn't been done since and turning around a really, really big and important state from, you know, just almost disaster to where we're prospering. Second, George, you've known me for a long time. You think I got to work real hard to distinguish myself? I just am who I am. I have fun and I'm running for president of the United States. Are you kidding me? It's great. [Clip of speech.] I have decided to run for president of the United States.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You're inaugurated. Day one what are the three –
KASICH: Well, we move towards balancing the budget. We know that and put down a credible plan that can move us there over time. Secondly, look, we have to rebuild the Defense Department. So those would be the first two things then there's one other message. If you're poor, if you're black, if you're brown, if you're struggling, we care about you and we're going to work to make sure you're included in the American dream. Unity is such a big part now.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You think your party is ready to accept that message?
KASICH: I guess that doesn't matter, does it? I mean, that's my message.
STEPHANOPOULOS: We have a new poll out today, shows you're at two percent.
KASICH: Oh, I kind of went up. I doubled, huh?
STEPHANOPOULOS: Donald Trump at 24 percent. How do you explain that?
KASICH: I don't think about it, George. Look, I have paid no attention to that whole business. I just don't. I paid a lot of --
STEPHANOPOULOS: Don't you have to?
KASICH: No, no. I paid a lot of attention to the British open, glad to see that guy from Iowa won. That was good.
STEPHANOPOULOS: If he gets the nomination, could you support him?
KASICH: That's such a hypothetical that I'm not going there.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Hillary Clinton the big front runner right now on the Democratic side.
KASICH: I actually ran into one of their big campaign managers. He said, "You know, we do worry about you." I said, "Why don't you say it publicly." He said, "Are you crazy? We're not going to give you any publicity." Look, I think the battle is against Hilary who has the biggest and largest vision for the country. She sometimes is just really too narrow.
STEPHANOPOULOS: As you said yourself, you can be tough sometimes. To someone who questions whether you have the temperament to be president?
KASICH: Look, we have a lot of fun but I got to tell you I'm not some marshmallow. I'm no pushover. We couldn't get these things done if you were. But it takes toughness. It takes some humor. It takes a lot of different things.
STEPHANOPOULOS: What's the single most important thing you want someone who's never seen you before to know about John Kasich?
KASICH: That I care about them. I want them to have a good life. I want their kids to have a good life. The people who get up in the morning, play by the rules, go home, love their family and say their prayers for their neighbors, for their family and for our country.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Governor Kasich, thank you. You know, he says he's really driven by his faith. He had a dramatic transformation after his parents with killed in a car accident back in 1987 and that's fueled him ever since.
ROBIN ROBERTS: Yeah, it seems that. [sic] And he has a great sense of humor.
STEPHANOPOULOS: He does.
LARA SPENCER: Great energy.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Now, he's got to see if he can get in those debates.
ROBERTS: But he said, he's up to two percent.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Yep.
