Republican Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, in his first venture into New Hampshire prior to a possible presidential run, was humble and bipartisan and a hit with the crowd at the “Politics and Pies” event in Concord.
Here’s what he told a group of reporters:

“I’m John Kasich. I’m an unorthodox politician because I’m normal. I’m a normal guy that has big job. I don’t think of myself as anything particularly special. I’m a happy person. I like myself. I’m comfortable with myself. And I’m pretty normal in an abnormal profession.”

That and other Kasichisms highlighted the day as he embarked Tuesday on a five-event journey through the New Hampshire grassroots gauntlet — a must for any presidential hopeful, declared or undeclared — according to The Washington Times.
The press gaggle was assembled to watch the former House Budget Committee chairman go through a candidate’s paces at a welcome lunch, a business speech, a meet-and-greet, and a televised, breakfast-hour appearance in Manchester.
In Concord he delivered an informal speech that appeared unlike anything any of the other 2016 GOP contenders would ever say. He was blunt, self-deprecating and he portrayed himself as the optimistic anti-politician who focuses on policy solutions, not political polls.
As he positions himself as the only true moderate in the presidential race, Kasich went out of his way to assert that the Republican Party must pay special attention to the poor, the sick and the handicapped.

At one point during his remarks, the Concord Monitor reported, Kasich paused to ask whether anyone in the room had a family member with a developmental disability. A few hands went up.

“Anybody in this room? Yeah, well you know what it’s like when they’re ignored,” Kasich said, arguing that politicians need not lose sight of taking care of the neediest citizens. “We know they’re made differently, but they’re made special. And we give them a chance to be successful.”

Too often, Kasich said, his Republican colleagues place too much emphasis on economic growth – “and that’s the end of the story.” Providing support and treatment for people dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues is also imperative, he added.

“When a country has more economic growth, we can do more for the folks who do live in the shadows,” Kasich said. “I believe that addressing those problems communicates a very basic message to people – and that is maybe those leaders get me, care about me, are concerned about me and understand me. And that is where we have missed as Republicans, in my opinion.”

As Kasich mulls a run, he relies on geography to separate himself from others in the GOP field, calling Ohio a “microcosm of America” — and a key voice in presidential politics.

“Did you ever notice when you’re watching the presidential election that they never tell you who won the presidential election until the next day? Because it (Ohio) is that kind of a place,” Kasich said. “And people are intelligent. You know what they don’t want? They don’t want extremists. They want problem solvers and they want people who are optimistic that can give everybody a chance.”
 

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