If you remember the old theory about trusting your first choice … that it’s usually the correct one, you know how I am feeling today.
This morning, while reading the sports section of the Arizona Republic, the big headline, “A Shocker,” jumped off the page. It was the story about the Wichita State Shockers knocking the Arizona Wildcats out of the NCAA basketball tournament in the first round.
The real shocker, however, was the headline, “Reject Trump, Reject Cruz, Vote Kasich,” over a full-page endorsement of Ohio Gov. John Kasich for president in Opinions.
Admitting that they have been “more animated by the candidates we oppose,” they say “this is no ordinary endorsement.”
“This is a time to stand our ground and say no to a candidate who leads the race and is now projected to win. We don’t expect our editorial to make any difference in that trajectory, but we think it worth putting on the record what we, as Americans, should value in a president.”
The Republic outlined those values, stating:
The president of the United States should be a model citizen, an exemplar of decency and high character … should work to bridge the divides that separate the American people … should possess a strong knowledge of the important issues of our day … should express him or herself in ways that are refined and dignified, worthy of any audience of any age … should understand our immigrant heritage and act with compassion when conceiving policy that shapes the lives of newcomers … should make America a beacon to the world, promoting freedom and stability … should possess the temperament and good judgment necessary to be trusted with the most powerful military on Earth.
After stating their detailed opposition to Donald Trump, concluding that “he is not worthy of the presidency of the United States,” the editorial went on to praise Kasich.
“There is one candidate we can recommend to voters in the 2016 Republican primary. He is almost endearing for his Midwest beige, a demeanor so completely ordinary he would melt into the crowd at a Shriners breakfast.”
While stating that “John Kasich is unlikely to be president … not yet a viable candidate … he stands as the ideal of what a president should be … in all ways he is qualified to be the nation’s chief executive.”
After referring to the “election year dominated by threats and putdowns, the most understated candidate is the most competent … vote John Kasich.”
You may recall, on May 30, I went out on a limb and supported Kasich for president. He finally declared his run on July 21. Since then, while he was still my choice, I pretty much wrote him off. Offering to eat crow. At one point I suggested he bow out of the race because he wasn’t getting any traction.
No, I am not under any illusion that the Republic endorsement means anything in the scheme of things. There’s no clear path for Kasich going forward, but strange things can happen in what has already been a strange election year.
Newspaper endorsements have long lost their value to the voting public. It was just nice, however, to see that my initial choice of Kasich has some meaning after all. I should point out that the Republic endorsed Hillary Clinton on the Democrat ticket.
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